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The Presence: A Ghost Story
A brutal car accident that claimed the life of her best friend has left seventeen-year-old Catherine in a state of shock and severe depression. She longs to move forward with her life, but feels she can’t until she is somehow assured of her friend’s forgiveness. On a Christmas visit to her grandmother in Pasadena, a mysterious and handsome stranger approaches Catherine at church claiming that he can put her in touch with her dead friend. Catherine is wary of the stranger’s claims and his ghostly appearance but feels he may be the only key to escaping her past. She tells no one of the meeting but is approached by an elderly woman who warns her of the stranger’s powers. The woman’s teenage diary and eerie rumors surrounding other troubled girls who have disappeared from the church community leave Catherine fearful of the stranger’s true intentions. She realizes she must find some way to confront this supernatural presence as well as the ghosts of her past.
A classic ghost story from one of Clarion’s most distinguished authors. Eve Bunting brings a new edge to the genre of suspense by interweaving contemporary issues with sharp and frightful storytelling.
A classic ghost story from one of Clarion’s most distinguished authors. Eve Bunting brings a new edge to the genre of suspense by interweaving contemporary issues with sharp and frightful storytelling.
195 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 2003
17 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Eve Bunting
307 books406 followersAlso known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.
Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.
Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.
In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.
Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.
Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.
In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
November 23, 2008
Catherine's best friend is killed in a car accident for which she feels responsible. When her parents are called away to Europe she goes to stay with her Grandmother never suspecting she will become the target of a ghost who is looking for permanent companionship.
This book is perfectly suited to the tween market who are currently obsessed with vampires as seen in the stupendous success of Stepanie Meyer's Twilight. The protagonist, Catherine, is trying to take responsibility for her own decisions. Unfortunately she is willing to believe what she wants in order to achieve her own ambitions. Catherine feels responsible for the death of a friend and wants forgiveness. Her guilt makes her the perfect target for an angry sometimes malevolent ghost. The story opens with the following;
"The ghost stood on the church stairs, watching , waiting for Catherine. He was seventeen years old; he'd always be seventeen, though he had died 120 years earlier."
setting an ominous stage for the events that follow. The reader watches Catherine suspend common sense shutting out her family when choosing actions she thinks they won't support. A hint of romance, a bit of mystery and a happy ending with lessons learned all make this a very satisfying read for the 10-13 year old girl.
I've long been an admirer of Eve Bunting. Her story telling power, use of language and suspense as well as her diversity of subject matter make her a good choice when trying to entice a student to the next level of literature.
Reviews:
Library Media Connection (February 2004)
"There is just enough romance between her and the local pastor's son to keep her dealings with the real world normal fare for a 17-year-old, while battling psycho-phantoms during vacation. This is for anyone who wants a good holiday romp with the post-mortal world"
School Library Journal (October 1, 2003) places this book as a read for grades 6-10.
"Bunting, long a favorite of teen thrill seekers, has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy. Fans of the genre will surely pass it from friend to friend, and it's a natural for reluctant readers"
Both of these reviews are very helpful in helping me decide who to recommend this book to and given the age recommendation are making me reconsider whether I would want to recommend it to a 5th grader.
This book is perfectly suited to the tween market who are currently obsessed with vampires as seen in the stupendous success of Stepanie Meyer's Twilight. The protagonist, Catherine, is trying to take responsibility for her own decisions. Unfortunately she is willing to believe what she wants in order to achieve her own ambitions. Catherine feels responsible for the death of a friend and wants forgiveness. Her guilt makes her the perfect target for an angry sometimes malevolent ghost. The story opens with the following;
"The ghost stood on the church stairs, watching , waiting for Catherine. He was seventeen years old; he'd always be seventeen, though he had died 120 years earlier."
setting an ominous stage for the events that follow. The reader watches Catherine suspend common sense shutting out her family when choosing actions she thinks they won't support. A hint of romance, a bit of mystery and a happy ending with lessons learned all make this a very satisfying read for the 10-13 year old girl.
I've long been an admirer of Eve Bunting. Her story telling power, use of language and suspense as well as her diversity of subject matter make her a good choice when trying to entice a student to the next level of literature.
Reviews:
Library Media Connection (February 2004)
"There is just enough romance between her and the local pastor's son to keep her dealings with the real world normal fare for a 17-year-old, while battling psycho-phantoms during vacation. This is for anyone who wants a good holiday romp with the post-mortal world"
School Library Journal (October 1, 2003) places this book as a read for grades 6-10.
"Bunting, long a favorite of teen thrill seekers, has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy. Fans of the genre will surely pass it from friend to friend, and it's a natural for reluctant readers"
Both of these reviews are very helpful in helping me decide who to recommend this book to and given the age recommendation are making me reconsider whether I would want to recommend it to a 5th grader.
December 8, 2010
The Presence tells the story of Catherine, a teenage girl who is struggling with the tragic death of her best friend. She goes to visit her Grandmother for the holidays, where a ghost in the local church takes an unusual and rather sinister interest in her.
Publisher’s Weekly said that the “crisp writing and questions that remain unanswered till tale’s end will likely keep fans of ghost stories engaged”. If “crisp writing” is a euphemism for “shallow, with little character or plot development”, then they’d be right, but unfortunately I don’t think that’s what they meant.
This book is such a shame. The plot concept had the potential to be fantastic – there’s some mystery, some danger, some supernatural themes – but unfortunately, Bunting falls short on the delivery.
Perhaps if the book itself was longer (it’s only 195 pages), Bunting may have been able to flesh out the characters and the general story idea, but unfortunately, as it is, The Presence is like a plastic skeleton hanging in an empty room rather than the chilling, spine-tingling ghost story it purports to be.
Publisher’s Weekly said that the “crisp writing and questions that remain unanswered till tale’s end will likely keep fans of ghost stories engaged”. If “crisp writing” is a euphemism for “shallow, with little character or plot development”, then they’d be right, but unfortunately I don’t think that’s what they meant.
This book is such a shame. The plot concept had the potential to be fantastic – there’s some mystery, some danger, some supernatural themes – but unfortunately, Bunting falls short on the delivery.
Perhaps if the book itself was longer (it’s only 195 pages), Bunting may have been able to flesh out the characters and the general story idea, but unfortunately, as it is, The Presence is like a plastic skeleton hanging in an empty room rather than the chilling, spine-tingling ghost story it purports to be.
March 20, 2011
I read this book because my teacher Ms.Gonzalez made us do a spring break challenge to read a book with green in it or the author is Irish. I read this book also because I love to read interesting stories about ghosts and spirits. Horror is also a reason why I read this book.
I would recommend this book for people who love ghost story's and horror books. This is a classic for people out there looking for a new book to read. The book is great for middle school and up readers with the likings of ghost stories. I hope the people who read this like it and enjoy it as well as other people have.
I thought this book was intensifying and very interesting. The horror books like this are truly outstanding in picturing whats happening. After her friend died i can't believe this was all linked to her grandma too! Catherine thinks that it was her responsibility that her friend is now a ghost so she takes the blame for it after a crash.
I would recommend this book for people who love ghost story's and horror books. This is a classic for people out there looking for a new book to read. The book is great for middle school and up readers with the likings of ghost stories. I hope the people who read this like it and enjoy it as well as other people have.
I thought this book was intensifying and very interesting. The horror books like this are truly outstanding in picturing whats happening. After her friend died i can't believe this was all linked to her grandma too! Catherine thinks that it was her responsibility that her friend is now a ghost so she takes the blame for it after a crash.
January 26, 2011
When i first started reading this book, i found it really exciting. But the ending disappointed me. I thought it would be more excited than it is written.
The Presence is a ghost story book that is not scary at all. Inside the church, St. Matthew, there lives a ghost. He is raged, but most of all, he is sad. When he was alive, he was involved in a sin so bad that God did not forgive him after death. Therefore, his punishment is to live forever as a ghost in the basement of St. Matthew.
His loneliness leads him to fall in love with the same type of girls as his first love, Lydia. These girls, like Lydia, gets afraid of him, and they try to escape him. He feels betrayed, like how Lydia betrayed him. So he kills them all. One by one, girls disappear from the little town. And now, it is Catherine, the protagonist's turn to be loved by this lonely ghost.
The Presence is a ghost story book that is not scary at all. Inside the church, St. Matthew, there lives a ghost. He is raged, but most of all, he is sad. When he was alive, he was involved in a sin so bad that God did not forgive him after death. Therefore, his punishment is to live forever as a ghost in the basement of St. Matthew.
His loneliness leads him to fall in love with the same type of girls as his first love, Lydia. These girls, like Lydia, gets afraid of him, and they try to escape him. He feels betrayed, like how Lydia betrayed him. So he kills them all. One by one, girls disappear from the little town. And now, it is Catherine, the protagonist's turn to be loved by this lonely ghost.
March 29, 2012
Alyssa Morres
Horror
Catherine is visiting her grandma while her parents are on vacation, but recently she was visiting her friend when they got in a car crash and her friend died. She's mourning this when she meet Noah who try to turn get her to become one of his lovers over the centuries. Each person that Noah has been with ends up disappearing or is found dead. Catherine learns about this through Lottie who was one girl who disappeared from Noah. Catherine must do something to stop Noah from killing all these girls and she knows that she must do this to feel better about her friend dying.
Horror
Catherine is visiting her grandma while her parents are on vacation, but recently she was visiting her friend when they got in a car crash and her friend died. She's mourning this when she meet Noah who try to turn get her to become one of his lovers over the centuries. Each person that Noah has been with ends up disappearing or is found dead. Catherine learns about this through Lottie who was one girl who disappeared from Noah. Catherine must do something to stop Noah from killing all these girls and she knows that she must do this to feel better about her friend dying.
May 20, 2017
Horrible! I should have finished the book in a couple hours (194 pages), but it has taken me over a month. Why? Because it is boring. I don't know how many times I fell asleep reading it. The protagonist does nothing but dwell on her own grief and the antagonist just stalks her. Nothing happens for the first 187 pages! I forced myself to finish this tonight.
Fellow teachers and librarians, PLEASE DO NOT recommend this book to a reluctant reader; it will only confirm their reasons of why they hate reading. I teach high school and I loved reading until I read this book and then I began to dread it. (Just a little exaggeration ... I still love to read. 😉)
Fellow teachers and librarians, PLEASE DO NOT recommend this book to a reluctant reader; it will only confirm their reasons of why they hate reading. I teach high school and I loved reading until I read this book and then I began to dread it. (Just a little exaggeration ... I still love to read. 😉)
October 10, 2019
it was a really really good book and i loved it a lot. it was really detailed and scary. ive been looking for a scary book and i havent been able to find one until now. it was so good and I would definitely read it again.
September 14, 2015
OMG!!!!!!! The book cannot end like that!!!!!!! I cannot even right now! Read this book! That's all I can say!
August 12, 2022
Young readers who love a classic, ghostly tale will enjoy this quick read. Catherine's parents have gone on a trip, so she visits her grandmother in California. She encounters a spirit who promises to put her in touch with her dead Irish friend Kirsty (och, my wee foolish banty hen), so that they can make amends after a tragic accident. Eve Bunting entertains us with a few paranormal twists: her ghost is confined to the place where he died -- inside an old church in Pasadena. He can't follow his victims, but he can make phone calls. And in the end, he is susceptible to a simple element of nature. The plot has a few elements reminiscent of horror stories such as "The Haunting of Hill House," "And Then There Were None," and "Fall of the House of Usher." Catherine unravels the secrets behind the haunting with help from a former victim and an old journal. It helps that the pastor's son steps in as an eligible bachelor when it becomes evident that our ghost does not have romance in mind.
September 27, 2023
Very compelling read! I completed it in 2 days while teaching full time and stayed up to finish it on a school night (teacher problem, of course) so that is a testimony in itself! I would have given it 5 stars, but I did not find the ending satisfying. That said, since it is a book for adolescents, I totally get the author's reasoning on the tidy ending. It is worth a read, just the right amount of creepy for the Halloween season!
July 29, 2018
This story was interesting and kept my attention. However it had so much potential. Not enough interaction was spent between the two main characters. The book wasn't long enough and I felt it rushed to the climax. I was thinking at first it was going to be a ghost romance. It's not at all but it's still a great read.
December 30, 2018
This book was not what I expected it to be. This story turned out to be a sort of ghost romance story.... with murder. Whatever it was, I liked it. It is a fun, short read. The only downside is the ending. I just wasn't what I was hoping for. The ending just happened too fast compared to the pace of the rest of the story. Nevertheless, I recommend this book for its intriguing mystery.
July 31, 2020
It was a dusty book I found in my mom’s classroom. I know I’m too old for these books, but I couldn’t stop reading. It took me maybe an hour and a half to finish, and it was awful. There was no real plot, and very anti climatic. The protagonist, Catherine, and the titled presence only meet, like twice. Overall, I would not recommend.
November 16, 2017
This book was amazing.... I don't want to be a spolier, since I'm apparently known to do that, but the relationship of how each girl looks like the one before is how it all comes to play... How "the Presence" knew that about Kirsty and what not. I just loved it and I hope others can too.
February 3, 2021
This is a book about a girl who's lost a friend and blames herself. She ends up going on a trip to stay with her grandmother where she has a very ghostly experience.. it's fantastic. I loved the double perspective and how subtly spooky it was and the happy ending.
November 25, 2023
I read this back in middle school and it was my first "scary" book I ever read. I've thought it about since then and always wanted to re-read it. I loved it!! Not as scary as I remember but some of it was much darker than I remember.
August 28, 2017
It's pretty good but fairly predictable
October 19, 2019
I was disappointed in this story. A whole lot of telling. I only finished it after I looked up the author and read she's written 200 books and won a couple awards. And she's in her 90s.
October 12, 2021
It was fine, not too complex but a decent ghost story. Felt a bit outdated tho.
June 3, 2022
2.5 it was okay.
Read
July 29, 2023I accidentally read this book twice...
May 15, 2024
This book was interesting... I did not finish it but it was better than I thought it would be.
October 14, 2024
I love Eve Bunting. This was a good story, creepy and lovely at the same time.
November 22, 2024
this was an interesting POV from a ghost. but the main character, a teen girl, was a bit flat & somewhat unlikeable to me. it was a quick, interesting & unique halloween read.
September 30, 2025
October is coming up...
October 27, 2020
If I had read this book when I was in middle school, I would have fallen in love with it. My book tastes have changed drastically over the last year and as a result I was not able to enjoy this book. I tried my hardest and pushed through to the end but it was a struggle the whole way through. :(
February 12, 2014
The Presence involved seventeen-year-old Catherine who goes to stay with her grandmother in California while her parents are away on holiday in Europe for Christmas. Now... this girl is terribly depressed. She is responsible for the death of her Scottish pen-pal aka BFF for life, who was visiting the U.S. for the summer. Catherine's grandma works in a church that is haunted by a "presence"--actually the ghost of a teenage boy named Noah. Noah falls in love with mortal girls, all with dark hair and some kind of psychological or emotional problem, for reasons that still remain unknown to me. He lured them into his Basement of Secrets where he strangles them...mwahaha... at least I think so. The writing style was so cruddy, most of the time I didn't know what the heck was going on. So of course Noah falls for Catherine. Meanwhile, Catherine is also being pursued by the reverend's son, Collin, who is described as a "hunk"... what is this, a bad sitcom from the 90's?
But like, it's so contradictory because a few pages prior to this claim, Bunting describes Collin as tall and awkward, and having abnormally long, skinny legs. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT. So basically, nothing happens the entire book besides Catherine moping around and crying over nothing; Noah daydreaming about Catherine; Collin inviting himself over for dinner at the grandma's house every night; and the poor grandmother trying to cheer up Catherine and spend time with her. The only part at which the story gained a little momentum was when Catherine encounters a Miss Lottie Lovelace (sounds like a brand that makes doilies) who warns her about the notorious Noah that once was after her, but she escaped. Then, Catherine confronts Noah, and the two have this epic battle with light sabers and then Harry Potter comes with the Elder Wand and smokes them all... I WISH. Nope, instead what I got was poo: Catherine sets Noah (a GHOST mind you...a flippin' dead-as-a-door-nail-GHOST) on fire and he "dies". It is never explained how she succeeded in doing so, did it ever mention her carrying a lighter or some other fire-starting implement. It was all a blur pretty much. Just when I was all giddy that the stupid thing was over, Catherine goes back home to Chicago and starts school again and everyone thinks she's a wackadoo and I don't blame them. This sad excuse for a story concludes with Collin, now an apparently charming Romeo, comes a-knocking at Catherine's door! I would ponder how he managed to magically teleport himself all the way to Chicago but who even gives a rat's behind at this point!
One last thing before I end this conflict... I knew The Presence was going to be a dud when I read the opening line: The church my grandmother goes to is immense.
*groan*
But like, it's so contradictory because a few pages prior to this claim, Bunting describes Collin as tall and awkward, and having abnormally long, skinny legs. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT. So basically, nothing happens the entire book besides Catherine moping around and crying over nothing; Noah daydreaming about Catherine; Collin inviting himself over for dinner at the grandma's house every night; and the poor grandmother trying to cheer up Catherine and spend time with her. The only part at which the story gained a little momentum was when Catherine encounters a Miss Lottie Lovelace (sounds like a brand that makes doilies) who warns her about the notorious Noah that once was after her, but she escaped. Then, Catherine confronts Noah, and the two have this epic battle with light sabers and then Harry Potter comes with the Elder Wand and smokes them all... I WISH. Nope, instead what I got was poo: Catherine sets Noah (a GHOST mind you...a flippin' dead-as-a-door-nail-GHOST) on fire and he "dies". It is never explained how she succeeded in doing so, did it ever mention her carrying a lighter or some other fire-starting implement. It was all a blur pretty much. Just when I was all giddy that the stupid thing was over, Catherine goes back home to Chicago and starts school again and everyone thinks she's a wackadoo and I don't blame them. This sad excuse for a story concludes with Collin, now an apparently charming Romeo, comes a-knocking at Catherine's door! I would ponder how he managed to magically teleport himself all the way to Chicago but who even gives a rat's behind at this point!
One last thing before I end this conflict... I knew The Presence was going to be a dud when I read the opening line: The church my grandmother goes to is immense.
*groan*
February 2, 2011
The Presence is a story about a girl named Catherine who lived in Chicago. She had lost her friend in an accident so her parents decided to send her to her grandmother's house for a change. Her grandmother lived in California where she worked in a church. The church was old and had recently been declared a historic site. When Catherine goes to the church, she decides to walk around. While she was in a room, she heard someone call her name. She went to her grandmother and told her about this. She thought that she was imagining things since she was still in shock after her friend's death. Later in the story, Catherine meets Noah. Noah was a handsome 17 year old. Noah was not really a seventeen year old. He was a ghost who had done some evil things while he was alive and god never forgave him for that. That was why his ghost was trapped in the church. Catherine finds this out later when she was spying on him. While spying on him, she accidently sets the church on fire. Noah saves her and he dies in the fire himself. This made Catherine feel bad about herself for not trusting Noah. The themes covered in this book include- Confusion, Fear, Death, Jealousy and guilt. The book also consisted of alot of great imagery.
I would recommend this book to other people since its an easy read. The language used in the book is simple and the characters have been defined well. On the whole, this book was good!
I would recommend this book to other people since its an easy read. The language used in the book is simple and the characters have been defined well. On the whole, this book was good!
October 10, 2014
Ever since Catherine's best friend was killed in a car crash her thoughts and dreams have been haunted by the thought. Her parents are staying in England for Christmas, so Catherine is staying with her grandmother. When Catherine meets Noah, a boy with cold hands, he tells her he can communicate with ghosts. Catherine and Noah can only talk at St. Matthew's church, a place where Noah never leaves. Catherine meets an old woman, Miss Lovelace, who warns her to stay away from St. Matthew's, because Noah is waiting. The next time Catherine sees Miss Lovelace, she receives a package, with an account of the old woman's life. Will this teach her a few things about Noah? Tell her things she never thought she'd know? Will it just get Catherine in more trouble? Read the Presence to find out.
The only character who I really liked in this book was Noah, which is probably not good because he was the main antagonist. I also liked Miss Lovelace, but she wasn't in it much, so... It was interesting to be inside the head of a person who thought she was insane. The idea of knowing something that no one believes is stressful, and that was her entire life. She had even begun to think that everyone was right about her. Some parts of this book were sobering, while others hilarious. All in all i really liked this book.
The only character who I really liked in this book was Noah, which is probably not good because he was the main antagonist. I also liked Miss Lovelace, but she wasn't in it much, so... It was interesting to be inside the head of a person who thought she was insane. The idea of knowing something that no one believes is stressful, and that was her entire life. She had even begun to think that everyone was right about her. Some parts of this book were sobering, while others hilarious. All in all i really liked this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews