Friday, July 5, 2013

A review of The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn

            In The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, a twelve year old girl named Florence leaves the orphanage that she was living at to go to Crutchfield Hall where she believes she will live a happy life. 
Here are some problems I had with the book:
On the back of the book it says, "Uncle said the dead did not return.  He was wrong."  This is a truly creepy sentence.   But was the ghost creepy?  No.
 It says that Sophia, the ghost, can easily glide through things, but then she can help make a snowman.  This does not make any sense.
Florence wants to befriend the ghost.  I can't criticize very much as I would try to befriend anything other worldly.  However, Florence seems very proper and well-behaved.  Someone who doesn't seem like she would befriend anything the slightest bit creepy.
The book says that Florence and Sophia look nothing alike but they are mistaken for each other 2 or 3 times.  The day she arrived, Florence's aunt thought she was Sophia.  Another time, Florence was wearing Sophia's dress and again her aunt thought she was Sophia.  If they didn't look alike then Florence should never have been mistaken for Sophia. 
Finally, Florence does not think for herself.  She will do ANYTHING the ghost has her do.  If she is really a twelve year old girl she should be thinking for herself.  Maybe this wasn't encouraged at the orphanage so she doesn't have experience with it.  If Florence had fought against Sophia, Sophia would have become something much more creepy and menacing.   If Florence fought back, the book would have been much better.

If you are wanting a truly creepy book this one is not for you.

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