Review: Ghost Bird

Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

HOLY HECK THIS WAS SPOOKY.

The blurb: Stacey and Laney - twins, who are super close but opposite in almost every way. Stacey's the good girl while Laney is more of a rebel, so when Laney goes missing it's only Stacey's 'twinstinct' that tells her her sister is in trouble.

(Yes, I'm pretty sure I just invented the word 'twinstinct'.)

Me reading the blurb: Ooh, a YA crime novel, cool.
Me actually reading this book:
*eyes widen*
*eyes widen further*
*mouth gaping*
*contorting expressions of terror*

It's such a uniquely terrifying story. I'm tempted to add it to my 'horror' shelf, it was that sinister. I mean, the sister goes missing and that's mysterious, but then Stacey (Tace) starts having these nightmares that are completely wild and I will never be able to see a red laser dot ever again without thinking of this book. And shuddering.

I absolutely loved the culture of this story. Aboriginal culture is so rich with myths, legends and customs, and many other things that, as a white woman, I'm not privy to. So it was fascinating to get a glimpse into that world through Tace's eyes. Particularly as she's a spirited teen who is more interested in rational science than the rumours and legends of her Nan. There's also that very clear divide between the 'blackfullas' and the 'whitefullas' (as Tace calls them) that was incredibly relevant to read about in our current climate, despite this being set 20 years ago. The racism in this book is just a matter of fact, and Tace takes it as such, just as she does the hatred between her family and the Millers (despite not knowing why they are at war). She is clearly enraged by the injustice, but at the same time is utterly defeated by it. I really appreciated reading this POV.

The writing style was immersive, and the language used helped me really hear the voices of these characters. It may be a little hard to understand for non-Australians as a lot of the words are clipped, and there were a few words that I wasn't familiar with myself and I assume they are from an indigenous language. The authenticity is a massive part of this story, and it adds such an important realism to the myths and legends as they arise.

I loved the experience of reading this story, and it really did get super creepy. I liked how dark and twisted it was, and that it wasn't just about the culture - there was a gritty story here to carry you away.

If you're looking for a creepy little mystery to sink your teeth into, I recommend this highly. It's also a great option for anyone looking to explore more indigenous authors. LOVED IT.

Note: I'm still considering bumping this up to 5 stars. It all hinges on whether I think I'd wanna read it again. And it was pretty creepy XD

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