What do you think?
Rate this book
Spirit Week
Secret rooms, eerie curses, forgotten caves. Could you survive a week in the Underlook Hotel?
Aspiring engineer Suzy Hess is invited to the famous Underlook Hotel, domain of the reclusive horror writer Jack Axworth, in the mountains above her hometown of Estes Park, Colorado. Suzy thinks she's there to tutor Jack's son, Danny, but instead she finds herself investigating a local curse that threatens the landmark hotel.
With the help of Elijah Jones, an amateur filmmaker who thought he'd been asked to make a film about the so-called King of Horror; Rena Hallorann, the hotel's caretaker; and Danny, who knows more than he's letting on, Suzy sets out to solve the mystery at the heart of the Underlook, one that holds the town of Estes Park in its grasp. With only a week to save the hotel--and the town--the friends find themselves racing against time to uncover the shadows of the past.
Aspiring engineer Suzy Hess is invited to the famous Underlook Hotel, domain of the reclusive horror writer Jack Axworth, in the mountains above her hometown of Estes Park, Colorado. Suzy thinks she's there to tutor Jack's son, Danny, but instead she finds herself investigating a local curse that threatens the landmark hotel.
With the help of Elijah Jones, an amateur filmmaker who thought he'd been asked to make a film about the so-called King of Horror; Rena Hallorann, the hotel's caretaker; and Danny, who knows more than he's letting on, Suzy sets out to solve the mystery at the heart of the Underlook, one that holds the town of Estes Park in its grasp. With only a week to save the hotel--and the town--the friends find themselves racing against time to uncover the shadows of the past.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2022
5 people are currently reading
2019 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
February 9, 2024
I find it somewhat amusing reading reviews for this stating it was confusing or seeing people DNFing due to not being able to follow the story. And to that I say, I'm not surprised.
This VERY much requires you to not only know the 1980 film "The Shining" but also the 1977 book it's based on (which story and character beats quite differ) AS WELL AS behind the scenes conspiracies of the Kubrick film and other Stephen King lore and works. If you're not able to check off each of these homework assignments I genuinely don't think it will hit. Which is odd because I can't think of many middle grade aged kids who would be able to do so (the target audience for this).
As a 34 year old who IS able to check off all my homework assignments, I found this quite enjoyable. Meta on meta on meta. Hitting on famous (or infamous) film storylines, Kubrick conspiracies, and fun Stephen King-isms, including the well documented complaint that he can't write good endings.
All in all this was a good time and a fun buffer read before diving into my next full length novel.
This VERY much requires you to not only know the 1980 film "The Shining" but also the 1977 book it's based on (which story and character beats quite differ) AS WELL AS behind the scenes conspiracies of the Kubrick film and other Stephen King lore and works. If you're not able to check off each of these homework assignments I genuinely don't think it will hit. Which is odd because I can't think of many middle grade aged kids who would be able to do so (the target audience for this).
As a 34 year old who IS able to check off all my homework assignments, I found this quite enjoyable. Meta on meta on meta. Hitting on famous (or infamous) film storylines, Kubrick conspiracies, and fun Stephen King-isms, including the well documented complaint that he can't write good endings.
All in all this was a good time and a fun buffer read before diving into my next full length novel.
August 11, 2022
Difficult to follow and not terribly engaging.
December 21, 2022
Welcome to Underlook Hotel (yes, Overlook Hotel, just different)! Welcome to a week of mysterious things and tons of filming.
I absolutely loved the Shining (the movie though, the book I haven’t yet dared to open because Stephen King is really hit/miss with stuff), and I was excited about this book. We are going to the Underlook Hotel. With a twist. Jack is alive. He and Danny are living there and having an OK life.
😍 Loved that the name of the hotel was changed to Underlook hotel. You could clearly see that it was the Overlook Hotel, just a bit more shabbier after years and years.
😍 Loved that the story was flipped around. That Jack is now alive, never having done anything bad. His mind is going bad, but not because of ghosts are something scary. Jack has early onset dementia and in this story we see how it affects him and also his actions in regards to the Hotel. We see that there are stickers on things. That he sometimes just forgets, but at other times has very clear moments. We see him grieving about the loss of his wife who died of illness. He made for a really interesting character. At times very cocky, much so like the Jack from the original, but at times we saw a sweet old man in there. Who just wants peace and quiet.
😍 That Danny got quite a bit of a role in this one. We see him connect with the kids Suzy and Elijah. He at times comes with them.
😍 Rene, the caretaker (yes, Jack thinks at times he still cares of the hotel, but it is all Rene). I really loved that girl and loved finding more about her. I loved how dedicated she was to her job, and loved seeing her connection to the hotel.
😍 Learning more about the past of the hotel. Is it really cursed? Is it really a bad place? What about the triangle it sits in? What kind of mysteries are hidden? What is that key that Danny has, where does it lead to? It was all so interesting and I loved how you never knew what way the book would go to. Would it go to more serious? Or more mysterious? It made for an epic read.
😍 Loved finding out more about how Suzy is connected to the hotel and to Danny, I won’t tell you more, but I really loved that we also delved deeper in that past.
😍 The small town? Sounded like a real fun place, not really my kind of place, I would like a bit more liveliness, but I would definitely not mind spending some time there. Enjoying the snow. Checking out some mysteries. Go skiing (or well, practice first as I never skied). Check out the sights.
😍 Elijah and Suzy were both fantastic MCs. Elijah with his awesome filming skills and I loved how he never gave up and seemed to know when to shoot and when not to shoot. What scenes would be perfect, and which one wouldn’t. I loved that despite being a bit afraid, he still pushed through. Just like in Shark Summer! Love that he was even wearing a shirt with the shark!
And Suzy was such a sweet girl. At times I found her a bit obnoxious with her constantly studying and working and not seeming to know what fun is, but we do see another side to her and I could understand more on why she was working this hard. I loved how she was able to get Danny studying/doing the stuff he was supposed to do.
😍 The illustrations/the art. I just love Ira Marcks art style and it really fits perfectly with this story.
😍 The ending was both mad and sad.
😍 I loved what the key unlocked, not just THAT but also THAT. And yes, I am keeping it vague, because haha, you will just have to read to find out!
😍 Had a laugh at all the spooky cameras and stuff that Suzy’s mom sold. Those aura cameras though? Would love to try it.
All in all, I could probably talk about this book more and more as I had oodles of fun. It was mysterious, a dash sad, very exciting, and I just couldn’t stop reading. I would recommend it. And I cannot wait what is next for Elijah? I mean, he is already in two books, so I am kind of hoping he will have another great adventure.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I absolutely loved the Shining (the movie though, the book I haven’t yet dared to open because Stephen King is really hit/miss with stuff), and I was excited about this book. We are going to the Underlook Hotel. With a twist. Jack is alive. He and Danny are living there and having an OK life.
😍 Loved that the name of the hotel was changed to Underlook hotel. You could clearly see that it was the Overlook Hotel, just a bit more shabbier after years and years.
😍 Loved that the story was flipped around. That Jack is now alive, never having done anything bad. His mind is going bad, but not because of ghosts are something scary. Jack has early onset dementia and in this story we see how it affects him and also his actions in regards to the Hotel. We see that there are stickers on things. That he sometimes just forgets, but at other times has very clear moments. We see him grieving about the loss of his wife who died of illness. He made for a really interesting character. At times very cocky, much so like the Jack from the original, but at times we saw a sweet old man in there. Who just wants peace and quiet.
😍 That Danny got quite a bit of a role in this one. We see him connect with the kids Suzy and Elijah. He at times comes with them.
😍 Rene, the caretaker (yes, Jack thinks at times he still cares of the hotel, but it is all Rene). I really loved that girl and loved finding more about her. I loved how dedicated she was to her job, and loved seeing her connection to the hotel.
😍 Learning more about the past of the hotel. Is it really cursed? Is it really a bad place? What about the triangle it sits in? What kind of mysteries are hidden? What is that key that Danny has, where does it lead to? It was all so interesting and I loved how you never knew what way the book would go to. Would it go to more serious? Or more mysterious? It made for an epic read.
😍 Loved finding out more about how Suzy is connected to the hotel and to Danny, I won’t tell you more, but I really loved that we also delved deeper in that past.
😍 The small town? Sounded like a real fun place, not really my kind of place, I would like a bit more liveliness, but I would definitely not mind spending some time there. Enjoying the snow. Checking out some mysteries. Go skiing (or well, practice first as I never skied). Check out the sights.
😍 Elijah and Suzy were both fantastic MCs. Elijah with his awesome filming skills and I loved how he never gave up and seemed to know when to shoot and when not to shoot. What scenes would be perfect, and which one wouldn’t. I loved that despite being a bit afraid, he still pushed through. Just like in Shark Summer! Love that he was even wearing a shirt with the shark!
And Suzy was such a sweet girl. At times I found her a bit obnoxious with her constantly studying and working and not seeming to know what fun is, but we do see another side to her and I could understand more on why she was working this hard. I loved how she was able to get Danny studying/doing the stuff he was supposed to do.
😍 The illustrations/the art. I just love Ira Marcks art style and it really fits perfectly with this story.
😍 The ending was both mad and sad.
😍 I loved what the key unlocked, not just THAT but also THAT. And yes, I am keeping it vague, because haha, you will just have to read to find out!
😍 Had a laugh at all the spooky cameras and stuff that Suzy’s mom sold. Those aura cameras though? Would love to try it.
All in all, I could probably talk about this book more and more as I had oodles of fun. It was mysterious, a dash sad, very exciting, and I just couldn’t stop reading. I would recommend it. And I cannot wait what is next for Elijah? I mean, he is already in two books, so I am kind of hoping he will have another great adventure.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Read
December 9, 2022DNF @ 25%
It takes a lot to make a kids' graphic novel unfinishable, but this has the right combo of bad ingredients. A riff on The Shining doesn't really work if your audience is at least ten years too young to understand the references in any way. I'm a typewriter dork, so I liked that aspect, but there are all sorts of missing pieces in the beginning that make the story seem strange and thin. Why hire two children to do adult jobs? What time period are we in? Plus, I hate the art style, which is a personal gripe rather than a criticism of the book.
I don't really think kids will get or like this, and I didn't, either.
It takes a lot to make a kids' graphic novel unfinishable, but this has the right combo of bad ingredients. A riff on The Shining doesn't really work if your audience is at least ten years too young to understand the references in any way. I'm a typewriter dork, so I liked that aspect, but there are all sorts of missing pieces in the beginning that make the story seem strange and thin. Why hire two children to do adult jobs? What time period are we in? Plus, I hate the art style, which is a personal gripe rather than a criticism of the book.
I don't really think kids will get or like this, and I didn't, either.
September 3, 2022
Truly amazing!
Marcks takes the build he innovated with Shark Summer and pulls in textures of philosophy, film history, and the social and geographic history of Estes Park and The Stanley Hotel in ways that thrill and beckon follow-up re-reads!
Marcks takes the build he innovated with Shark Summer and pulls in textures of philosophy, film history, and the social and geographic history of Estes Park and The Stanley Hotel in ways that thrill and beckon follow-up re-reads!
January 24, 2023
Okay, two for two! Marcks does it again. I really love his method of storytelling. We’ve got a small-town mystery, a thriller, and a girl who loves STEM all in one action-packed story. I’ve only known these characters a little while, though Elijah returns, but I enjoyed them all the same.
March 16, 2023
DNF @ 85%. I didn't find it engaging or interesting. It felt like The Shining fanfic, which was cool initially, but became too confusing and boring 😬
Read
January 25, 2023Some great callbacks to The Shining movie.
January 31, 2023
If you are not familiar with The Shining, and you went into this just as a book, it’s a cute story that most kids would like. IF you enjoyed the SHINING then you will adore this book. It’s not a reenactment because some things are changed…but the basis is so close that …if you know you know! The graphics illustration are great. It’s also a great introduction for children to the horror genre.
October 10, 2022
With reflections of the world of The Shining, Ira Marcks' Spirit Week is set around the Underlook Hotel, within the rundown town of Estes Park, Colorado. The hotel is full of mysteries and cursed by several tragedies, including a major flood and death of the wife of horror author (and reclusive owner of the Underlook) Jack Axworth. The defunct hotel, still drawing tourists to the town for its spooky history is under threat to be demolished - the main characters, a group of young friends related to the hotel for various reasons are brought together to help save the future of the Underlook and keep Estes Park on the map - and they only have a week to do it.
I highly recommend this story for not just young readers but mystery enthusiasts of any age. Spirit Week, full of action, adventure and tender moments has thought provoking themes built into every scene, and hidden nuggets for savvy fans of the Shining (both film and novel) to enjoy. Spirit Week's masterful illustrations, rich colors, and expressive characters transport you to the unique world that Marcks has created, which can be dark and dangerous at times and uplifting and magical at others. Get your phanta-scope camera, quantum crystals, antique lantern ready and settle in for a fantastic read of Spirit Week!
I highly recommend this story for not just young readers but mystery enthusiasts of any age. Spirit Week, full of action, adventure and tender moments has thought provoking themes built into every scene, and hidden nuggets for savvy fans of the Shining (both film and novel) to enjoy. Spirit Week's masterful illustrations, rich colors, and expressive characters transport you to the unique world that Marcks has created, which can be dark and dangerous at times and uplifting and magical at others. Get your phanta-scope camera, quantum crystals, antique lantern ready and settle in for a fantastic read of Spirit Week!
January 12, 2023
I don’t know if it was poor focus on my part or if there were just too many plots being juggled in the book, but I was a little confused and dissatisfied when I got to the end. I liked most of the characters but never really understood Suzy. The setting was neat, and I liked the artwork.
March 10, 2023
I did what experts say not to do. I judged a book by its cover. This book...
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the kids section of my local library looking for new books to read for my weekly Family Comic Friday post. That's when I came across this book. From just a quick look, this graphic novel looked spooky, had snow on the cover and bore an eerie looking font that looked an awful lot like the poster to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Little did I know that there was a whole lot more to that cursory opinion.
Upon further inspection of the cover, you'll notice that a room key and a typewriter are partially buried in ice. There's an ominous looking hotel peering down at a group of young people. And the sky is a familiar orange color, like that of the carpeting of the Overlook Hotel. This really might be The Shining for kids!
So what is Spirit Week about? Is it Stephen King's first young readers book? Or is there something more to this book?
Suzy is a middle school student who hopes to become an engineer when she grows up. She's a current reigning State champion in an engineering competition for teens and needs to raise some money in order to defend her title. Even if it means doing something really scary.
Suzy's hometown of Estes Park, Colorado has one main attraction: the gigantic Underlook Hotel. The property of reclusive author Jack Axworth, this establishment was the setting of the writer's most popular horror novel, 'The Underlooker'. Fans from all over the world come to Estes Park for a chance to tour the supposed haunted lodge. They want to relive scenes from the book. But above all, they hope to catch a glimpse of the reluctant novelist.
Recently, Jack Axworth announced that he and his son, Danny, would be leaving the Underlook and that a demolition team would be destroying the site. In the week before he leaves the Underlook, Danny needs to pass an entrance exam to his new school and that's where Suzy comes in. She's been invited to stay at the hotel for the final week in hopes of getting Danny ready for his tests.
Also along for the ride is young filmmaker Elijah Jones. He's been invited to help document the last days of the Overlook Hotel. Seeing how important the attraction is to her town, Suzy along with Elijah, Danny and caretaker Rena hope to convince Jack to reconsider. But the author claims he must destroy the place in order to break an evil curse. What mysteries will Suzy and her new friends uncover during the waning days of the Underlook Hotel?
Spirit Week started off so well. Author Ira Marcks (Shark Summer) posted a foreword thanking his parents for exposing him to the 1980's horror flick. There's a great mystery building. A mysterious stranger stalks the grounds of the hotel. And the promise of a broken curse which could save the town. It all makes for an engrossing read with a fairly decent ending that looks rather rosy. That is until you start thinking about what happens AFTER the book ends.
It's revealed that Jack Axworth has a form of early onset dementia. He seems to get better at the end, coming to terms with the things he felt cursed him. But if the author really has some sort of cognitive degeneration, isn't things going to go poorly not just for him, but Jack's young son, Danny.
Danny Axworth can't be older than 10. So, I would imagine that by the time the young graduates high school, his father probably won't recognize him anymore. Was Jack misdiagnosed? Was his supposedly loss of memory due to something else like grief or guilt? If so, that's great. But Ira Marcks doesn't make such knowledge clear. And thus, I was left a little bummed with things.
Another thing about this book that bugged me was yet another missing detail. This story takes place during Suzy's winter break. Winter Break is Christmas time, right? Well, there's not 1 single Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa decoration in the entire town. Sure, Estes Park has devoted itself to being an attraction for horror enthusiasts. But surely, the townsfolk celebrate the winter holidays, right?
Spirit Week had a great spooky tone. It's a great homage to the horror legacy of both Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. But there's several missing pieces to this puzzle that makes for an uneven story with a not so fairytale happy ending. Maybe Ira Mancks is planning a sequel. Or maybe a companion story that continues Suzy's story while letting us in or an update on Jack and Danny. One things for sure, Spirit Week didn't feel like it was a story that only took 7 days to tell.
(Note- Upon further research, I learned that Spirit Week is a sequel to Shark Summer, so I may be on to something about the story not being over.)
Recommended for readers ages 8-12, Spirit Week is a book that will lead readers down several dead ends wrong turns - just like the hedge labyrinth on the grounds of the Underlook. Parents may need to explain to young readers what dementia is. Plus a few scenes might be a little too intense. It's a good read but it definitely seems incomplete.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the kids section of my local library looking for new books to read for my weekly Family Comic Friday post. That's when I came across this book. From just a quick look, this graphic novel looked spooky, had snow on the cover and bore an eerie looking font that looked an awful lot like the poster to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Little did I know that there was a whole lot more to that cursory opinion.
Upon further inspection of the cover, you'll notice that a room key and a typewriter are partially buried in ice. There's an ominous looking hotel peering down at a group of young people. And the sky is a familiar orange color, like that of the carpeting of the Overlook Hotel. This really might be The Shining for kids!
So what is Spirit Week about? Is it Stephen King's first young readers book? Or is there something more to this book?
Suzy is a middle school student who hopes to become an engineer when she grows up. She's a current reigning State champion in an engineering competition for teens and needs to raise some money in order to defend her title. Even if it means doing something really scary.
Suzy's hometown of Estes Park, Colorado has one main attraction: the gigantic Underlook Hotel. The property of reclusive author Jack Axworth, this establishment was the setting of the writer's most popular horror novel, 'The Underlooker'. Fans from all over the world come to Estes Park for a chance to tour the supposed haunted lodge. They want to relive scenes from the book. But above all, they hope to catch a glimpse of the reluctant novelist.
Recently, Jack Axworth announced that he and his son, Danny, would be leaving the Underlook and that a demolition team would be destroying the site. In the week before he leaves the Underlook, Danny needs to pass an entrance exam to his new school and that's where Suzy comes in. She's been invited to stay at the hotel for the final week in hopes of getting Danny ready for his tests.
Also along for the ride is young filmmaker Elijah Jones. He's been invited to help document the last days of the Overlook Hotel. Seeing how important the attraction is to her town, Suzy along with Elijah, Danny and caretaker Rena hope to convince Jack to reconsider. But the author claims he must destroy the place in order to break an evil curse. What mysteries will Suzy and her new friends uncover during the waning days of the Underlook Hotel?
Spirit Week started off so well. Author Ira Marcks (Shark Summer) posted a foreword thanking his parents for exposing him to the 1980's horror flick. There's a great mystery building. A mysterious stranger stalks the grounds of the hotel. And the promise of a broken curse which could save the town. It all makes for an engrossing read with a fairly decent ending that looks rather rosy. That is until you start thinking about what happens AFTER the book ends.
It's revealed that Jack Axworth has a form of early onset dementia. He seems to get better at the end, coming to terms with the things he felt cursed him. But if the author really has some sort of cognitive degeneration, isn't things going to go poorly not just for him, but Jack's young son, Danny.
Danny Axworth can't be older than 10. So, I would imagine that by the time the young graduates high school, his father probably won't recognize him anymore. Was Jack misdiagnosed? Was his supposedly loss of memory due to something else like grief or guilt? If so, that's great. But Ira Marcks doesn't make such knowledge clear. And thus, I was left a little bummed with things.
Another thing about this book that bugged me was yet another missing detail. This story takes place during Suzy's winter break. Winter Break is Christmas time, right? Well, there's not 1 single Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa decoration in the entire town. Sure, Estes Park has devoted itself to being an attraction for horror enthusiasts. But surely, the townsfolk celebrate the winter holidays, right?
Spirit Week had a great spooky tone. It's a great homage to the horror legacy of both Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. But there's several missing pieces to this puzzle that makes for an uneven story with a not so fairytale happy ending. Maybe Ira Mancks is planning a sequel. Or maybe a companion story that continues Suzy's story while letting us in or an update on Jack and Danny. One things for sure, Spirit Week didn't feel like it was a story that only took 7 days to tell.
(Note- Upon further research, I learned that Spirit Week is a sequel to Shark Summer, so I may be on to something about the story not being over.)
Recommended for readers ages 8-12, Spirit Week is a book that will lead readers down several dead ends wrong turns - just like the hedge labyrinth on the grounds of the Underlook. Parents may need to explain to young readers what dementia is. Plus a few scenes might be a little too intense. It's a good read but it definitely seems incomplete.
December 26, 2023
With the success of Shark Summer, Ira Marcks returns with a new graphic novel mystery, Spirit Week. Elijah is coming to town with the idea of making a film about Jack Axworth, a famous horror writer. Suzy is a teenage engineer, who needs money to get herself into summer camp, decides to work as a tutor for Jack's son, Danny. When they meet Jack, they realized he's losing his memories and he and his son will be moving away soon. At the same time, there's something strange about the hotel they are staying in. It was once a thriving tourist attraction for the wealthy and supernatural seekers, but all Jack claims now is that it's cursed. Suzy and Elijah team up with Danny and Rena, the caretaker, to solve this mystery as it could also help save the town from becoming a ghost town itself.
Although there's no connection to Shark Summer, Marcks uses the same formula in that story here with the backdrop of a quiet town and an urban legend. The kids, while seeking to solve the mystery, also go through some self-realization as well, specifically Suzy as we see she does have a connection to the Jack and the hotel that was previously overlooked. Judging by the comments, the references made here are towards The Shining, so while I never had read the book or watched the movie, it becomes apparent on what Easter eggs are here and there.
While Spirit Week was good, to me, I do feel like it's not as strong as Shark Summer. One thing is that the conclusion didn't really leave closure for Jack and Danny, kind of felt rushed in my opinion. Even though Suzy got her subplot to end, they were just as prominent, but not shown what will happen to them afterwards. On a shallower scale, the color schemes are much more muted, given that the setting is in a much more isolated area, but one thing that was appealing was the use of vibrant colors in the illustrations done previously. So while not perfect, Spirit Week is relatively a decent mystery read for younger readers with a story that pertains to a real work of literature.
Although there's no connection to Shark Summer, Marcks uses the same formula in that story here with the backdrop of a quiet town and an urban legend. The kids, while seeking to solve the mystery, also go through some self-realization as well, specifically Suzy as we see she does have a connection to the Jack and the hotel that was previously overlooked. Judging by the comments, the references made here are towards The Shining, so while I never had read the book or watched the movie, it becomes apparent on what Easter eggs are here and there.
While Spirit Week was good, to me, I do feel like it's not as strong as Shark Summer. One thing is that the conclusion didn't really leave closure for Jack and Danny, kind of felt rushed in my opinion. Even though Suzy got her subplot to end, they were just as prominent, but not shown what will happen to them afterwards. On a shallower scale, the color schemes are much more muted, given that the setting is in a much more isolated area, but one thing that was appealing was the use of vibrant colors in the illustrations done previously. So while not perfect, Spirit Week is relatively a decent mystery read for younger readers with a story that pertains to a real work of literature.
January 23, 2023
The Underlook Hotel has always been a mystery to the residents of Estes Parks, Colorado. Horror author Jack Axworth lives there, but he is rarely seen, and the hotel hasn't had guests in years. Elijah, a young filmmaker, is invited to stay at the hotel, which is big news in the small town. As Elijah is eager to meet Jack and film a documentary about him and his hotel, he learns that Rena, the hotel's caretaker, lured him there to help save it. With the help of Jack's son Danny and his tutor Suzy they investigate if The Underlook hotel is cursed and how they can save the hotel.
What I Liked: It was clear that each character had a purpose and brought something unique to the story. Rena and Suzy were written as smart, capable, and overall strong female characters. Elijah is an endearing character who is very enthusiastic about filmmaking. Danny's connection to Suzy's family made for a surprise I didn't see coming and Jack and his dementia make for an emotional subplot. Each of these characters help solve if the Underlook is cursed.
What Didn't Work: There are similarities or nods to the movie The Shining which can be fun for the adult reading it, but my children had never seen this movie and did not get the reference.
I received a copy that did not have full-color pages. The first eight pages were in color and I was able to get an idea of how the book would feel in color and it's much more engaging with colored graphics.
Featuring unique characters, Spirit Week is a mystery graphic novel that is not overly spooky and is sure to capture the attention of middle grade readers.
This review first appeared on YA Book Central and can be found here https://www.yabookscentral.com/spirit...
What I Liked: It was clear that each character had a purpose and brought something unique to the story. Rena and Suzy were written as smart, capable, and overall strong female characters. Elijah is an endearing character who is very enthusiastic about filmmaking. Danny's connection to Suzy's family made for a surprise I didn't see coming and Jack and his dementia make for an emotional subplot. Each of these characters help solve if the Underlook is cursed.
What Didn't Work: There are similarities or nods to the movie The Shining which can be fun for the adult reading it, but my children had never seen this movie and did not get the reference.
I received a copy that did not have full-color pages. The first eight pages were in color and I was able to get an idea of how the book would feel in color and it's much more engaging with colored graphics.
Featuring unique characters, Spirit Week is a mystery graphic novel that is not overly spooky and is sure to capture the attention of middle grade readers.
This review first appeared on YA Book Central and can be found here https://www.yabookscentral.com/spirit...
December 30, 2023
The moment I saw this was set in Estes Park, Colorado I knew I had to read it. I've spent some time up at the Stanley Hotel there and hoped this story would take me back there (with some spooky fun thrown in for good measure).
I have to admit, there were some similarities here which brought be back to one evening when I wandered the place in a little impromptu ghost hunting.
What I also found was a lot of references to The Shining (which Stephen King wrote, based on the Stanley though the movie looks nothing like the Stanley so take that for what it's worth). The four kids getting involved in trying to save the hotel and figure out the mysteries which are all over the place carried the story well and made for an interesting mystery/thriller for young people.
Still, I left the story not entirely pleased with it. Things escalate and go nuts in a very short amount of time, and the story itself becomes almost to convoluted to make sense. I felt like not everything was wrapped up quite in the way I wanted as a reader, and couldn't shake the feeling that this might have made more sense if they'd had more time to solve things than just the few days they had.
I did enjoy reading this story though, and the setting is awesome, so I'm giving this book 3 stars. Read if you love thrillers and might be something of a movie buff who's seen the Shining more times than you can count.
I have to admit, there were some similarities here which brought be back to one evening when I wandered the place in a little impromptu ghost hunting.
What I also found was a lot of references to The Shining (which Stephen King wrote, based on the Stanley though the movie looks nothing like the Stanley so take that for what it's worth). The four kids getting involved in trying to save the hotel and figure out the mysteries which are all over the place carried the story well and made for an interesting mystery/thriller for young people.
Still, I left the story not entirely pleased with it. Things escalate and go nuts in a very short amount of time, and the story itself becomes almost to convoluted to make sense. I felt like not everything was wrapped up quite in the way I wanted as a reader, and couldn't shake the feeling that this might have made more sense if they'd had more time to solve things than just the few days they had.
I did enjoy reading this story though, and the setting is awesome, so I'm giving this book 3 stars. Read if you love thrillers and might be something of a movie buff who's seen the Shining more times than you can count.
January 27, 2023
Going into this book blind I would’ve thought this was a ghost story. However, it’s a retelling for the Shining but for a much younger audience. It’s not a strict retelling, but it’s about the Underlook Hotel in Estes Park. It’s about the writer who lives in that hotel with his son Danny, and the ghosts that inhabit it. It’s also about a girl from the community who hates everything about the hotel and the young boy who has come to interview the author on film. I loved how the author incorporated ideas of other famous hauntings as well as mining and lore from the town itself. Overall, this was a fun and interesting read, but it could have been better. I say that because the ending is depressing and leaves a bit of a bat a taste in my mouth. However, there is no blood and guts or gruesome deaths, making this book perfect for the age group.
February 24, 2023
This is basically an alternate universe Shining fanfic. Which is kind of an odd choice, since it's aimed at a middle grade audience. Sure, some kids will get at least some of the references this book is filled with, but I have to imagine it's a minority. This is all aside from the basic premise being hard to believe: why hire two young teens, one of whom is from out of state, to do adult jobs like film a documentary? It also didn't sit right with me that it's an apparently happy ending that an incredible treasure trove of early film gets destroyed.
January 12, 2024
70%
First off, it's super irresponsible to talk about handling galena so much and not mention that it's a lead mineral that you need to be cautious with, especially in a children's book.
Second, I've never watched or read "The Shining", nor do I know anything about it. I didn't know this book was so heavily referencing it until I came to Goodreads and read some reviews. It seems I would've enjoyed this more with that context. Instead, I found it to be a bit jarbled and overwrought with loose threads. It was fun, but I can't say I understood much of what was going on.
First off, it's super irresponsible to talk about handling galena so much and not mention that it's a lead mineral that you need to be cautious with, especially in a children's book.
Second, I've never watched or read "The Shining", nor do I know anything about it. I didn't know this book was so heavily referencing it until I came to Goodreads and read some reviews. It seems I would've enjoyed this more with that context. Instead, I found it to be a bit jarbled and overwrought with loose threads. It was fun, but I can't say I understood much of what was going on.
December 19, 2024
2.5 stars. I had a harder time engaging with the plot and the characters. Some of it could be that the drawings of characters looked different enough in some frames that I had to double check who they were (and that is a me problem). I enjoyed Shark Summer more but fans of horror stories might enjoy this look at a creepy hotel with a curse on it. And since I don’t read horror as much, I missed out on references in the book that other people mentioned in reviews like The Shining and Stephen King. No swears, no violence. 6th grade and up.
February 9, 2023
We were fortunate enough to win a copy of Ira Marcks’s “Spirit Week”. Being a big Stephen King fan I was excited to read this with my young boys and it did not disappoint! It was so fun to see the parallels to The Shining but to be something that could meet my kids at their level and not keep them up at night. Highly recommended as a family book or for a young reader who is not quite ready for King.
Read
May 31, 2023This was a surprisingly long feeling graphic novel, one that also felt unnecessarily complicated. For a children's book about Stephen King and The Shining, it's not scary at all, so I'm not sure who this book is actually for. The various connections between the characters, the plotline, the whole "is the hotel cursed or not" dilemma at the center of the story? It just didn't work for me. None of it.
January 5, 2024
A quest to save a hotel and by extension, the small town. A mystery based on an urban legend. This one was fast-paced and had a lot going on, the story came together with a unique piece of it brought by each character. I will admit, the ending kind of came together abruptly and was a little hard to follow, but I was intrigued from start to finish. I predict our middle schoolers will like this one a lot.
March 19, 2024
Cute kids graphic novel about The Shining in an alternate timeline. Such a unique concept and fun to stumble across as The Shining was the first Stephen King book I read and my favorite scary movie of all time. This takes place at the a cursed Underlook Hotel (Overlook) with characters like Jack Axworth (Torrance), his son Danny, Dick Hallorann’s daughter is the current caretaker of the hotel, and there is a fun cameo with a man named Dr. Stanley Rubrik 😉
December 21, 2022
I love the pictures! My 3 y.o. is fascinated and I really enjoy reading it to him. He is almost 4, and wants to watch TV and luckily this book holds his attention, and mine! The style and frame sequencing is logical enough that he can intuit and "read" on his own, a great tool for learning to read left to right and top to bottom!
March 7, 2023
This was a cute graphic novel inspired about the Overlook Hotel in Estes Park Colorado. They call it the Underlook Hotel. I love the wonderful twist of keeping Danny and his father alive. The illustrations are pretty. Overall a fun read, especially if you know anything about the Shining or the hotel’s history.
June 10, 2023
2 stars by Goodreads definition is "okay". Which is all I'd say this was.
It's clearly inspired by 'The Shining' but as a graphic aimed for younger kids, I'm not sure they'd get the references. It was hard to follow and I'm still not sure of all that happened by the end.
I liked the cast of characters well enough but that was all it had going for it for me personally.
It's clearly inspired by 'The Shining' but as a graphic aimed for younger kids, I'm not sure they'd get the references. It was hard to follow and I'm still not sure of all that happened by the end.
I liked the cast of characters well enough but that was all it had going for it for me personally.
September 8, 2023
This was an interesting graphic novel. I thought the plot was entertaining and the art was really well done. I definitely saw all of the easter eggs that were an homage to the movie The Shining but they flew over my kid's head. In the end, I don't think this book came together well but overall, we had a good time reading it.
November 20, 2023
Just an adventurous bunch of kids trying to save their hometown (well not Elijah, he’s just helping his new friends lol). Love all the Shining and horror references mixed throughout!!!!
The art and architectural drawings and such were amazing! I especially liked the one image of the floor pattern in Dr. Rubrik’s room. A very fun clue!
The art and architectural drawings and such were amazing! I especially liked the one image of the floor pattern in Dr. Rubrik’s room. A very fun clue!
December 11, 2023
I don't actually like graphic novels. I wish I did, but I don't. So I don't think my rating would be beneficial for anyone who would actually be interested in reading this story. I will say that overall the story wasn't bad, just a little slow/boring. I also dislike occult imagery and there was a fair share of that here which lowered my opinion of this story too.
February 24, 2023
A cold winter night was the perfect time to dive into this spooky mystery. I loved seeing a character return from the author's previous book, "Shark Summer", for the next leg of his adventure. The story kept me guessing until the end and I appreciated the fresh perspective on a beloved classic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews