aimeeerickson

Having read lots of John Bellairs and similar authors growing up, I would say that this book is as well done as those. The story isn't too convoluted but is just messy enough to feel realistic. The ghost of a girl who's bones were used to make a china doll wants to be buried, and drags three friends into a quest to do so. In the course of the quest they have obstacles to overcome with resolutions that make sense but aren't handed to them for the most part. Most of the adults they encounter treat them as would be expected. Waitresses and shop owners treat them as regular customers. Bus station personnel and librarians try to track them down or make them call their parents. No kindly old eccentric smoothing their way by covering for them with other adults.

I personally didn't find the story too creepy, but my freak-out quotient is pretty high, so I wouldn't hold that against the book. The interpersonal relationships are believable and echoing the theme of what to do when your body's growing older but your soul is resisting "growing up". That I can definitely relate to. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a tween-levelish "horror" book. Not overly frightening but will most assuredly make you look sideways at china dolls for a while.