The Icarus Girl

Jessamy Harrison is a somber, contemplative child who keeps to herself. She loses herself in her world and her imagination. Her mother, a writer originally from Nigeria, decides to take her family (which includes Jess and her English husband) to her home country where Jess learns about her mother's roots for the first time from her mother's family. There Jess meets a little girl named TillyTilly who becomes one of Jess' closest friends despite the fact that there's something a little strange about TillyTilly. As the story progresses, Jess realizes there's something disturbing about TillyTilly as strange things begin to occur in her world that makes the reader questions what's real and what's part of Jess' imagination.

Part myth and part horror story, this was certainly an engrossing read. I don't think this story will surprise too many people, especially if you read much horror. However, that's true of most horror, and it's more about the atmospheric quality of the story than anything. There's not creepier than children interacting with ghosts/monsters in horror stories because of the innocence that most children bring to the story and the helplessness they can pull from the reader because they're a child involved in something that's much bigger and scarier than they can truly comprehend. Jess is no exception, and it's quite a harrowing ride to follow her as TillyTilly firmly plants herself in Jess' world.

Bahni Turpin narrated this story. I'd forgotten that I had this book when I reviewed Unholy Ghosts, which is narrated by Turpin as well, and I didn't have to get that one to sample her work. However, the style she used for the books couldn't have been more different. I was much more moved by her narration of this book, but her narration of Unholy Ghosts is nothing to laugh at either. She's a talented narrator, and her range and depth of character and emotion is amazing. I did think this story went on way too long. It felt like it would've been a great short story. If it had been tight and concise this would've probably resonated with me a little longer and the ending would've had a great impact. I'm floundering on how I feel about the ending a bit, but I think, if this had cut out much of the story, it would've been more fitting. Still, this was a lyrical, haunting story that certainly left me mulling over for quite some time after I listened to it.