“All we see and all we seem is but a dream within a dream.”

Summary

Whiteland is beckoning, and she can only obey. Kira, her sister Romy, and parents, Anna and Matthew, are on holiday in a lonely Swiss mountain village. One their last night, Romy disappears, and when she returns, everything has changed. On the following day, Kira’s parents disappear. Determined to find out what haunts her family, Kira sets out into the forbidden land – Whiteland.

My Review

Rosie Cranie-Higgs has managed to pump in every element expected in a horror novel. Dark world-building, creepy whispers, misty figures, unknown creatures, snowy mountains, mystical rivers, and the feeling of terror that gnaws at you and makes you sit up straight.

The story is unique. Nothing I’ve read before. The twists in the story were also unexpected. I loved the book. It haunted my dreams when I read it late into the night. Isn’t that the whole point of reading a horror story? The thrill the book makes you experience you when you aren’t reading it.

The incident between Callum and Kira sinking into snow as if it was quicksand was my favorite chilling scene.  The characters were very realistic with Kira’s persistent struggle to help her family out of the catastrophe, although she was terrified to venture out alone. Romy’s descriptive reactions and behavior were also quite well-imagined and written. The description of her haunted eyes specifically was incredibly creepy.

It was surprising to read about Kira’s acceptance and fascination about the paranormal towards the end. Envy is a strong emotion, and to read about its manifestation in a tale so spooky and sordid was entertaining.

And yet at times, I thought the dialogue between Callum and Kira was repetitive. There was one whole chapter that I could make nor head nor tail of it. I was confused. Also, I felt like Callum and Kira's narrative was unnecessarily stretched and wasn’t needed for the story. It made it feel like a very lengthy book, although it is only around 300 pages long. What started with a bang fizzled out weak in the end.

Final Verdict

I rate the book 3.5 out of 5 stars. In my opinion, making the story a tad bit more concise would make it perfect enough for a perfect score.

Who Should Read It

I recommend this book only to an adult audience because of the adult themes of abuse, murder and supernatural discussed in the book.

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