Joe Quinn's Poltergeist

None of the boys believe Joe Quinn when he tells them about the poltergeist at his house. Davie starts to believe when he goes to the house and sees plates, food, tea cups and just about anything else fly through the air mysteriously. He isn't sure it's a poltergeist...it might just be Joe or his mom throwing things, but he's still drawn to the story. Ever since his little sister died, Davie has been looking for some sort of meaning in things. Joe and his mom, a conflicted local priest, and a supposed poltergeist help Davie put his thoughts about the meaning of life, what might come after, and his dreams of the future into a more clear picture.

This story is a bit odd, but has a very deep meaning. I think perhaps the author is delving into his thoughts on his own life, emotions, and ponderings about existence. I found it very thought provoking and maybe just a little bit disturbing. The artwork by Dave McKean is wonderful!

All in all, a very thought provoking read. I enjoyed it! I'd be interested in seeing more by David Almond...and definitely would love to see more of Dave McKean's art! This book was not what I expected at all....but an enjoyable surprise! I'm very glad I read this! Coming from a former Catholic background, it brought back some memories and provoked some deep thoughts.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Candlewick Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

JOE QUINN’S POLTERGEIST by David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean is a dark, creepy story exploring the topics of death, grief, and the afterlife. This thin graphic novel coming of age story explores the the angst of a variety of characters.

ARC courtesy of Candlewick. ( )

I enjoy when inner demons are explored by externalizing them as outer demons. That is the basic idea here and these collaborators fail to deliver much of interest. The story is thin—feels more like a second hand anecdote told without passion or intent. The art work is mundane—the color scheme seemed that of a coffee stain rather than anything that might represent the workings of the teenage mind and imagination central to the story. The story was disappointing because of the evocative use of the word “poltergeist” in the title and the art was disappointing because as often happens, the cover art does not represent the style of the book. I received this book free through the Library Thing website with the understanding that I would write a review and I chose it largely based upon it’s cover art—kind of an otherworldly disturbing 3-D puppet image. Wondered if maybe this was geared toward children and that’s why I didn’t connect with it. But if that is the case, then this is an even bigger failure of the imagination than I initially thought. ( )

It's always interesting to listen to an audio version of a graphic novel. I reviewed the audio version for AudioFile Magazine, and it intrigued me enough to seek out the print version as well. When Joe Quinn invites Davie to his home to experience the outburst of the poltergeist haunting his home, Davie is initially reluctant. He doesn't like Joe, and does little to hide it. However, the poltergeist both disturbs him and draws him to return to Joe's house. In the audio version, the heavy accent of the north of England is definitely apparent. In the print version, it is noted by the use of words uncommon in American English, particularly the mild swear word, "bliddy." The mood of both the print and audio versions are appropriately dark and moody as Davie ponders life, death, grief, religion, and the afterlife. The book is short, but affecting.

https://shelf-employed.blogspot.com ( )

Received this as an ARC copy from Library Thing. Not sure what to think of it. A boy in an English village tells some of his classmates that he has a poltergeist in his house. The two boys he tells about it think he's weird and are bullying him at first but finally relent to go. They see objects flying about the house. One refuses to go again while the other consults his alcoholic priest. Not sure what the book was trying to get across. One of the boys is grieving still over the loss of his sister, the priest we learn later gets defrocked. ( )