Books › A Drowned Maiden's Hair
A Drowned Maiden's Hair
400 pages
An eerie, suspenseful journey into turn-of-the-century spiritualism where a desperate orphan must navigate the shadowy line between belonging and deception.
What it feels like
Reading this novel feels like stepping into a shadowy, turn-of-the-century parlor where nothing is quite as it seems. The atmosphere is thick with the eerie allure of spiritualism and the quiet tension of a child caught in a web of adult deception. It moves with page-turning suspense, driven by a feisty, impertinent heroine whose desperate need for a family clashes with her growing moral conscience. The narrative balances fascinating historical textures with a dark, emotional undercurrent of betrayal and the manipulation of grief. It is a propulsive, deeply felt experience that will delight readers of atmospheric children's fiction who appreciate spirited protagonists uncovering the heartless truths hidden behind charming facades.
- Mood
- eerie
- tense
- shadowy
- Tone
- suspenseful
- earnest
- feisty
- darkly atmospheric
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- the weight of deception · longing for belonging · moral awakening · manipulation of grief
- The writing
- Rich with fascinating historical details of turn-of-the-century spiritualism while maintaining a sharp, suspenseful edge.
- The arc
- Moves from a desperate yearning for acceptance to a tense moral awakening and ultimately a confrontation with harsh truths.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love atmospheric historical fiction featuring spirited young protagonists navigating dark, deceptive adult worlds.
Content notes
- deception
- manipulation of grief
- child exploitation
- betrayal
- orphanhood
About the book
Maud Flynn is known at the orphanage for her impertinence. So when the charming Miss Hyacinth chooses her to take home, the girl is pleased but baffled, until she learns of her new role: helping to stage elaborate seances for bereaved patrons. As Maud is drawn deeper into the deception, playing the "secret child," she is torn between her need to please and her growing conscience. It takes a shocking betrayal to make clear just how heartless her so-called guardians are. Filled with fascinating details of turn-of-the-century spiritualism and page-turning suspense, this novel from Newbery Medalist Laura Amy Schlitz features a feisty heroine whom readers will not soon forget.
Description from Open Library.
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