Whispering Pines by Heidi Lang and Kati Bartowski [MG Review]

Summary 💬

Rae’s father vanished without a trace—and Rae knows what happened to him. But no one believes her when she says that her father didn’t run off, that he was actually taken. Now, a year of therapy later, Rae’s mother decides they need a fresh start, and so they move to a new town in the hope that life can return to normal.

The problem is, there is nothing normal about the town of Whispering Pines.

No one knows this better than Caden. He’s lived in Whispering Pines his entire life, and he’s seen more than his fair share of weird—starting with his own family, as the town is the perfect home base for his mother’s ghost hunting business.

When several kids go missing and then show up like zombies with their eyes removed, many locals brush it off. Just another day in Whispering Pines. But Caden has a dark secret, one that may explain why someone is stealing eyes. And Rae, who knows how it feels to not be believed, may be just the person Caden needs to help him put things right.

Goodreads

Review ✍🏻

I originally drafted this post in early July. While at the lake one weekend, I read two entire middle grade novels. I wrote, “My enjoyment of middle grade is rekindled. I am quite looking forward to participating in #MGReadathon, hosted by Ms. Yingling Reads from July 15 to 17.” I’m pleased to report that that middle grade momentum carried through the summer, as I read 12 middle grade novels while hanging out at the lake. Now begins my task of actually reviewing said books 😲

Supernatural Horror

Whispering Pines opens with a striking, terrifying prologue. Occasionally I read a middle grade novel and think, “Holy smokes, is this really a book for 10 year olds?!” In this case, I thought “And this is just the prologue!” I’d rank it as one of the top five scariest scenes I’ve read in middle grade. But the story doesn’t get any scarier than that. In fact, it gets tamer. So if you enjoy the prologue, you’ll likely enjoy the rest of the book, so long as you don’t expect the high level of terror to be maintained.

Storylines and Worldbuilding

Apart from the horror elements, the other aspect of Whispering Pines that made the story so enjoyable for me was the balance of main storylines with hints of other threads that may be explored in further sequels. Plot doesn’t always stand out to me in middle grade – usually it’s the emotional characters or worldbuilding prose I fall in love with. With Whispering Pines, I think the authors strike a good balance between a coherent, single book storyline with a satisfying conclusion and dropping hints throughout that didn’t feel like too many unknowns or too many distractions from the main storyline.

Some things I’ll keep an eye out for in book two include Aiden, Vivienne’s backpack, the bottomless sinkhole, and of course Rae’s dad. The backstory of Rae’s missing father is present throughout the novel, but not the main focus. Hints throughout suggest whatever’s happening around Whispering Pines connected to his work.

Strangers Things meets X Files?

The obvious pop culture comparison of choice for this book is Stranger Things. And that’s fair enough. I used to get a lot of requests from middle schoolers for books similar to Stranger Things, even during the long break between season three and four. I imagine this book could circulate well, especially now, with ST S4 recently finished. Whispering Pines offers plenty of its own takes, though, on the small town with creepy and violent paranormal happenings trope.

One notable difference between Hawkins and Whispering Pines is that the townsfolk of Whispering Pines accept the paranormal happenings around them. Initially, I wasn’t sure if town acknowledges Caden’s family acknowledge for having real powers or if they approach Caden’s family just because they’re depserate. It appears to be first option. Explicit confirmation comes around a hundred pages in, when a receptionist acknowledges a ghost in the lobby.

Another comparison I saw is to X Files. “Okay, I guess!” says me, a person who never saw X Files. I believe X Files was about aliens? This book hints at aliens but I’m not sure the word is even used in the text. Any alien elements present in Whispering Pines will likely be more pronounced later on. I have a hunch as the series move further away from witchcraft and paranormal ghosts/spirits/whatever Aiden’s been hanging out with that I’ll be less interested. (The covers of book two and three have largely influenced this hunch.) Immediately after I finished reading Whispering Pines, I wanted to pick up the second book and follow the loose threads. Now I’m not sure how quickly I’ll pick up book two, but I’m not opposed to giving it a chance.

The Bottom Line 💭

Whispering Pines hooked my attention with its eerie atmospheric vibes and intriguing plot. I’m not sure if the vibes and plot will continue to carry my interest going forward, but I am curious to learn what further discoveries Caden and Rae may make!

Further Reading 📰

🍂 Authors’ website
🍂 Interview @ Spooky Middle Grade
🍂 Reviews: Sammie @ The Book Wyrm’s Den, Karen @ Ms Yingling Reads
🍂 Related: Check out Bloom by Kenneth Oppel for creepy scifi or Hide And Seeker by Daka Hermon for creepy paranormal.

Would you rather deal with spooky ghosts or creepy aliens?
If you’ve read this book, what are your predictions for a sequel?