The Attic Tragedy

by J. Ashley-Smith

Sylvie never called them ghosts, but that’s what they were—not that George ever saw them herself. The new girl, Sylvie, is like a creature from another time, with her old-fashioned leather satchel, her white cotton gloves and her head in the clouds. George watches her drift around the edge of the school playing fields, guided by inaudible voices.

When George stands up for Sylvie, beating back Tommy Payne and his gang of thugs, it brings her close to the ethereal stranger; though not as close as George would have liked. In the attic of Sylvie’s father’s antique shop, George’s scars will sing and her longing will drive them both toward a tragedy as veiled and inevitable as Sylvie’s whispering ghosts.

Genres: Horror, Novella, LGBT, Lesbian, Short Stories, Ghosts, Speculative Fiction

66 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 2020

About the author

J. Ashley Smith is a British–Australian author of dark fiction and co-host of the Let The Cat In podcast. His first book, The Attic Tragedy, won the Shirley Jackson Award. Other stories have won the Ditmar Award, Australian Shadows Award and Aurealis Award.

He lives with his wife and two sons beneath an ominous mountain in the suburbs of North Canberra, gathering moth dust, tormented by the desolation of telegraph wires.

You can find him at spooktapes.net, performing amazing experiments in electronic communication with the dead.

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, this novella was a short and dark visit inside the mind of a young woman.

Georgina, (George), became friends with Sylvie in a rather dark antique shop. There, Sylvie shares a secret; she can tell where an object has been just by touching it. George though? George never shares her secret with Sylvie or anyone else, (at least not verbally). Why not? You'll have to read this to find out!

Right from the get-go, right from the opening line:"Sylvie never called them ghosts, but that's what they were." THE ATTIC TRAGEDY had me in its grip. This is a poignant tale about unrequited love, about feeling that you're different, that you're never a part of things, never at home, even in your own body. During your teen years, (which is where this book began), one is always feeling awkward and out of place to start with. Add in a few of the issues these teens were experiencing and it adds up to an almost unbearable state. Did I mention there's a supernatural aspect to this story as well? At least, I think there was...

I'm surprised at how much feeling the author was able to pack into this novella, (perhaps novelette, technically speaking). Please believe me when I say, Mr. Ashley-Smith can write. In one scene where George wants to reach out to Sylvie, there's this description:

"My fingers stretched and recoiled, daring then afraid, expanding and contracting like some skittish undersea creature; the kind of thing that dwells in shadow on the ocean floor, its hideous misshapen body an insult to nature."

So vivid, so beautiful, so easy to picture. My heart went out to both of these young women, but especially to George. I have to wonder what would have happened had things worked out differently. I do know I'll be thinking about both of them for a while.

This was my first experience with this author and I hope to read more of his work in the future!

Highly recommended!

Available today, here: https://amzn.to/30tiaRB

*Thanks to Meerkat Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

[Latasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

When George stands up for Sylvie, beating back Tommy Payne and his gang of thugs, it brings her close to the ethereal stranger; though not as close as George would have liked. In the attic of Sylvie’s father’s antique shop, George’s scars will sing and her longing will drive them both toward a tragedy as veiled and inevitable as Sylvie’s whispering ghosts.
This is the first thing I've read from this author but will not be the last. This story is dark. The writing is so, so beautiful. I read this over the weekend so it's short but there is so much feeling packed in there. These characters have issues but you feel for them and maybe some part of you connects with them.You want good things for them and to happen to them. I really liked this story.

* I requested this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.*

[Vim · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there's one thing that lived up to the expectations I had of this book, it's the tragedy bit that's in the title. The promised ghosts ghosted me like pros and barely had any bearing to the story. Which is, I must say, a bit disappointing. Okay, I lied, veeeery disappointing. 

The tale is of George's sad - no, depressing - teenage years and the unrequited love she bore for Sylvie, the new kid in town. George is an outcast, teased for her weight and for her sexuality. Sylvie is eccentric but kind to George when few of their cohorts are. Perhaps that is why when Sylvie sets off to college, George is left in gut-wrenching pain pining for the girl she's unhealthily obsessing over. George decides to work at the antique shop owned by Sylvie's father, the two silently sharing their grief of being away from Sylvie. 

Which is where I stop pitying George. While her situation does evoke sympathy, her motives and emotions are often selfish and juvenile, hating everything Sylvie became just because she started to grow outside of George's expectations and despising the guy Sylvie chose over her, throwing seemingly in-depth analysis of his character without even trying to get to know him. George clung to Sylvie - or his memories and fantasies of her - and wallowed in despair when Sylvie wouldn't do the same, refusing to accept what she became and hating Sylvie for it. 

Overall, the writing is lyrical and is an easy and quick read, overlooking some repetitive poetic descriptions such as scars singing and cages of meat and bone (those got real old quickly). It's enjoyable in the sense that it keeps you hooked enough to want to know what's going to happen, thus, making you flip through the pages on and on. It does a good job of making you feel sad. If you're looking for books on how-not-to-move-on, and how-not-to-handle-abuse, how-not-to-love-someone, why, this is the book for you. 

[Karen (thefictioncorner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beginning, The Attic Tragedy seemed like if would be about ghosts and the supernatural, but as the story progressed, I realized the it was more about George’s depressions and unrequited love for Sylvie. This was definitely not a feel-good type of story. It was dark and poignant, but also deep and beautifully written.

I felt like there was a lot more that could’ve been done with a story. This could’ve honestly been more of a full-fledged novel if there was more of an explanation on what the supernatural events were and why some of the things happened the way they happened. There was a lot of loose ties and unanswered questions, especially near the end. I think this definitely could’ve used a longer plot line.

That being said, I really enjoyed it. I think George’s persistence in trying to get better through martial arts training and then near the end, running, was admirable. While she obviously wasn’t going to be 100% okay all the time, I definitely saw a development and some relapses (but that’s okay because that’s just how life works and it’s normal). I wanted to reach into the book and give her a hug :(

Tw: depression and self-harm


I received a copy from Meerkat Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Natasha Van Duser · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Attic Tragedy is exactly as its title suggests: tragic. It's a quick read, but very hard to digest and definitely needs a trigger warning. There's talk of suicide, loss, and heart-break. George's tale is extremely depressing. Her unrequited love for Sylvie is pretty gut-wrenching, and something a lot of people can relate to from their middle school days. Where the story loses me is when George can no longer get over her heart-break so many years after Sylvie leaves.

There's an element to George that is almost childish. She hates Sylvie's fiance out of jealousy, but not necessarily because he's a bad guy. The reader never sees if Dane is really a bad guy at all, we only have George's point of view to direct us on him. George is definitely misunderstood, but she can't seem to move on. She puts all of her eggs in the basket of Sylvie one day loving her that she allows her whole life to revolve around the fact that she's secretly in love with her best friend. She doesn't go to college after her mom leaves her everything in her will. She works for Sylvie's father. She spends her days thinking about Sylvie and hoping she returns as the high school girl she was before Sylvie grew up. What's so tragic about this tale is the fact that George is almost like Peter Pan in the way she cannot move on or grow up. She never leaves her town, even though the rapist bullies who attack her sign up to take fight classes at her dojo and her entire world comes crashing down when she finally realizes that Sylvie will never love her or be the same 16 year old girl again.

Yes, George's tale is extremely sad, but it's also very juvenile. I understand that George is lonely, but she doesn't do much to try to better herself or ever be independent of Sylvie. And that is the most heartbreaking part of this entire story. Also, apparently this is a horror novel, but apart from a few brief looks at ghosts in the afterlife, there's nothing scary or creepy about the story. It feels more religious in its use of the afterlife than horrifying. 3/5 stars because I thought this was a horror story, and not a tragic tale of love and loss.

Thanks to Net Galley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance in exchange for an honest, unbiased review!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how to describe this story. It was an interesting and quick read; trying to find out what will happen kept me turning the pages.

The MC, George, is struggling with depression. There's hardly any character development for George, which I suspect is on purpose.

Definitely a tragic tale of the dark within us.

Not sure whom to recommend this to, though.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is exactly what is said in the title, to be about tragedy. George’s unrequited love for Sylvie tugs at the heartstrings and is such a gut wrenching story to read and feel like you can relate to those middle school days of heartbreak. This story thought to be a creepy haunted ghost story was definitely not a traditional type story about ghosts. Tragedy, loss, and depression are all elements to bring this story into an existence of feeling like the past lives on throughout our lives in a ghostly shadow. This story is dark and well written. George’s character doesn’t change much but with the tragedy of always feeling out of place, never feeling to fit in anywhere, and to be so depressed I wouldn’t expect the character qualities to change too much. Sylvie is a rare eccentric interesting character, being able to know the past of what she touches and brings the supernatural aspects to the story. While tragic and sad this has been a fairly good read and very interesting in how the story formed and unfolded. Thank you Goodreads giveaways to have the chance to read this story and give an honest review.

[Ophélie · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could you sum up a life – a whole life – with just a few words? How could you even try?

There’s a new girl in town, Sylvie, and she is not like everyone else. George (Georgina) watches her around the school, fascinated… After an unfortunate incident they become friends. But George wants more than the friendship Sylvie can offer.
In the attic of Sylvie’s father’s antique shop, between the ghosts and hidden gems of other people’s previous lives, their friendship grows. But will that be enough…

This was not the story I thought it would be, it was something much better. It is difficult to put my thoughts and feelings here to paper (or better said, screen). I have read it a month ago and still have trouble explaining other than to say it is a beautiful story. It is very well written and in its beauty there’s also a little sadness. However, it is a sadness that will leave you with a warm, soft feeling.

*Thanks to Meerkat Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sylvie never called them ghosts, but that’s what they were” … from this opening sentence, I felt immediately drawn into this story, intrigued to discover how this apparently supernatural element would influence the story-telling. However, it quickly became clear that this was to be no traditional “ghost” story rather, it would explore how we are all shaped by our past experiences and losses, and how these continue to “whisper” to us throughout our lives. Through his exquisitely drawn characters, not just George and Sylvie but also all the peripheral ones, whose behaviour influenced how the girls’ friendship developed, and subsequently changed, the author took me on an emotionally-charged, often very disturbing journey. I’m reluctant to go into too much detail about this because I don’t want to spoil the wonderful subtlety and poignancy of the story-telling as it reveals the deeply-felt emotions of young women coming to terms with who they are, as well as their developing, often confusing, sexuality. I think that the shared, erotically-charged nature of the early months of George and Sylvie’s friendship, and how this changed, leaving George heart-broken and bereft, was handled with an impressive sensitivity and restraint by the author.
This emotional honesty and integrity extended to his exploration of some very dark themes, including self-harming, sexual violence, homophobia, bullying, suicidal thoughts. Although each of these was explored in a powerfully visceral way, at no point did I feel that there was anything gratuitously explicit about his portrayals – a difficult balance to achieve, but one which the author achieved in an admirably sensitive way.
The author’s characterisations were so evocative that I’m sure the voices of George and Sylvie will continue to whisper to me, ensuring that their stories will not be forgotten, instead acting as a powerful reminder of how our memories can conjure up our ghosts from the past. Sometimes these will be painful, but the good ones can offer hope, can enable us to gain strength from them and to use those insights to create a more optimistic future for ourselves. “Dear god, set me free from all the pain” a foreword quote from Aeschylus, serves as a reminder throughout the story that pain is part of living and cannot be avoided. It is particularly resonated throughout George’s story, capturing her moments of profound despair and her search for relief from her all-encompassing emotional pain. Does she achieve this? You’ll need to read the book to find out!
When I finished this book, I felt I was experiencing such an emotional-overload that I needed to take time to reflect on it before writing this review but, as I settle down now to do so, several days later, I feel I’m still reeling from the impact of this very powerful, poignant and profoundly sad story. I’m full of admiration for the author’s ability to create such multi-layered complexity within just fifty-three pages – a perfect demonstration of how the end result of less really can result in being so much more!
However, although short, this shouldn’t be seen as a fast-read because it encompasses a range of themes and emotions which encourage reflection. I recently listened to a talk by an author who spoke of how reading slowly and reflectively enables the “magic” in stories to happen in “the spaces in-between” which are thus created. J. Ashley-Smith’s eloquent prose, with not one word feeling wasted, encouraged me to constantly reflect on what I was reading and the magic did indeed happen. So, please don’t rush your reading of this story, allow time for the magic to happen for you too.
With many thanks to Meerkat Press for an ARC of this story and the opportunity to read this very special story.

[Missy (myweereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

| The Attic Tragedy - Book Sixty Six |

“The wound forever open: the wound that never heals because it is not of the body.”

The Attic Tragedy by J. Ashley-Smith is about a girl called Sylvie, she never called them ghosts, but that’s what they were—not that George ever saw them herself. The new girl, Sylvie, is like a creature from another time, with her old-fashioned leather satchel, her white cotton gloves and her head in the clouds. George watches her drift around the edge of the school playing fields, guided by inaudible voices.

When George stands up for Sylvie, beating back Tommy Payne and his gang of thugs, it brings her close to the ethereal stranger; though not as close as George would have liked. In the attic of Sylvie’s father’s antique shop, George’s scars will sing and her longing will drive them both toward a tragedy as veiled and inevitable as Sylvie’s whispering ghosts.

This novella really cuts deep with its prose. It is more than a supernatural tale, it takes a very real look at a coming of age story about two girls who are aware of themselves and are travelling through life with their own burdens. What they come to learn about each other has a huge impact on them and one of them is more aware of this than the other.

The themes which run through this novella may be triggering. The explicit use of language and imagery is felt like a blow to the stomach. This is easy to devour in one sitting and the messages that are laid bare are very important. The story is relatable in so many ways.

Huge thanks to @meerkatpress for sending me a copy of this book and allowing me to be part of the blog tour. Congrats to @spooktapes for the publication of The Attic Tragedy which is out now and one I would definitely recommend!

#TheAtticTragedy

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sylvie has a strange gift. Whenever she touches an object, she feels its past, its story. Its ghosts, though she never calls them that. And, when she enters George’s life, everything changes. George doesn’t feel like she belongs in her body and that made her a target for bullies. When Sylvie rescues him, the connection between them blooms. But time passes, life changes and Sylvie starts to see her gift as a problem. A rift starts to open between Sylvie and George… and all the shadows start to surface. For, if Sylvie leaves her ghosts, then they need to find someone else to hear them. Someone who, like them, doesn’t seem to belong.
Part of what makes this book so fascinating is the fact that, despite his relative shortness, it contains such depths of emotion and sadness that it is impossible not to feel for the main characters. Sylvie has a particular kind of sadness, borne with grace and serenity and channeled to her friendship with George. George’s sadness is deeper and more destructive, and so present, so intense that we can almost touch it. Besides, there is a timeless quality in this tale of friendship and longing. Time passes for us all and what once seemed forever ends up vanishing without a trace. Sylvie and George grow and build new lives for themselves. And that bond between them, that friendship made of sadness and understanding, follows different paths for each one of them.
There is also a somewhat tangible darkness throughout the entire tale, not only because of the ghosts or George’s relationship with blades, but mostly because of the overall perception that each and every life contains its own darkness. That “wound that never heals because it is not of the body” is sometimes life itself and, seeing it in this story, we recognize it in the real world. It might be a short tale, but it captures masterfully the darkest sorrows of an ordinary life. And that is in itself something beautiful.
Sometimes, a story doesn’t need to be long to leave a mark on who reads it. Such is the case of this book: a short and fascinating tale of friendship and sadness, of growth and darkness, of life… beyond life.



** I received this book from Meerkat Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

Sylvie is the new girl in town and she is unlike anyone George has ever met. One day while working in the school library George sees Sylvie get in trouble with Tommy Payne and his gang. She runs out and defends Sylvie against the boys cementing their new found friendship. They grow closer, though not as close as George would like, in the attic of the antique shop Sylvie's father owns. Sylvie has an unique gift, when she touches an object she can sense its history from its "ghosts". Meanwhile George doesn't feel at home in her body and is hiding her own secret. As time goes on the two friends grow up while apart while growing closer to a tragedy.

This story was a quick read at only 66 pages. I felt like it could have been longer because I was left with several unanswered questions. Overall it was an interesting story and I enjoyed it.

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, I enjoyed Ashley-Smith's concise and poignant writing style. On the other hand, I found the story depressing and sad. This, obviously, isn't a flaw, just something I wasn't expecting while starting it. The tile doesn't lie. It is a tragedy.

It has a supernatural feel and elements but whether they actually occur or not remains debatable.

All told, The Attic Tragedy is a well-written and disturbing novelette that tackles, subtly, themes of depression or suicide. I can't say I loved it, but I think I appreciate the way Ashley-Smith told it.

ARC through NetGalley

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella of gorgeous prose and heartbreaking sadness.

I only intended reading a single chapter but found myself unable to stop reading until I reached the end. After, I lay in bed, sleepless, aching with the beauty and sorrow of The Attic Tragedy.

This wasn’t an easy book to read and it may stir up some dark feelings. It includes self harm, suicide and mental illness.

A short novella, yet so dense with emotion, with the longings of the main character George and the wraith-like figure of Sylvie.

Definitely an author to watch.

[Alice Fleury · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this short story moves forward, the reader realizes how sad George is and how much she doesn't like herself. The movement of time is done well, from kids in school to adulthood. There is a supernatural feel, but in the end it's George's story of unrequited love and a feeling of never being good enough.

Heart wrenching and beautiful. A short story I received from net galley.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hard sad read

The Attic Tragedy captures the essence of what it is like to be labeled different and abnormal. The constant bullying just for being true to yourself and the dangerous means you might take to ease the pain.

[Linde · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do I say about this book? It's a tragedy, that's for sure. George is a character that I won't forget easy. She went to so much in this very short book. I wanted to give her a hug. However, I do think that she kind of overreacted at the end. I understand her feelings, but she did went overboard in my opinion. Its fast paced, which I can appreciate. You'll finish it in one sitting. It also covers quite a couple of important topics, which I find impressive for such a short book. I do recommend the book though, especially for those who's Goodreads challenge needs a boost.

[Angela Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is poignant and beautifully written. A tale of identities found and lost, of emotion, inlaid with a delicious hint of something otherworldly.
I wouldn't call this a feel-good book, and there are certainly scenes that will be triggers for people, but this is a little gem of dark toned prose.

[Eugen Bacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The depth and sensitivity of this dark story, coupled with beautiful, poignant prose, enrich this novelette into something mesmeric.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a marvelous tale, dark and twisty and brutally honest in its exploration of the pain of self-exploration and self-hatred... Ashley-Smith has a brilliant lyrical writing style; every word feels carefully and sparingly selected to maximum effect, and believe me - the promise of that effect is delivered in spades. This is a deceptively small book that contains multitudes. (Likewise, my review - it's tough to say too much without running the risk of affecting the reading experience of others and I wouldn't do that for the world, the book is too enjoyable for that.) The emotion pours off of each page and each character interaction. The depth of feeling generated by these characters, particularly George, is phenomenal; the characters leap off the page and into your brain, squirreling themselves away only to reappear, like Sylvie's "ghosts", at unsuspecting times and to unsuspecting results. I found myself thinking about this one long after I finished reading it, and the thinking only made the whole experience better. J. Ashley-Smith is DEFINITELY on my "to watch" list going forward!

Thanks to NetGalley and Meerkat Press for my obligation-free review copy.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, lyrical exploration of toxic love and melancholy with an interesting MC who stagnates rather than moves forward. All the trigger warnings!

[Julia Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

J. Ashley- Smith's short novella, The Attic Tragedy, plays out like a dire, yet beautiful melody that packs quite the punch.

When I first picked up this novella, I thought it would be a tale about ghosts, but as I kept reading I realized the actual haunting came in a different way.

The Attic Tragedy is the tale of a depressed young woman; that can't seem to let go of the past. Her entire life is filled with dread, pain and self-doubt. Even after she finally found the one person she thought understood and accepted her, she was left alone and hurt.

I'm truly impressed by how much content and emotion the author was able to pack into just 50 short pages. I believe this novella could have been stretched out into a full book, but then it wouldn't have been this profound.

TW: self-harm

4 out of 5 stars.


Thank you to Meerkat Press for this arc.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sylvie is new to the school. Her old-school clothes and head in the clouds demeanor make her an easy target for boys like Tommy Payne and his gang. George knows what Tommy will do to a girl like Sylvie. When George intervenes on Tommy's attack of Sylvie the pair become fast friends. Sylvie accepts George with all her quirks and faults. George accepts Sylvie's strange gift of knowing the background of the antiques at her father's shop with a simple touch. As life moves on, Sylvie goes to University far away. George stays and works in the antique shop waiting to desperately rekindle the feelings that they shared in school.

The Attic Tragedy is a short story about friendship and how it changes us over time. The unique elements of Sylvie's gift brought me into the story, but isn't the main focus. I would love to have a gift like that, to know the history of objects with a touch. The stories Sylvie shared were amazing whether they were sweet, heartbreaking or silly. Since this is a short story, the timeline moves quickly and the characters are carved out along the way. I do wish there was more information about Sylive's gift and George's background. The real focus, however, is on the value of friendship and how it affects us, even if the friendship changes. Overall, a unique story with elements of the paranormal and acceptance.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Matthew Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sensitive, unpredictable tale of longing and loss, situated at that liminal juncture where the mundane meets the miraculous.

[Eszter Szika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
A really well-written short fantasy book about two young girls, who lost themselves in the circumstances. George, who had a sad life since the beginning and Sylvie, who had an ability to see ghosts which changed her life forever. Even though it’s a very sad short story, i enjoyed reading it.

[Pamela King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not usually go out of my way to read dark fiction but I must confess The Attic Tragedy had me not wanting to put the book down.

This story is a tragedy, yet it opens the readers eyes to topics we may not deal with in our day to day lives. Potential readers should be warned some of the topics it covers are rape, self-harm, school bullying, depression, rape, lesbianism, and suicide. There is also mention of drugs and assault. That sounds heavy and it is, but the author has written the story in such a way it helps us understand not recoil.

The other point potential readers should be aware of is the indication of a supernatural feel about the story with the description of Sylvie’s gift in the precis. When she touches an object in her father’s antique shop she can feel the history of the item. Sadly, this aspect doesn’t really develop, and it is what attracted me to the story in the first place.

It is also a story of unrequited love and how the relationships in our friendships can change over time.

George is overweight, friendless, and bullied. She is a sad girl lacking self-respect and self-confidence. Sylvie is the new girl at school. Their friendship begins when George saves Sylvie from being sexually assaulted.

The tables are turned when Sylvie rescues George from an assault by the boys who had first attacked her.

For George, the friendship develops into love for Sylvie; an unrequited love.

Sylvie moves away to attend university while George works in the antique shop waiting for Sylvie’s return. When that finally happens, things are not the same and George is heartbroken.

Overall, it is a very emotional story. The heart wrenching topics are not always pleasant to read about but we can’t put our heads in the sand. They do exist and I for one feel more empathy to sufferers.

A tough read but still rated at 4*

[Have Coffee Need Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, when I read things written by British or Aussie writers, I feel the story suffers from my lack of knowledge of slang and terminology. It made The Attic Tragedy more beautiful and served its sucker-punches more viciously.

George is dealing with all the things that make adolescence hell: school, the primary devil, and a budding crush with a fellow outcast, Sylvie, a particular demon. Sylvie makes it all worth it though with her gentle whimsy and accepting soul--it doesn't hurt that Sylvie is magical. It's not just that she's beyond a dream, she says she sees ghosts. George can't help but fall hopelessly for the ethereal beauty. But life doesn't end at high school; neither does George's story.

"Don't be sorry," she said. "Don't ever be sorry. You're beautiful, George. You're tree roots and fresh mown grass and the smell of rocks and apples. What's inside you is so real, so alive. It's burning you up."

J. Ashley-Smith weaves a tale of trials, failures, and successes centered around protagonist George and her struggle with self-acceptance and inner squabbles with self-loathing. Centering around vignettes of heartbreak as she watches Sylvie grow up, and away, from the girlhood qualities that made her so unique to become a wife and mother to a smarmy prig.

This book is quite magical. Highly recommendable.

[Kitty Pollock · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Attic Tragedy by J. Ashley-Smith
Genre: Horror and Sci-fi & Fantasy
Publisher: Meerkat Press, LLC
Publish Date: 9 June 2020

Star Rating: 4/5

This book is a short story but packed to the brim with content; I ended up at the end being surprised by just how much was in it. The story centers around Sylvie and George, Sylvie is the new girl and George is smitten. It is difficult to go further into the story without giving out spoilers but it has to be noted that there is a lot of heavy and trigger issues brought up which may affect some readers. The story isn't the horror story that I was expecting, (the ghosts are more metaphors) and we delve deeply into self-hating, rape, self-harm and unhealthy relationships.

That being said it is a powerful book that is beautifully written but will most likely leave you feeling depressed afterward. So don't read if you are having an off day.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Nicole Amburgey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Review to come!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moment George spots Sylvie at school she know Sylvie is special. Different, like George, but special. Sylvie can pick up any object in her father's antique shop and tell the story of it's previous owner. These object life histories fascinate George, and sometimes leave Sylvie with tears in her eyes.. When Sylvie meets loud, over-confident and pretentious Dane at college he declares that he doesn't like that this gift makes her sad. Sylvie begins to become less like Sylvie. George is angered and saddened by these developments and all comes to a head on Sylvie and Dane's "special" night.

While The Attic Tragedy is classified as horror I found it to be more of a tragic love story. A sad story written in such beautiful prose and with such thoughtful care that I savored the words. Exquisite writing from the author.! I cared very much for George as she transforms from an overweight, awkward young lesbian teen to a solid, strong, but still vulnerable and wounded, young woman holding a torch for a lost love. I am going to add J. Ashley-Smith to my authors to watch list.
(Trigger warning...there is a cutting segment.)
#TheAtticTragedy #Netgalley