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White Rabbit: A Novel
Sylvia Plath comes to visit in this haunting literary coming of age novel.
In a yellow house perched on the crumbling edge of Massachusetts Bay, eleven-year-old Penelope Willows is living in the shadow of loss. Her father is gone, leaving behind only whispers and shadows, while her mother drifts further away each day, lost in her own grief. Left alone in a home that seems frozen in time, Penelope clings to her routines, counting everything she can—logs by the stove, soup cans in the pantry—hoping to hold the world together.
But this is no ordinary house. It once belonged to the poet Sylvia Plath, and her presence lingers in every corner, her ghost becoming an unexpected companion to Penelope. As the days stretch on, Penelope begins to hear the echoes of Plath’s poetry in the wind, feel her sadness seep into the walls, and see her ghost in the mirrors and empty rooms.
When Penelope’s mother begins to withdraw further into her own world, leaving Penelope more isolated than ever, the girl’s grip on reality starts to fray. Haunted by the absence of her father and the presence of a ghost, Penelope must navigate the treacherous waters of memory, madness, and the fear that she, too, will be lost to the abyss.
In a yellow house perched on the crumbling edge of Massachusetts Bay, eleven-year-old Penelope Willows is living in the shadow of loss. Her father is gone, leaving behind only whispers and shadows, while her mother drifts further away each day, lost in her own grief. Left alone in a home that seems frozen in time, Penelope clings to her routines, counting everything she can—logs by the stove, soup cans in the pantry—hoping to hold the world together.
But this is no ordinary house. It once belonged to the poet Sylvia Plath, and her presence lingers in every corner, her ghost becoming an unexpected companion to Penelope. As the days stretch on, Penelope begins to hear the echoes of Plath’s poetry in the wind, feel her sadness seep into the walls, and see her ghost in the mirrors and empty rooms.
When Penelope’s mother begins to withdraw further into her own world, leaving Penelope more isolated than ever, the girl’s grip on reality starts to fray. Haunted by the absence of her father and the presence of a ghost, Penelope must navigate the treacherous waters of memory, madness, and the fear that she, too, will be lost to the abyss.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
Abigail Rose-Marie
3 books216 followersAbigail Rose-Marie is a writer from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She holds a Ph.D. in creative writing from Ohio University and an MFA from Bowling Green State University. She currently lives with her wife and their very spoiled pets in Utah. For more information, connect via Instagram @authorabigailrosemarie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
June 20, 2026
When I was scrolling through NetGalley, it said this was the writer who did Moonflowers and while I’ve never read it, I immediately recognized the cover in my head. It’s been on my list for so long but nothing makes me wanna read more than some Alice in Wonderland imagery.
This is a literary book akin to Claire Oshetsky and Emma Donoghue works. Taking place from a POV of someone very young, we are able to look through their eyes and their mind. But that does not mean it is any less difficult. Our main character is eleven year old Penelope who we can immediately recognize has some serious OCD and is grappling with trauma although we don’t know the full scope of.
The entirety of the book is Penelope grappling with her issues of her newly single mother, her eccentric aunt, and of course the ghost of Sylvia Plath. I’m going to be honest, that’s what sold me in reading this book. Sylvia Plath AND Alice in Wonderland imagery and it did not lead me astray.
This won’t be for everyone and I know it won’t be some crazy popular book you see on TikTok but there are the readers who will love this. The weirdos. The literary nerds. The ones who sometimes feel alone and too macabre for this world. You, me and Sylvia indeed.
This is a literary book akin to Claire Oshetsky and Emma Donoghue works. Taking place from a POV of someone very young, we are able to look through their eyes and their mind. But that does not mean it is any less difficult. Our main character is eleven year old Penelope who we can immediately recognize has some serious OCD and is grappling with trauma although we don’t know the full scope of.
The entirety of the book is Penelope grappling with her issues of her newly single mother, her eccentric aunt, and of course the ghost of Sylvia Plath. I’m going to be honest, that’s what sold me in reading this book. Sylvia Plath AND Alice in Wonderland imagery and it did not lead me astray.
This won’t be for everyone and I know it won’t be some crazy popular book you see on TikTok but there are the readers who will love this. The weirdos. The literary nerds. The ones who sometimes feel alone and too macabre for this world. You, me and Sylvia indeed.
July 15, 2026
Whoa. This book had me from page one. This story is tender and heartbreaking. White Rabbit is story of trauma, resilience, heartache, and love. It was dark and mysterious with some touches of whimsy. I loved reading from 11 year old Penelope’s neurodivergent perspective. Penelope is one of my new favorite book characters, being in her head was fascinating. This story follows Penelope as she is grappling with her new reality since her dad left. The story is unique and special. The cast of characters (including the ghost of Sylvia Plath) were so dynamic and real. I will be thinking about sweet Penelope and her ghost friend for a long time.
This is my second 5 star read from Abigail Rose-Marie!
((Check trigger warnings))
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square Books for early access to this book.
This is my second 5 star read from Abigail Rose-Marie!
((Check trigger warnings))
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square Books for early access to this book.
May 26, 2026
(ARC) 4.5⭐️ exploring major trauma through the eyes of a neurodivergent 11yo was not on my bingo card this year, yet here I am absolutely delighted (read as: devastated) to tell you…what a treat.
Unreliable narrator trope, but I found myself more forgiving considering the story is being filtered through a child who is also trying to make sense of what has happened.
This is marketed as “horror” and while I understand the themes are horrific, it felt more along the lines of literary fiction. I HIGHLY recommend this if you want to dip your toes in horror without getting full-blown nightmare fuel. You get a deep character study with a nice little ghosty companion as the story unravels.
Unreliable narrator trope, but I found myself more forgiving considering the story is being filtered through a child who is also trying to make sense of what has happened.
This is marketed as “horror” and while I understand the themes are horrific, it felt more along the lines of literary fiction. I HIGHLY recommend this if you want to dip your toes in horror without getting full-blown nightmare fuel. You get a deep character study with a nice little ghosty companion as the story unravels.
August 10, 2026
Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars
“I am still stuck on January 26, I say. Everything after that never happened because Dad left. White Rabbit was never performed, and Dad is still not here to turn the page. I am stuck on January 26 and I do not know how to get to January 27.”
Stories told through the point of view of children experiencing traumatic events that they’re far too young to grasp are a different kind of tragic and unsettling to me. In the hands of the wrong author, it’s an exploitative disaster waiting to happen. In the hands of the right author, you get gems like David Vann’s Aquarium, Emily Spurr’s A Million Things and (more on the fantasy-side) Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. White Rabbit falls firmly in that latter category. This was an incredibly moving and memorable story, with an even more memorable young protagonist.
The Story:
The yellow house perched on the crumbling edge of Massachusetts Bay is filled with grief. It used to belong to the poet Sylvia Plath, and her ghost still quietly watches the current inhabitants going about their routines. Before, there were 3: mom, dad and 11-year old neurodivergent Penelope. But dad is gone, and both mom and Penelope retreat into their own inner worlds. That is until Penelope is forced out of all her routines and away from the yellow house on the bluff, on a road trip in search of her dad.
What I loved:
We spend the entirety of the novel inside the mind of Penelope; a neurodivergent 11-year-old doing her best to make sense of the events that are happening in her life. Her unique outlook on the world – ghosts and Alice in Wonderland references and all – carries the story. It endears you as the reader to her, whilst also keeping you on your toes, as its clear that despite her best efforts, Penelope is not a reliable narrator. The heartbreak comes in exploring the world through her eyes, whilst slowly piecing together what is truth and what is fiction.
As mentioned; in the wrong hands the unreliable-narrator – especially when combined with the neurodivergence aspect – can easily become exploitative or insensitive. White Rabbit is neither of those things. To me, this felt like an incredibly authentic portrayal of the framing that Penelope would create around her fathers absence.
You will likely put the pieces together faster than Penelope does. Yet rather than becoming annoying, this added to the dread and anticipation for me.
I don’t want to say anything regarding the ending, other than that the emotional pay-off was well worth it for me. I’m not a “book-crier”, but if I were, I’d definitely shed a tear with Penelope here.
What I didn’t love:
My biggest point of critique is aimed at the marketing team, not the story itself. I don’t understand the choice to classify this as a horror novel, as I don’t think that label will help it reach the right audience. This happens a lot, specifically when literary fiction novels include elements of ghosts or magical realism. This does not make them “horror” or “fantasy” respectively, and marketing them as such creates unfair expectations. White Rabbit was also distinctly less “ghostly” than I hoped based on the synopsis. I’m happy with what we got instead, but it was somewhat different from my expectations.
Speaking of the ghosts brings me to my sole substantial critique of the story. I didn’t feel like all of the different motifs blended together naturally. Most prominently, there’s the ghost of Sylvia Plath, the various allusions to Alice in Wonderland and The White Rabbit play, and the colors red and blue that shade Penelopes perception of her mum. I loved all of these individually, but I sometimes felt they didn’t belong in the same story. Had the author cut back and focused on developing one of these (preferably Sylvia if you’d ask me), it might have made for a more streamlined experience.
Many thanks to Union Square & Co for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
“I am still stuck on January 26, I say. Everything after that never happened because Dad left. White Rabbit was never performed, and Dad is still not here to turn the page. I am stuck on January 26 and I do not know how to get to January 27.”
Stories told through the point of view of children experiencing traumatic events that they’re far too young to grasp are a different kind of tragic and unsettling to me. In the hands of the wrong author, it’s an exploitative disaster waiting to happen. In the hands of the right author, you get gems like David Vann’s Aquarium, Emily Spurr’s A Million Things and (more on the fantasy-side) Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. White Rabbit falls firmly in that latter category. This was an incredibly moving and memorable story, with an even more memorable young protagonist.
The Story:
The yellow house perched on the crumbling edge of Massachusetts Bay is filled with grief. It used to belong to the poet Sylvia Plath, and her ghost still quietly watches the current inhabitants going about their routines. Before, there were 3: mom, dad and 11-year old neurodivergent Penelope. But dad is gone, and both mom and Penelope retreat into their own inner worlds. That is until Penelope is forced out of all her routines and away from the yellow house on the bluff, on a road trip in search of her dad.
What I loved:
We spend the entirety of the novel inside the mind of Penelope; a neurodivergent 11-year-old doing her best to make sense of the events that are happening in her life. Her unique outlook on the world – ghosts and Alice in Wonderland references and all – carries the story. It endears you as the reader to her, whilst also keeping you on your toes, as its clear that despite her best efforts, Penelope is not a reliable narrator. The heartbreak comes in exploring the world through her eyes, whilst slowly piecing together what is truth and what is fiction.
As mentioned; in the wrong hands the unreliable-narrator – especially when combined with the neurodivergence aspect – can easily become exploitative or insensitive. White Rabbit is neither of those things. To me, this felt like an incredibly authentic portrayal of the framing that Penelope would create around her fathers absence.
You will likely put the pieces together faster than Penelope does. Yet rather than becoming annoying, this added to the dread and anticipation for me.
I don’t want to say anything regarding the ending, other than that the emotional pay-off was well worth it for me. I’m not a “book-crier”, but if I were, I’d definitely shed a tear with Penelope here.
What I didn’t love:
My biggest point of critique is aimed at the marketing team, not the story itself. I don’t understand the choice to classify this as a horror novel, as I don’t think that label will help it reach the right audience. This happens a lot, specifically when literary fiction novels include elements of ghosts or magical realism. This does not make them “horror” or “fantasy” respectively, and marketing them as such creates unfair expectations. White Rabbit was also distinctly less “ghostly” than I hoped based on the synopsis. I’m happy with what we got instead, but it was somewhat different from my expectations.
Speaking of the ghosts brings me to my sole substantial critique of the story. I didn’t feel like all of the different motifs blended together naturally. Most prominently, there’s the ghost of Sylvia Plath, the various allusions to Alice in Wonderland and The White Rabbit play, and the colors red and blue that shade Penelopes perception of her mum. I loved all of these individually, but I sometimes felt they didn’t belong in the same story. Had the author cut back and focused on developing one of these (preferably Sylvia if you’d ask me), it might have made for a more streamlined experience.
Many thanks to Union Square & Co for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 27, 2026
What a unique, fascinating, and complex novel.
Before I get into my thoughts on this book, I want to add a disclaimer that I could list multiple trigger warnings involved in this novel but if I were to disclose them, they would reveal crucial elements of the story. With that said, this is a dark, harrowing, and emotional read. If you are concerned about the content, I would recommend reading additional reviews that disclose these warnings.
Although this story is thrilling and suspenseful by nature, this novel is actually not a thriller which I originally had thought. It more-so leans towards being a generalized fiction with a literary fiction influence and a dash of gothic horror. If that doesn't sound intriguing, I don't know what would!
This reading experience was very interesting because of the usage of dramatic irony. I will err on the side of caution and not get into specifics surrounding that but I couldn't help but be fully invested in how a revelation would occur.
This was truly a unique read from the very start and one that I know I will refer back to and remember because of that distinction.
***Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for gifting me an ARC to read and review***
Before I get into my thoughts on this book, I want to add a disclaimer that I could list multiple trigger warnings involved in this novel but if I were to disclose them, they would reveal crucial elements of the story. With that said, this is a dark, harrowing, and emotional read. If you are concerned about the content, I would recommend reading additional reviews that disclose these warnings.
Although this story is thrilling and suspenseful by nature, this novel is actually not a thriller which I originally had thought. It more-so leans towards being a generalized fiction with a literary fiction influence and a dash of gothic horror. If that doesn't sound intriguing, I don't know what would!
This reading experience was very interesting because of the usage of dramatic irony. I will err on the side of caution and not get into specifics surrounding that but I couldn't help but be fully invested in how a revelation would occur.
This was truly a unique read from the very start and one that I know I will refer back to and remember because of that distinction.
***Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for gifting me an ARC to read and review***
July 7, 2026
Really incredible.
July 3, 2026
What must it feel like to be extremely sensitive to light? Sounds? Colors? To calm oneself with repetitive patterned behavior, counting and heightened math skills.
Main character, Penelope Willows, age 11, goes through what seems like a monotonous routine to outsiders and yet no one wonders why?
A cataclysmic event in her house in late January seems to disrupt her world of understanding and shakes up her fears.
Her father, has left; leaving behind dirty looks and whispered rumors amongst the townsfolk & young, impressionable Penelope is left to deal with the fallout, and a mother whose vastly disappearing physically as she has mentally.
Does young Penelope find her groundings? Her safe place?or is she swallowed by her fears?
A peculiar tale of mental health, grief and loss wrapped in a coming of age story and what it might mean to feel secure in one’s own surroundings, that doesn’t include ghosts-real or imagined.
Thanks to Union Square & Co. for this truly unique read!
Main character, Penelope Willows, age 11, goes through what seems like a monotonous routine to outsiders and yet no one wonders why?
A cataclysmic event in her house in late January seems to disrupt her world of understanding and shakes up her fears.
Her father, has left; leaving behind dirty looks and whispered rumors amongst the townsfolk & young, impressionable Penelope is left to deal with the fallout, and a mother whose vastly disappearing physically as she has mentally.
Does young Penelope find her groundings? Her safe place?or is she swallowed by her fears?
A peculiar tale of mental health, grief and loss wrapped in a coming of age story and what it might mean to feel secure in one’s own surroundings, that doesn’t include ghosts-real or imagined.
Thanks to Union Square & Co. for this truly unique read!
Did Not Finish
July 30, 2026I was listening to the audiobook and made it halfway through when I gave up on this one. I didn’t care for the narrator’s style at all and found their performance detracted from the story. The delivery’s distracting and quite frankly, annoying.
July 31, 2026
I went in thinking it would be a psychological thriller, but it was more on the sad side and less on the thriller.
August 6, 2026
Just like the Lewis Carroll character who led Alice down a long dark tunnel, Abbie Rose-Marie’s White Rabbit takes us to a place that is at once both strange and strangely familiar. The story begins in a yellow house, the former home Sylvia Plath, which sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean in Winthrop, Massachusetts. Sylvia’s ghost accompanies Penelope, our eleven-year-old protagonist, on their journey through a wonderland full of characters no less vivid than a Cheshire cat, a Queen of Hearts, and the backward-talking White Knight.
Penelope lives with her single mom, Louie, who works two part-time jobs to maintain Penelope in the yellow house where it is always January 26 – the day Penelope’s father disappeared. For it was the father who first showed himself in the rabbit head on a beach in Venice, California, where he met and married Penelope’s mother fourteen years before our story opens.
Penelope is a neurodivergent pre-teen who knows over four thousand facts and feels colors in a way that sometimes gives her the jeebies. She relishes the memory of her father: a man who read Sylvia Plath’s poetry aloud to the ocean; the one who screamed to let his genius out as he developed a masterful musical titled White Rabbit; a father telling his daughter about the little house on a cul-de-sac in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they will live happily ever after. Except he is gone on the very day White Rabbit was to be performed at the high school where Penelope’s father taught theater to students for whom he made many White Rabbit heads.
When Penelope witnesses her mother begin to turn blue from missing her husband, Penelope decides it is time to leave their comfortable home in Winthrop. Accompanied by Sylvia’s ghost, an aunt named Apple, and Apple’s boyfriend, James, Penelope sets out on a journey to the heartland from which Penelope expects to bring her father back.
As in real life, things don’t always turn out the way Penelope had hoped. Sadly, Penelope’s father would have better been cast as the Mad Hatter.
In crafting White Rabbit (the novel), Abbie Rose-Marie has given us something much more than a child’s wonderous and sometimes frightening escapade. She tells a tale certain to be appreciated by any adult who realizes it’s no use going back to yesterday, because we were different people then, only one short day ago. No one who reads White Rabbit will believe they are the same person they were before they joined Penelope’s adventure.
July 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. - A subsidiary of Sterling Publishing | Union Square & Co, as well as the author, for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #UnionSquare$CoASunsidiaryofSterlingPublishingUnionSquare&Co #AbigaleRoseMarie #WhiteRabbit #Horror #Fiction #Books #Reading #BookReviews
Title: White Rabbit
Author: Abigail Rose-Marie
Format: eBook
Publisher: Union Square & Co. - A subsidiary of Sterling Publishing | Union Square & Co
Publication Date: July 21, 2026
Rating: 5 Stars
Themes: Unreliable narrator, trauma, grief, mental health, neurodiversity, paranormal
Trigger Warnings: Grief, mental health struggles, therapy, painful memories, ghosts
This book was a surprise. When I started this unusual book, I wasn’t sure about the writing style. This book is told from the point of view of an eleven-year-old girl named Penelope. Penelope is a neurodivergent girl who is reeling from the loss of her father. She lives in the house that was formerly the home of Sylvia Plath. Her mother works multiple jobs, and Penelope is often left alone, except for her cat and the ghost of Sylvia Plath. With only a cat and a ghost for company, and the increasing absence of her mother, Penelope begins to struggle with her already precarious mental health.
The writing style is unique, and once I got the rhythm, I flew through this. “Alice in Wonderland” is my favorite book, and I was delighted by the “Alice” theme. Blending the poetry of Sylvia Plath with the dark whimsy of Lewis Carroll made for a truly beautiful narrative. Penelope, being an eleven-year-old child, is an unreliable narrator but offers simplicity and clarity to a very complicated situation. I was very invested in her story and very much enjoyed figuring out what was going on along with her. It was also heartbreaking. While the plot wasn’t hard to follow, it wasn’t easy to predict whether Penelope would figure things out or go mad before she could. The twist wasn’t what events the ending revealed, but how Penelope handled it.
The horror theme wasn’t immediately apparent. It didn’t present as most horror does, but revealed itself slowly, an insidious fog of dread. It worked its way under my skin and stayed there. This is a lovely work of horror fiction.
#NetGalley #UnionSquare$CoASunsidiaryofSterlingPublishingUnionSquare&Co #AbigaleRoseMarie #WhiteRabbit #Horror #Fiction #Books #Reading #BookReviews
Title: White Rabbit
Author: Abigail Rose-Marie
Format: eBook
Publisher: Union Square & Co. - A subsidiary of Sterling Publishing | Union Square & Co
Publication Date: July 21, 2026
Rating: 5 Stars
Themes: Unreliable narrator, trauma, grief, mental health, neurodiversity, paranormal
Trigger Warnings: Grief, mental health struggles, therapy, painful memories, ghosts
This book was a surprise. When I started this unusual book, I wasn’t sure about the writing style. This book is told from the point of view of an eleven-year-old girl named Penelope. Penelope is a neurodivergent girl who is reeling from the loss of her father. She lives in the house that was formerly the home of Sylvia Plath. Her mother works multiple jobs, and Penelope is often left alone, except for her cat and the ghost of Sylvia Plath. With only a cat and a ghost for company, and the increasing absence of her mother, Penelope begins to struggle with her already precarious mental health.
The writing style is unique, and once I got the rhythm, I flew through this. “Alice in Wonderland” is my favorite book, and I was delighted by the “Alice” theme. Blending the poetry of Sylvia Plath with the dark whimsy of Lewis Carroll made for a truly beautiful narrative. Penelope, being an eleven-year-old child, is an unreliable narrator but offers simplicity and clarity to a very complicated situation. I was very invested in her story and very much enjoyed figuring out what was going on along with her. It was also heartbreaking. While the plot wasn’t hard to follow, it wasn’t easy to predict whether Penelope would figure things out or go mad before she could. The twist wasn’t what events the ending revealed, but how Penelope handled it.
The horror theme wasn’t immediately apparent. It didn’t present as most horror does, but revealed itself slowly, an insidious fog of dread. It worked its way under my skin and stayed there. This is a lovely work of horror fiction.
July 5, 2026
Every now and then, a book comes along that consumes you, pulls on all of your emotions and leaves you slightly lost once you’ve finished it. This is one of those books, for me - so much so that I read it in 24 hours because I was so immersed. Secrecy and ghosts combine with absolutely gorgeous dialogue; descriptions are genius in that they say just enough yet give you everything. Characters are drawn so sharply that you are observing them over their shoulder; themes of neurodiversity and OCD are weaved through the narrative so beautifully that I wanted to applaud.
Penelope is our eleven year old narrator, and seeing the world through her eyes is both a joy and an emotional rollercoaster. Penelope is fascinating, curious and brave. She loves living by the sea with her Mum and her cat Monet. Their house just happens to be the same house that Sylvia Plath lived in, for a time. Penelope can see Sylvia; indeed, the presence of Sylvia runs through the story so accutely that you forget she’s a ghost - Sylvia being there and Penelope being able to see her, makes total sense. I feel that the spirit of Sylvia was there to support Penelope in some way and provide an angle on mental health and the judgement that this can bring, and the damage that this can cause, whilst also creating a link to the themes of creativity and the demons that this level of genius can create. Because Penelope’s Dad is a genius, too, and in her devoted, adoring eyes the cleverest man ever. But Penelope’s Dad has left, without a word, and things are not the same now he’s gone. Penelope is determined to piece together clues in order to go and find him, and bring him back, then everything can go back to normal. This is going to mean Penelope has to overcome a lot of difficult things, but what she hasn’t understood, in her beautiful way of looking at the world, is that her Dad leaving home is not as clear cut as she thinks. Will she eventually understand why her Dad has left? Will she find him? Can he come back?
Penelope is our eleven year old narrator, and seeing the world through her eyes is both a joy and an emotional rollercoaster. Penelope is fascinating, curious and brave. She loves living by the sea with her Mum and her cat Monet. Their house just happens to be the same house that Sylvia Plath lived in, for a time. Penelope can see Sylvia; indeed, the presence of Sylvia runs through the story so accutely that you forget she’s a ghost - Sylvia being there and Penelope being able to see her, makes total sense. I feel that the spirit of Sylvia was there to support Penelope in some way and provide an angle on mental health and the judgement that this can bring, and the damage that this can cause, whilst also creating a link to the themes of creativity and the demons that this level of genius can create. Because Penelope’s Dad is a genius, too, and in her devoted, adoring eyes the cleverest man ever. But Penelope’s Dad has left, without a word, and things are not the same now he’s gone. Penelope is determined to piece together clues in order to go and find him, and bring him back, then everything can go back to normal. This is going to mean Penelope has to overcome a lot of difficult things, but what she hasn’t understood, in her beautiful way of looking at the world, is that her Dad leaving home is not as clear cut as she thinks. Will she eventually understand why her Dad has left? Will she find him? Can he come back?
July 20, 2026
Thank you Union Square for my free copy of White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie — out now!
» READ IF YOU «
🌊 love a crumbling seaside house setting
🐰 are into literary, unique child narrators
🎭 can't get enough of a good grief metaphor
» SYNOPSIS «
11-year-old Penelope is struggling to adapt to her new reality—her father has moved to Minnesota without explanation, and her mother drifts further into her own grief every day. Left mostly alone in their crumbling old Massachusetts house (which once belonged to Sylvia Plath), Penelope clings to routines and rituals to hold herself together. But when Auntie Apple shows up to chauffeur her to Minnesota, Penelope may get more than she bargained for.
» REVIEW «
Firstly, I wanted more of Sylvia Plath's ghost. The synopsis sells her as a major character, and while she's there, I wanted her woven in a little tighter—just more page time, I think. BUT THAT BEING SAID, I think this is actually a marketing problem. I think this book suffers from several marketing problems, actually, which I will not hold against the story or the author. It's a very literary story, not horror, and though I was expecting something different from the synopsis I was given, I very much enjoyed the story I got.
Now. I will say, the ending got me goooood. It's devastating in a way that makes you re-contextualize a lot of what came before, and it's the strongest part of the book by far. The atmosphere is great, the characters are quirky and endearing, and I liked the whole book overall, even with my personal bias against child narrators (are they precocious or just annoying? impossible to tell). Pick this one up if you're looking for a darker literary read.
» RATING «
🐇 I'm Tumbling 🐇
» READ-A-LIKES «
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• Onward (movie)
• The Children by Melissa Albert
• In Bloom by Liz Allan
» READ IF YOU «
🌊 love a crumbling seaside house setting
🐰 are into literary, unique child narrators
🎭 can't get enough of a good grief metaphor
» SYNOPSIS «
11-year-old Penelope is struggling to adapt to her new reality—her father has moved to Minnesota without explanation, and her mother drifts further into her own grief every day. Left mostly alone in their crumbling old Massachusetts house (which once belonged to Sylvia Plath), Penelope clings to routines and rituals to hold herself together. But when Auntie Apple shows up to chauffeur her to Minnesota, Penelope may get more than she bargained for.
» REVIEW «
Firstly, I wanted more of Sylvia Plath's ghost. The synopsis sells her as a major character, and while she's there, I wanted her woven in a little tighter—just more page time, I think. BUT THAT BEING SAID, I think this is actually a marketing problem. I think this book suffers from several marketing problems, actually, which I will not hold against the story or the author. It's a very literary story, not horror, and though I was expecting something different from the synopsis I was given, I very much enjoyed the story I got.
Now. I will say, the ending got me goooood. It's devastating in a way that makes you re-contextualize a lot of what came before, and it's the strongest part of the book by far. The atmosphere is great, the characters are quirky and endearing, and I liked the whole book overall, even with my personal bias against child narrators (are they precocious or just annoying? impossible to tell). Pick this one up if you're looking for a darker literary read.
» RATING «
🐇 I'm Tumbling 🐇
» READ-A-LIKES «
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• Onward (movie)
• The Children by Melissa Albert
• In Bloom by Liz Allan
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Set inside a lonely yellow house overlooking Massachusetts Bay, this story follows eleven-year-old Penelope as she struggles with the disappearance of her father and her mother slowly slipping deeper into grief. Isolated and desperate to keep her world from falling apart, Penelope clings to routines and counting rituals while becoming increasingly haunted by the lingering presence of Sylvia Plath, who once lived in the house. As Penelope’s grip on reality begins to fracture, the story unfolds into something unsettling, emotional, and deeply melancholic.
Penelope was such a heartbreaking character to follow. At only eleven years old, she’s desperately trying to create order in a life that no longer feels stable.
Counting objects, clinging to routines, and retreating into her own thoughts become her way of surviving the silence left behind by her father and the growing emotional distance between her and her mother.
Every page carried this aching loneliness.
The setting added so much to the story’s eerie beauty. The old yellow house overlooking the bay already feels haunted before the ghost of Sylvia Plath even enters the picture. And when she does, her presence feels less like a traditional haunting and more like grief itself taking shape... lingering quietly in mirrors, empty rooms, and whispered thoughts.
The writing was beautiful and almost dreamlike at times, creating a story that feels both fragile and haunting. It was a deeply atmospheric and heartbreaking read.
Thank you so much Union Square & Co. and Abigail Rose-Marie for sending me a #gifted arc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Penelope was such a heartbreaking character to follow. At only eleven years old, she’s desperately trying to create order in a life that no longer feels stable.
Counting objects, clinging to routines, and retreating into her own thoughts become her way of surviving the silence left behind by her father and the growing emotional distance between her and her mother.
Every page carried this aching loneliness.
The setting added so much to the story’s eerie beauty. The old yellow house overlooking the bay already feels haunted before the ghost of Sylvia Plath even enters the picture. And when she does, her presence feels less like a traditional haunting and more like grief itself taking shape... lingering quietly in mirrors, empty rooms, and whispered thoughts.
The writing was beautiful and almost dreamlike at times, creating a story that feels both fragile and haunting. It was a deeply atmospheric and heartbreaking read.
Thank you so much Union Square & Co. and Abigail Rose-Marie for sending me a #gifted arc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Some novels tell a story, while others invite you to step into a child's heart and experience the world as they do. White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie is one of those rare books. It's the story of eleven-year-old Penelope, whose father seemingly disappears, leaving her and her mother adrift in a seaside house once occupied by Sylvia Plath. But this is not a ghost story. It's a beautifully layered exploration of grief, trauma, memory, and the extraordinary ways people try to make sense of the unimaginable.
I was completely drawn into Penelope's world from the very beginning. Her friendship with the ghost of Sylvia Plath is unlike anything I've read before, and the relationships she has with her mother, Apple, James, and Julian give the story so much heart. I also loved how Rose-Marie brings Sylvia Plath to life as a young woman rather than simply the literary icon most of us know. I finished the novel wanting to learn more about Plath herself, which I think is one of the book's greatest achievements.
This is one of those books that quietly works its way under your skin and stays with you long after you turn the last page. If you enjoy literary fiction that explores family, loss, resilience, and hope, I highly recommend picking this one up.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for providing me with an advance reading copy. White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie will be released on July 14, 2026.
I was completely drawn into Penelope's world from the very beginning. Her friendship with the ghost of Sylvia Plath is unlike anything I've read before, and the relationships she has with her mother, Apple, James, and Julian give the story so much heart. I also loved how Rose-Marie brings Sylvia Plath to life as a young woman rather than simply the literary icon most of us know. I finished the novel wanting to learn more about Plath herself, which I think is one of the book's greatest achievements.
This is one of those books that quietly works its way under your skin and stays with you long after you turn the last page. If you enjoy literary fiction that explores family, loss, resilience, and hope, I highly recommend picking this one up.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for providing me with an advance reading copy. White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie will be released on July 14, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Told from the perspective of a neurodivergent, eleven year old girl, this book tackles the different ways that people handle and process grief.
Penelope’s life is stuck on January 26, because that is the day her dad left and he’s not there to change the calendar. Her mom spends more and more time down in their dark room developing pictures. With the help of her eccentric aunt she just met for the first time, Penelope decides she needs to go find her father in Minnesota and convince him to come back home to save her mom from turning all the way blue.
All of the characters in this book were quirky in their own way, and it was interesting seeing them through the eyes of a child. The author handled the perspective very well. At times, Penelope didn’t fully understand what was going on, but the reader sure did. I thought it was interesting that we got so much insight into her life that focused on her father, entirely obsessed and consumed by the play he’d been working on for over a decade, but not so much about her mother. It worked well though. Penelope’s mother was processing her own feelings of anger and grief over the situation, and this was how Penelope perceived it.
I did figure out the ending of the book through some context clues. Penelope’s main focus was trying to convince her father to come home, but as an adult, I focused in on wondering how she would cope with the outcome, whether or not she was successful.
Penelope’s life is stuck on January 26, because that is the day her dad left and he’s not there to change the calendar. Her mom spends more and more time down in their dark room developing pictures. With the help of her eccentric aunt she just met for the first time, Penelope decides she needs to go find her father in Minnesota and convince him to come back home to save her mom from turning all the way blue.
All of the characters in this book were quirky in their own way, and it was interesting seeing them through the eyes of a child. The author handled the perspective very well. At times, Penelope didn’t fully understand what was going on, but the reader sure did. I thought it was interesting that we got so much insight into her life that focused on her father, entirely obsessed and consumed by the play he’d been working on for over a decade, but not so much about her mother. It worked well though. Penelope’s mother was processing her own feelings of anger and grief over the situation, and this was how Penelope perceived it.
I did figure out the ending of the book through some context clues. Penelope’s main focus was trying to convince her father to come home, but as an adult, I focused in on wondering how she would cope with the outcome, whether or not she was successful.
July 11, 2026
ARC received at ALA Chicago where I met the author who is LOVELY! I adored meeting with her and the Plath “I am I am I am” quote she placed in my book. Support her!
To be fair, I do this to myself by never looking at reviews to search for trigger warnings since I don’t like to be spoiled. So just know that 3 stars is just for me personally because some content in this book wasn’t for me - but I am sure this book will be a fantastic coming of age story for so many and a five star read for sure!
That being said, let me write about what I adored about this book. The entire premise was great, I loved our main character (Penelope) and seeing the world through her 11 year old neurodivergent eyes as she tries to find her inner bravery and come to terms with her father’s absence. I also was immediately drawn to the fact that she sees the silent ghost of a young Sylvia Plath. As a teen I had a morbid obsession with Plath and I think for so many of us who occasionally struggle with our minds she is a ghost figure. The sense of family and protection for Penelope was beautifully handled. Her and her Aunt Apple’s interactions were poignant and so full of warmth. It made for a kind hearted coming of age story about a girl finding her way in the wake of trauma.
While I personally struggled with some of the content, I do think this is an important coming of age story that many will enjoy.
To be fair, I do this to myself by never looking at reviews to search for trigger warnings since I don’t like to be spoiled. So just know that 3 stars is just for me personally because some content in this book wasn’t for me - but I am sure this book will be a fantastic coming of age story for so many and a five star read for sure!
That being said, let me write about what I adored about this book. The entire premise was great, I loved our main character (Penelope) and seeing the world through her 11 year old neurodivergent eyes as she tries to find her inner bravery and come to terms with her father’s absence. I also was immediately drawn to the fact that she sees the silent ghost of a young Sylvia Plath. As a teen I had a morbid obsession with Plath and I think for so many of us who occasionally struggle with our minds she is a ghost figure. The sense of family and protection for Penelope was beautifully handled. Her and her Aunt Apple’s interactions were poignant and so full of warmth. It made for a kind hearted coming of age story about a girl finding her way in the wake of trauma.
While I personally struggled with some of the content, I do think this is an important coming of age story that many will enjoy.
July 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the ARC. These are my honest opinions. I did not really enjoy this one. I went into it thinking it was more horror than it actually was (thanks to the the horror tag on Good Reads). I would not call this a horror at all, but it was rather quite tragic. Once I realized there was no horror, I switched my mindset and the book got a little better, but not by much. I found it to be really drawn out. And the first chapter, it was way too long compared to the rest of the book. I kept reading and reading waiting to find a good spot to pause and there wasn't one. The rest of the chapters are not as bad. I did think that there is a good story here though. Grief from the perspective of a little girl made for an interesting read. But being from this perspective, I felt like maybe it was too all over the place for my tastes. I guess maybe that's accurate for the girl, but it made it harder for me to follow the story and enjoy it. There were also bits and pieces throughout that I found relatable and liked, but I couldn't pin them down for you. Also, having the ghost of Sylvia Plath be her friend throughout the story was pretty interesting. It made me want to read some her work, since I haven't ever before.
August 2, 2026
White Rabbit is a heartbreaking story about Penelope, a neurodivergent 11 year old who is in the process of healing after experiencing trauma. It gripped me from the start with how endearing Penelope is. I loved being in Penelope’s head, seeing and experiencing the world from her perspective and understanding her reactions to everyday sensory inputs. Penelope’s relationship with her Aunt was incredibly heartwarming and I particularly loved how all the adults in her life gave her the space to be herself. Tiny moments like her Aunt pre-emptively getting her a different glass for her drink because she has an aversion to red, which all the existing cups were, I found tugged at my heartstrings the most. These moments really got across how seen and supported Penelope was by her carers.
This is tagged as horror and although there are horrifying real-world events and themes, it does feel more literary especially in its approach to said themes. This is a tale of grief and how a little girl navigates that while being increasingly isolated and I found it quite beautiful.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
This is tagged as horror and although there are horrifying real-world events and themes, it does feel more literary especially in its approach to said themes. This is a tale of grief and how a little girl navigates that while being increasingly isolated and I found it quite beautiful.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
White Rabbit is a incredible story of a young girl called Penelope who is struggling with finding her dad.
Its very much written from the childs point of view and how she views the world. I could appreciate and understand alot in this book the uncomfortable parts of family life, anxious thoughts and being able to read people emotionally.
Its also tied with a supernatural element which when reading your not quite sure how it will work out in the book.
At times its made me nostalgic for family life and anyone who has lost a parent will relate to the hard parts of this book. The emotional turmoil that Penelope goes through. The setting is serene and there is some soul searching. Its apparent Penelope wants her mum to be happy again and it has deep themes of how trauma affects everyone in the family.
An emotional read that takes you on a journey with Penelope but it teaches us to cherish and hold onto to those happy memories ❤️.
Thanks to netgalley for this advanced reader copy.
Its very much written from the childs point of view and how she views the world. I could appreciate and understand alot in this book the uncomfortable parts of family life, anxious thoughts and being able to read people emotionally.
Its also tied with a supernatural element which when reading your not quite sure how it will work out in the book.
At times its made me nostalgic for family life and anyone who has lost a parent will relate to the hard parts of this book. The emotional turmoil that Penelope goes through. The setting is serene and there is some soul searching. Its apparent Penelope wants her mum to be happy again and it has deep themes of how trauma affects everyone in the family.
An emotional read that takes you on a journey with Penelope but it teaches us to cherish and hold onto to those happy memories ❤️.
Thanks to netgalley for this advanced reader copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
White Rabbit takes place through the eyes of an eleven year old girl named Penelope. Her family lives in a yellow house on the Massachusetts bay which was once the house of poet Sylvia Plath. Penelope is struggling with her father leaving and the ghost of Sylvia Path that she now sees haunting her home.
This novel gripped me and dragged me deep into the story. I loved the suspense and mystery that this novel has. You are wrapped up in Penelope's narrative along with her, which is not always rooted in reality. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, there was another twist!
My heart ached for Penelope and her mother throughout this story. You can feel the weight of their grief on every page. However, there are light and joyful moments woven through the story as well.
This novel gripped me and dragged me deep into the story. I loved the suspense and mystery that this novel has. You are wrapped up in Penelope's narrative along with her, which is not always rooted in reality. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, there was another twist!
My heart ached for Penelope and her mother throughout this story. You can feel the weight of their grief on every page. However, there are light and joyful moments woven through the story as well.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
White Rabbit is a quiet, eerie little gut-punch of a novel that leans more into atmosphere than plot, but it absolutely works. We follow Penelope, a lonely girl clinging to rituals as her world falls apart, stuck in a old house on the edge of the sea that may or may not be haunted by Sylvia Plath. The line between grief, imagination, and something ghostly blurs in a way that feels intimate rather than flashy.
What I liked most is how gentle the everything feels. The prose has this hushed, dreamlike quality, and Penelope’s voice makes everything feel fragile and a little haunted. It’s a short read, but it lingers, especially if you enjoy literary ghost stories that care just as much about emotion as they do about the supernatural.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
What I liked most is how gentle the everything feels. The prose has this hushed, dreamlike quality, and Penelope’s voice makes everything feel fragile and a little haunted. It’s a short read, but it lingers, especially if you enjoy literary ghost stories that care just as much about emotion as they do about the supernatural.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This isn’t your typical horror novel. Told through the eyes of an eleven-year-old autistic girl, White Rabbit is a haunting exploration of trauma, repressed memories, and grief.
Penelope Willows lives an isolated life in her old house by the sea. There is a fragile, dreamlike quality to her narrative voice that instantly made me feel protective of her. Her sole companion is the ghost of Sylvia Plath, who still lingers in the home she lived in as a child.
As she struggles to come to terms with her father’s disappearance, Penelope clings to her grounding rituals and routine. The mystery unravels slowly, a quiet creep towards the unsettling truth that Penelope has been repressing.
Quite a few aspects of this book reminded me of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, but White Rabbit is more intimate and emotional. It’s a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Penelope Willows lives an isolated life in her old house by the sea. There is a fragile, dreamlike quality to her narrative voice that instantly made me feel protective of her. Her sole companion is the ghost of Sylvia Plath, who still lingers in the home she lived in as a child.
As she struggles to come to terms with her father’s disappearance, Penelope clings to her grounding rituals and routine. The mystery unravels slowly, a quiet creep towards the unsettling truth that Penelope has been repressing.
Quite a few aspects of this book reminded me of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, but White Rabbit is more intimate and emotional. It’s a story that will stay with me for a long time.
July 15, 2026
I absolutely ADORED White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie, and if you’re a lit fic reader who loves Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland or Sylvia Plath you should check it out 🐇
Neurodivergent 11 year old Penelope doesn’t see the world the way everyone else does. With her dad gone and her mom sinking into her grief, Penelope and the ghost of Sylvia Plath (who used to live in their yellow house) set out to help save Penelope’s mom from turning blue and disappearing. This is a story of a child navigating trauma, grief, and isolation.
Sylvia Plath’s ghost was a fascinating character (even though she doesn’t talk), and I really appreciated all the Lewis Carroll references too. I can’t say too much without giving things away, but I found this to be a beautiful story of how resilient children can be.
Thank you to HBG Canada for the arc!
Neurodivergent 11 year old Penelope doesn’t see the world the way everyone else does. With her dad gone and her mom sinking into her grief, Penelope and the ghost of Sylvia Plath (who used to live in their yellow house) set out to help save Penelope’s mom from turning blue and disappearing. This is a story of a child navigating trauma, grief, and isolation.
Sylvia Plath’s ghost was a fascinating character (even though she doesn’t talk), and I really appreciated all the Lewis Carroll references too. I can’t say too much without giving things away, but I found this to be a beautiful story of how resilient children can be.
Thank you to HBG Canada for the arc!
July 17, 2026
Penelope Willows is going through so much at the tender age of eleven. She is suffering a major loss, her mother has emotionally and physically checked out, and the house has a famous lingering ghost.
Penelope is growing up fast and adapting to the changes in her surroundings. The readers are immediately aware that something is a bit off with our main character and that she is suffering along the way. Penelope is fascinating and through her eyes she takes us on a journey filled with trauma, loss, grief, heartache and the coming of age of a young girl forced to grow up. I found Penelope to be such a beautiful and resilient character and her strength was captivating and encouraging. There will some fun moments, some sad moments but moments that will linger on you like a ghost!
Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Penelope is growing up fast and adapting to the changes in her surroundings. The readers are immediately aware that something is a bit off with our main character and that she is suffering along the way. Penelope is fascinating and through her eyes she takes us on a journey filled with trauma, loss, grief, heartache and the coming of age of a young girl forced to grow up. I found Penelope to be such a beautiful and resilient character and her strength was captivating and encouraging. There will some fun moments, some sad moments but moments that will linger on you like a ghost!
Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC for review.
This was an ambitious book, and I really enjoyed the concept. It brought so many ideas together, and it was executed beautifully.
Penelope is the young protagonist and the story is told from her POV. She lives in the house that had belonged to Sylvia Plath, and after her father's disappearance she starts to see Sylvia's ghost.
Penelope presents as being on the Autism spectrum, although this is never explicitly stated. As the story unfolds, we learn about the trauma she's been exposed to and the healing process.
3 stars for this one - great concept and well written, however I would have liked to have had other POV's instead of just Penelope, as this would have created a bit more depth.
This was an ambitious book, and I really enjoyed the concept. It brought so many ideas together, and it was executed beautifully.
Penelope is the young protagonist and the story is told from her POV. She lives in the house that had belonged to Sylvia Plath, and after her father's disappearance she starts to see Sylvia's ghost.
Penelope presents as being on the Autism spectrum, although this is never explicitly stated. As the story unfolds, we learn about the trauma she's been exposed to and the healing process.
3 stars for this one - great concept and well written, however I would have liked to have had other POV's instead of just Penelope, as this would have created a bit more depth.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I can't help but chuckle when I come across names such as Bailey, Owen, and Penelope. Because guess where I have been hearing such names of late? From rewatching Grey's Anatomy.
Anyways, the book is.. marvelous. It is confusing at times, as it is supposed to be, for it is told by an eleven year old Penelope who tries to bury the trauma she saw on the day her dad was gone. We went on a little adventure as Penelope tried to find her dad in Minnesota to prevent her mom from turning blue. There are nothing much I could say lest I spoiler the book, but do yourself a favor and give this a try. It leaves me feeling empty afterwards and one thing about me, is I love when a book makes me feel that way.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of honest review!
Anyways, the book is.. marvelous. It is confusing at times, as it is supposed to be, for it is told by an eleven year old Penelope who tries to bury the trauma she saw on the day her dad was gone. We went on a little adventure as Penelope tried to find her dad in Minnesota to prevent her mom from turning blue. There are nothing much I could say lest I spoiler the book, but do yourself a favor and give this a try. It leaves me feeling empty afterwards and one thing about me, is I love when a book makes me feel that way.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of honest review!
March 19, 2026
I found the start of this book very hard to get into and didn’t really understand what was going on but I stuck with it - around halfway I started to get into it and was invested in Penelope’s journey to find her dad.
It made me quite emotional at the end and I think this is in part from the matter of fact way Penelope’s character is written, especially when she remembers what has happened to her dad and the trauma she had been blocking out.
I think it would’ve been an easier read had the chapters been shorter, 40m plus chapters aren’t something I have come across much and I would love to know more about why Abigail came to the decision of longer chapters!
It made me quite emotional at the end and I think this is in part from the matter of fact way Penelope’s character is written, especially when she remembers what has happened to her dad and the trauma she had been blocking out.
I think it would’ve been an easier read had the chapters been shorter, 40m plus chapters aren’t something I have come across much and I would love to know more about why Abigail came to the decision of longer chapters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"I want to tell James that I do not think that he is messed up inside, but then I think about the way he likes to wear two different colored shoes on his feet and the way that he eats cereal with chocolate milk poured over the top and I begin to understand what he means."
It was a bit slow to get into and sometimes the writing can be somewhat vague, but I liked the depiction of an odd child.
It felt a lot like it was trying to portray an autistic child without directly saying it, which I'm unsure if that was the authors intention, but I liked it.
It had the occasional line like the one quoted above that I really liked.
It was a bit slow to get into and sometimes the writing can be somewhat vague, but I liked the depiction of an odd child.
It felt a lot like it was trying to portray an autistic child without directly saying it, which I'm unsure if that was the authors intention, but I liked it.
It had the occasional line like the one quoted above that I really liked.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The narrator, an 11-year-old neurodivergent named Penelope, is trying to come to grips with her father’s sudden departure from the family’s home. The house is one where the poet Sylvia Plath lived as a child, and her ghost is a companion for Penelope, an only child. (If you know nothing about Sylvia Plath, I suggest at least skimming the Wikipedia biography and maybe a couple of her short poems.)
As her mother becomes more withdrawn, Penelope seems to be slipping from reality.
That’s about all I can say because anything more would contain spoilers. This is extremely well-written, carefully crafted, and a terrific read.
As her mother becomes more withdrawn, Penelope seems to be slipping from reality.
That’s about all I can say because anything more would contain spoilers. This is extremely well-written, carefully crafted, and a terrific read.
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