G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 256 pp.
Published September 25, 2018
DISCLAIMER: I received a free physical ARC of this title from the publisher for review consideration. This did not inform or influence my opinion in any way.
After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn't think--she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man," a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.
Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? Ollie doesn't have too long to think about the answer to that. On the way home, the school bus breaks down, sending their teacher back to the farm for help. But the strange bus driver has some advice for the kids left behind in his care: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch, a keepsake reminder of better times, begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.
Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed the bus driver's warning. As the trio head out into the woods--bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them--the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small."
And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.
Teen and adult fans of Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy (the final book of which comes out in January 2019, not that I'm counting down!) will find themselves delighted at dipping their toes into middle grade literature for her newest book, Small Spaces. This spooky tale captures all of the magic and looming darkness that makes Vasya's story so enchanting, only now packaged up in autumnal trappings and refocused for a younger audience.
Heroine Ollie possesses a familiar strength, tempered by selflessness and a dogged sense of right and wrong. The recent tragedy of her mother's death has pushed her away from other children and into the welcoming fiction of books; she even struggles to connect with her father, who works hard to keep her from feeling alone. Arden addresses some heavy topics through her main character: death and grief, the comfort and isolation of imagination, the delicate balance of independence and strength through teamwork. Each theme unfolds naturally, as straightforward as Ollie yet with all the nuance of a girl on the cusp of her teenage years.
Although she chooses to navigate daily life alone, two classmates join her in fleeing their stalled out school bus. Brian, a popular boy and jock, and Coco, a clumsy city transplant with no affinity for the outdoors, both ignore Ollie's desire for solitude and follow her into the woods. Each charms in his or her own way, just as they each earn Ollie's grudging respect and affection during their harrowing escape. They may start out as archetypes, but that's more a function of Ollie's withdrawal and defensive attitude, rather than a failing on the part of the characters. Their development is Ollie's as well, her stubborn insistence on solitude and self-reliance chipped away by the threat of the Smiling Man.
That gorgeous cover perfectly reflects the cool and creepy tone that settles over the trio during their adventure at Smoke Hollow. Primed with a myth of the predatory Smiling Man, the mood swiftly darkens as superstition bleeds into reality. The level of spookiness is perfectly suited to a middle grade audience, although sentient scarecrows and haunted corn mazes will likely suffice to frighten much older readers as well. Small Spaces hums with a reverent love of autumn in all its crisp, musty, orange-red glory. Much like Ray Bradbury—another favorite author of mine, who also reveled in the spooky in-between time that is fall—Arden writes with a mixture of nostalgia and empathy that will delight readers of any age. While she might not have made me long for middle school (to be fair, no one could), she certainly reminded me of the happiest moments from that time.
My only complaint is that the final confrontation left me feeling as though I'd missed a detail or two along the way, like the puzzle pieces almost fit together perfectly. Despite a couple of small gaps in the mythology of the Smiling Man, though, Small Spaces ends on a strong and satisfying emotional note. Just like Pixar and other Disney films, truly great MG/YA novels should still work well with older readers. Small Spaces captures the magic, terror, and endless possibility of childhood, wrapping them up with all the enticements of autumn.
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