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Funeral Songs for Dying Girls
After inadvertently starting rumors of a haunted cemetery, a teen befriends a ghost in this brand-new young adult novel exploring Indigenous identity from the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of The Marrow Thieves series.
Winifred has lived in the apartment above the cemetery office with her father, who works in the crematorium all her life, close to her mother's grave. With her sixteenth birthday only days away, Winifred has settled into a lazy summer schedule, lugging her obese Chihuahua around the grounds in a squeaky red wagon to visit the neglected gravesides and nursing a serious crush on her best friend, Jack.
Her habit of wandering the graveyard at all hours has started a rumor that Winterson Cemetery might be haunted. It's welcome news since the crematorium is on the verge of closure and her father's job being outsourced. Now that the ghost tours have started, Winifred just might be able to save her father's job and the only home she's ever known, not to mention being able to stay close to where her mother is buried. All she has to do is get help from her con-artist cousin to keep up the ruse and somehow manage to stop her father from believing his wife has returned from the grave. But when Phil, an actual ghost of a teen girl who lived and died in the ravine next to the cemetery, starts showing up, Winifred begins to question everything she believes about life, love and death. Especially love.
Winifred has lived in the apartment above the cemetery office with her father, who works in the crematorium all her life, close to her mother's grave. With her sixteenth birthday only days away, Winifred has settled into a lazy summer schedule, lugging her obese Chihuahua around the grounds in a squeaky red wagon to visit the neglected gravesides and nursing a serious crush on her best friend, Jack.
Her habit of wandering the graveyard at all hours has started a rumor that Winterson Cemetery might be haunted. It's welcome news since the crematorium is on the verge of closure and her father's job being outsourced. Now that the ghost tours have started, Winifred just might be able to save her father's job and the only home she's ever known, not to mention being able to stay close to where her mother is buried. All she has to do is get help from her con-artist cousin to keep up the ruse and somehow manage to stop her father from believing his wife has returned from the grave. But when Phil, an actual ghost of a teen girl who lived and died in the ravine next to the cemetery, starts showing up, Winifred begins to question everything she believes about life, love and death. Especially love.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2023
223 people are currently reading
20430 people want to read
About the author
Cherie Dimaline
17 books1,934 followersCherie Dimaline wins her first Governor General's Literary Award in 2017 with The Marrow Thieves. She is an author and editor from the Georgian Bay Métis community whose award-winning fiction has been published and anthologized internationally. In 2014, she was named the Emerging Artist of the Year at the Ontario Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts, and became the first Aboriginal Writer in Residence for the Toronto Public Library. Cherie Dimaline currently lives in Toronto where she coordinates the annual Indigenous Writers' Gathering.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 695 reviews
November 27, 2025
Funeral Songs for Dying Girls is equal parts heartbreakingly-beautiful and chest-constricting in its uncomfortableness. This isn't an easy read and won't be for everyone.
I read this in 2-days and was genuinely moved by it.
This novel is told via the 1st-person perspective of a girl named Winifred. It's the summer she turns 16 and Winifred christens it the Summer of Humiliations.
Winifred is at a difficult period in her life. Her mother passed away when she was born, so Winifred has never had a lot of strong female influence in her life. The only adult female she's had a genuine connection with was her Aunt, her mother's sister, who has recently passed on.
Not only was this a loss of the only sort of motherly influence she has had, but it was also the loss of the only connection she had to her Mom's family and the Métis community. It's a big loss and she definitely feels it.
Upsetting her world further is the news that the crematorium that her Father works at may be shutting down, his job outsourced. If this happens, Winifred and her Dad will be forced to move from the only home she has ever known.
They live in an apartment on the cemetery grounds, close to her Mother's grave. Even the idea of having to move on from this space causes a great deal of anxiety for Winifred, and for her Dad.
When Winifred's comings-and-goings around the graveyard mistakenly get labeled as hauntings however, Winifred sees this as a potential saving grace. A local ghost tour is interested in the hauntings and may add the cemetery to their stops list because of them.
If they do, this could mean additional income and a possibility that the crematorium could remain open. They would be able to stay in their house. Winifred needs to develop a plan to coax this possibility along.
After Winifred befriends an actual ghost in the graveyard though, her outlook on everything slowly begins to shift.
The ghost is a teen girl, Phil, who died tragically in a ravine next to the cemetery decades before. Through the telling of her story, Winifred's eyes are opened to the greater world around her. She starts to see and consider things she never did before.
Through Phil's short life, Winifred is inadvertently introduced to the rest of hers. There's a great big world out there, what is Winifred's place in it?
First of all, the writing in this book is breathtaking, in such a raw, sort of aggressive way. I'm not sure I can quite convey what I mean by this, but basically, it's Winifred's honesty. She's in a tough spot in her life. The way she views the world, and tells her story, is jaded and harsh.
Not a lot is going her way. She's an outcast at school, ridiculed by her peers for being strange. They call her Wednesday Addams and generally give her a hard time.
She has her Dad, who provides for her and obviously loves her, but he is emotionally unavailable. He's stuck in his grief from the loss of his wife and that has unfortunately put up a bit of a wall between him and his daughter.
Winifred has her dog, Mrs. Dingleberry, who she loves so much and her best friend, Jack. Unfortunately, as her and Jack have gotten older their relationship has changed and gotten complicated. Then an event on her 16th-birthday ends up fracturing it further, so she is feeling more alone than ever.
At first, she seemed so abrasive to me. I wondered if I would be able to connect with her, but the further I got into the story, the more I learned about her and I cared more and more. Learning about her family and about her wants, it sucks you in.
Phil's story is even more heartbreaking than Winifred's and the way it is slowly revealed, oh man, so impactful. The final section of Phil's story, I cried. I cried for Phil and for all the young people who have similar experiences to hers. Lost souls who will never find a way home.
Overall, I think this is a powerful story for those who can stomach it. It's not an easy read. It's not fast-paced, or plot heavy, this is very much a character examination and a moving portrait of growing up, discovering your identity and learning to love yourself and others.
I was so impressed with Dimaline's writing and her ability to pour emotion and culture into the story in an unflinching and unapologetic way. It's dark, but ultimately left me full of hope. I am very satisfied with the way it wrapped-up.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tundra Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was moved by this and I hope it gets into the hands of Readers who appreciate it.
I think for the people this resonates with, it will be a very memorable reading experience indeed.
I read this in 2-days and was genuinely moved by it.
This novel is told via the 1st-person perspective of a girl named Winifred. It's the summer she turns 16 and Winifred christens it the Summer of Humiliations.
Winifred is at a difficult period in her life. Her mother passed away when she was born, so Winifred has never had a lot of strong female influence in her life. The only adult female she's had a genuine connection with was her Aunt, her mother's sister, who has recently passed on.
Not only was this a loss of the only sort of motherly influence she has had, but it was also the loss of the only connection she had to her Mom's family and the Métis community. It's a big loss and she definitely feels it.
Upsetting her world further is the news that the crematorium that her Father works at may be shutting down, his job outsourced. If this happens, Winifred and her Dad will be forced to move from the only home she has ever known.
They live in an apartment on the cemetery grounds, close to her Mother's grave. Even the idea of having to move on from this space causes a great deal of anxiety for Winifred, and for her Dad.
When Winifred's comings-and-goings around the graveyard mistakenly get labeled as hauntings however, Winifred sees this as a potential saving grace. A local ghost tour is interested in the hauntings and may add the cemetery to their stops list because of them.
If they do, this could mean additional income and a possibility that the crematorium could remain open. They would be able to stay in their house. Winifred needs to develop a plan to coax this possibility along.
After Winifred befriends an actual ghost in the graveyard though, her outlook on everything slowly begins to shift.
The ghost is a teen girl, Phil, who died tragically in a ravine next to the cemetery decades before. Through the telling of her story, Winifred's eyes are opened to the greater world around her. She starts to see and consider things she never did before.
Through Phil's short life, Winifred is inadvertently introduced to the rest of hers. There's a great big world out there, what is Winifred's place in it?
First of all, the writing in this book is breathtaking, in such a raw, sort of aggressive way. I'm not sure I can quite convey what I mean by this, but basically, it's Winifred's honesty. She's in a tough spot in her life. The way she views the world, and tells her story, is jaded and harsh.
Not a lot is going her way. She's an outcast at school, ridiculed by her peers for being strange. They call her Wednesday Addams and generally give her a hard time.
She has her Dad, who provides for her and obviously loves her, but he is emotionally unavailable. He's stuck in his grief from the loss of his wife and that has unfortunately put up a bit of a wall between him and his daughter.
Winifred has her dog, Mrs. Dingleberry, who she loves so much and her best friend, Jack. Unfortunately, as her and Jack have gotten older their relationship has changed and gotten complicated. Then an event on her 16th-birthday ends up fracturing it further, so she is feeling more alone than ever.
At first, she seemed so abrasive to me. I wondered if I would be able to connect with her, but the further I got into the story, the more I learned about her and I cared more and more. Learning about her family and about her wants, it sucks you in.
Phil's story is even more heartbreaking than Winifred's and the way it is slowly revealed, oh man, so impactful. The final section of Phil's story, I cried. I cried for Phil and for all the young people who have similar experiences to hers. Lost souls who will never find a way home.
Overall, I think this is a powerful story for those who can stomach it. It's not an easy read. It's not fast-paced, or plot heavy, this is very much a character examination and a moving portrait of growing up, discovering your identity and learning to love yourself and others.
I was so impressed with Dimaline's writing and her ability to pour emotion and culture into the story in an unflinching and unapologetic way. It's dark, but ultimately left me full of hope. I am very satisfied with the way it wrapped-up.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tundra Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was moved by this and I hope it gets into the hands of Readers who appreciate it.
I think for the people this resonates with, it will be a very memorable reading experience indeed.
April 5, 2023
Unfortunately, here is another book that was more exciting in concept than execution.
Full disclosure, I have never read the author's beloved other work, THE MARROW THIEVES. But I was excited to experience their writing with this new novel that sounded a little dark, maybe even spooky, with a bit of magic thrown in. Featuring both Indigenous characters and identity, and set in my hometown, it seemed like it was all lining up to be a new favourite. And I'll admit, the early few chapters, seemed to solidify that belief.
But some of the lovely writing and turns of phrase.. well they quickly felt less present as the story went on. The characters had never really hooked me and I grew increasingly disconnected from them as time went on -- most are really unlikeable, or maybe just the loudest personas are, so it just feels like more than it is? And while somewhere amongst these two hundred-and-some pages there is an exploration of mourning and grief and moving forward.. I don't know if I actually saw the journey. There were too many distractions about sex and the best friend who didn't actually feel like a best friend (so why did I care when they had a falling out) and the shitty cousin (being consistently shitty) and overall I just don't know what I should be left feeling. On the whole, it felt unbalanced and uncertain of its own tone or vibe -- never sitting too long in the humour, the valid anger, or the horror, but flipping between each too quickly to land on anything that felt solid or impactful -- and the fact that the young characters felt too old and too not-childlike didn't help matters.
The one true highlight of the story for me was Winnifred's relationship with her aunt. I really enjoyed those moments and was always looking forward to the next.
I really wish I had enjoyed this more and hope that other readers will feel for it what I wasn't able to. I will definitely be giving this author another try though because it may just have been that this story wasn't the one for me.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Full disclosure, I have never read the author's beloved other work, THE MARROW THIEVES. But I was excited to experience their writing with this new novel that sounded a little dark, maybe even spooky, with a bit of magic thrown in. Featuring both Indigenous characters and identity, and set in my hometown, it seemed like it was all lining up to be a new favourite. And I'll admit, the early few chapters, seemed to solidify that belief.
But some of the lovely writing and turns of phrase.. well they quickly felt less present as the story went on. The characters had never really hooked me and I grew increasingly disconnected from them as time went on -- most are really unlikeable, or maybe just the loudest personas are, so it just feels like more than it is? And while somewhere amongst these two hundred-and-some pages there is an exploration of mourning and grief and moving forward.. I don't know if I actually saw the journey. There were too many distractions about sex and the best friend who didn't actually feel like a best friend (so why did I care when they had a falling out) and the shitty cousin (being consistently shitty) and overall I just don't know what I should be left feeling. On the whole, it felt unbalanced and uncertain of its own tone or vibe -- never sitting too long in the humour, the valid anger, or the horror, but flipping between each too quickly to land on anything that felt solid or impactful -- and the fact that the young characters felt too old and too not-childlike didn't help matters.
The one true highlight of the story for me was Winnifred's relationship with her aunt. I really enjoyed those moments and was always looking forward to the next.
I really wish I had enjoyed this more and hope that other readers will feel for it what I wasn't able to. I will definitely be giving this author another try though because it may just have been that this story wasn't the one for me.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Read
June 8, 2024dnf przy 40%
O czym to w końcu miało być?
O czym to w końcu miało być?
November 26, 2025
Thoughts
This was so good?? I went into this read blind, not knowing what to expect but it was absolutely beautiful, raw and emotional, the kind of story that will linger in the back of your mind the best way possible, with that being said I feel the need to mention that this read may not be for everyone in the sense that not everyone can "stomach it, it's not fast paced or a heavy plot based read but rather focuses heavily on character, growing up and discovering your own identity... Phil's story was a separate heartbreak on it's own and the fact that the story unfolded slowly just leaves a deeper mark.. This is my first reading experience with this author but definitely won't be the last, her ability to intertwine culture and that much emotion and depth is truly art in itself.. Truly a very powerful and moving story!
Plot Summary
Winifred has spent her entire life living above the cemetery where her dad works, visiting her mother’s grave and treating the grounds like her backyard. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, both the cemetery and her future are at risk—her father’s job may disappear, and their home could be taken away. When rumors of a haunting begin to spread, Winifred leans into the superstition to draw tourists and save the cemetery, even teaming up with her scheming cousin to keep the lie going. Everything changes when Phil, a real ghost of a girl who died nearby, starts appearing. With the cemetery’s fate hanging in the balance, Winifred is forced to face what she truly believes about grief, love, and the dead—including what it means when someone you’ve lost might not be entirely gone.
My Bookstagram
This was so good?? I went into this read blind, not knowing what to expect but it was absolutely beautiful, raw and emotional, the kind of story that will linger in the back of your mind the best way possible, with that being said I feel the need to mention that this read may not be for everyone in the sense that not everyone can "stomach it, it's not fast paced or a heavy plot based read but rather focuses heavily on character, growing up and discovering your own identity... Phil's story was a separate heartbreak on it's own and the fact that the story unfolded slowly just leaves a deeper mark.. This is my first reading experience with this author but definitely won't be the last, her ability to intertwine culture and that much emotion and depth is truly art in itself.. Truly a very powerful and moving story!
Plot Summary
Winifred has spent her entire life living above the cemetery where her dad works, visiting her mother’s grave and treating the grounds like her backyard. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, both the cemetery and her future are at risk—her father’s job may disappear, and their home could be taken away. When rumors of a haunting begin to spread, Winifred leans into the superstition to draw tourists and save the cemetery, even teaming up with her scheming cousin to keep the lie going. Everything changes when Phil, a real ghost of a girl who died nearby, starts appearing. With the cemetery’s fate hanging in the balance, Winifred is forced to face what she truly believes about grief, love, and the dead—including what it means when someone you’ve lost might not be entirely gone.
My Bookstagram
February 5, 2024
I enjoyed this book. I saw someone else post a review on this it and decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did. The main character lives right next to a cemetery and her perspective was quite interesting. Theres a lot of Young Adult angst, but I found it to be realistic. It was a light read for me- not the gory twisty psychological thriller I’m use too. I adored the music references- the main character listens to a lot of the same stuff from the 80’s that I do. 🤣🤣
August 28, 2024
2,75🌟
Zamysł i klimat super, jednak fabularnie tutaj nie zagrało, coś się rozjechało po drodze i w sumie nie do końca wiem, o czym ta książka miała być?🤔
Zamysł i klimat super, jednak fabularnie tutaj nie zagrało, coś się rozjechało po drodze i w sumie nie do końca wiem, o czym ta książka miała być?🤔
June 14, 2023
Contemporary teen fiction. Coming of age story. It makes me cringe to even think of reading a book with this description; never mind finish it! Lol. But the reality is the added ghost element and a lonely motherless teen who lives on the grounds of a graveyard convinced me that I should read it. Add in that Cherie DiMaline is indigenous herself (as is her main character) and has won many awards; I figured what the heck let’s read it.
Am I glad I read it? Yes.
Would I recommend it? Maybe. For a struggling teen, someone trying to cope with loneliness or anyone whose just lost a loved one this could be a very comforting and cathartic read.
For me, in my current state it was just okay. I see the allure of it and why everyone is ranting and raving about its impact. Alas the reality is that this moment in my life doesn’t need this book. But I’m glad it exists for those who do need it at any given moment.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Am I glad I read it? Yes.
Would I recommend it? Maybe. For a struggling teen, someone trying to cope with loneliness or anyone whose just lost a loved one this could be a very comforting and cathartic read.
For me, in my current state it was just okay. I see the allure of it and why everyone is ranting and raving about its impact. Alas the reality is that this moment in my life doesn’t need this book. But I’m glad it exists for those who do need it at any given moment.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
June 25, 2024
This book is the perfect example of why I don't rate DNFs, if I hadn't picked it up on a day off, I probably wouldn't have finished it because for the first 30% of it I really struggled to get into it. After that, it got pretty compelling. Unfortunately, it sort of fell apart at the end for me. There are interesting topics visited in this book but I thought too many things were surface level or underdeveloped so they never got the potency that they could have. The concept for this book was great but in execution I feel that Dimaline tried to put too many things into the book without giving them proper space, so the pacing was off and the whole book had a rough draft sort of feeling.
January 16, 2023
If it weren't for the atrocious fatphobia, this would be a good novel about grief and identity and desire and greed. But the fatphobia is rampant, and I can't ignore it. Why aren't writers and editors more sensitive to this? Your villainous characters don't need to be fat, or disabled, or mentally ill, or anything else. This could have been a 5-star book for me, but no, not the way it is.
January 1, 2024
I spent the entirety of this book wondering if I liked it or not, and overwhelmingly, I did.
The book follows the story of Winifred, a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in a cemetery with her father, and their overweight dog. The story builds around Winifred accidentally causing people to believe that the cemetery is haunted, and what follows around that. (Mind you, that is a very condensed synopsis.) Oh, and Winifred also meets a ghost named Phil.
The scene-building and storytelling in this book are beautiful. Dimaline uses language in a poetic way to make you feel as if you are there, and their descriptions of loss, trauma, and self-discovery spoke directly to me. The depth and story behind Phil are done beautifully and were the most engaging parts of the book to me. For those things alone I am really interested in reading more of their work, as this was the first book of theirs I have read. As I said, overwhelmingly I did enjoy it quite a bit. The story moved along well, and it ended satisfactorily.
However, for the first half of the book, I absolutely could not stand the main character, Winifred. I am not sure if it is just reading her through the eyes of an adult who parents teenagers or what, but I found her to be one of the most self-centered characters I have read in a long time. She does show growth, and by the end, I do like her more, but there were many points at the beginning where my dislike of her was such that I almost just didn't care what happened to her. The characters outside of Winifred and Phil felt incredibly flat. For example, there was nothing to her father other than his grief, or her great aunt other than being a sage older native woman.
The biggest issue that I had with the book was the use of what I assume is OCD as a character feature, but the refusal to name it. I say assume because over and over Winifred exhibits signs of strong compulsive tendencies, to the point of them impacting parts of her daily life, but they are presented more as a quirk that isn't actually addressed. In my opinion, if you are going to make so much of a character a reflection of a mental illness you are doing a disservice to the character and reader by not actually just coming out and saying that they have it. Then to have it seem in the end as if it has magically resolved as the story ties up just rings flat and disingenuous.
But let me reiterate again, after stating the negative, I did end up liking and enjoying the overall story, and I feel like I will probably give it another reread down the road to see if it grows on me more.
The book follows the story of Winifred, a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in a cemetery with her father, and their overweight dog. The story builds around Winifred accidentally causing people to believe that the cemetery is haunted, and what follows around that. (Mind you, that is a very condensed synopsis.) Oh, and Winifred also meets a ghost named Phil.
The scene-building and storytelling in this book are beautiful. Dimaline uses language in a poetic way to make you feel as if you are there, and their descriptions of loss, trauma, and self-discovery spoke directly to me. The depth and story behind Phil are done beautifully and were the most engaging parts of the book to me. For those things alone I am really interested in reading more of their work, as this was the first book of theirs I have read. As I said, overwhelmingly I did enjoy it quite a bit. The story moved along well, and it ended satisfactorily.
However, for the first half of the book, I absolutely could not stand the main character, Winifred. I am not sure if it is just reading her through the eyes of an adult who parents teenagers or what, but I found her to be one of the most self-centered characters I have read in a long time. She does show growth, and by the end, I do like her more, but there were many points at the beginning where my dislike of her was such that I almost just didn't care what happened to her. The characters outside of Winifred and Phil felt incredibly flat. For example, there was nothing to her father other than his grief, or her great aunt other than being a sage older native woman.
The biggest issue that I had with the book was the use of what I assume is OCD as a character feature, but the refusal to name it. I say assume because over and over Winifred exhibits signs of strong compulsive tendencies, to the point of them impacting parts of her daily life, but they are presented more as a quirk that isn't actually addressed. In my opinion, if you are going to make so much of a character a reflection of a mental illness you are doing a disservice to the character and reader by not actually just coming out and saying that they have it. Then to have it seem in the end as if it has magically resolved as the story ties up just rings flat and disingenuous.
But let me reiterate again, after stating the negative, I did end up liking and enjoying the overall story, and I feel like I will probably give it another reread down the road to see if it grows on me more.
January 31, 2024
This little book sure does pack one hell of a punch! It’s heartbreakingly beautiful while also being just the right amount of creepy and morbid. Everything about it just tugged at my emotions in the most perfect way. I went through the full spectrum, from near tears to horror to pity and everything in between. Winifred is a character you can’t help but feel for and become emotionally involved with, she just grabs at your heart. I really couldn’t have loved this story more, hands down one of my favourite reads so far this year and I’m already looking forward to reading more by this author.
August 1, 2023
Dnfed around 40%.
I really didn't like the writing, a couple of sentences specifically made me wince and I found the main character quite unlikeable.
The ghost girl was so eyeroll-worthy it gave me a headache.
Probably for someone but not for me.
I really didn't like the writing, a couple of sentences specifically made me wince and I found the main character quite unlikeable.
The ghost girl was so eyeroll-worthy it gave me a headache.
Probably for someone but not for me.
September 9, 2023
Mrs.Dingleberry will be missed
July 21, 2024
3,5✨
to jest ten moment, kiedy jestem zachwycona i totalnie wciągnięta, ale z drugiej strony mam ogromny mętlik w głowie i potrzebuję chwilę na przemyślenie tej książki
to jest ten moment, kiedy jestem zachwycona i totalnie wciągnięta, ale z drugiej strony mam ogromny mętlik w głowie i potrzebuję chwilę na przemyślenie tej książki
April 3, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. It was written with a clarity and authenticity that is simply too rare these days.
Winifred Bright lives with her father in the cemetery where he works, among quiet tree-lined paths, headstones, and ghosts - real and perceived. When her 16th birthday plans don't quite go over as planned, she encounters an actual spirit in the cemetery, who leads her on an inner journey to self discovery and the opportunity to find closure over her mother's death.
A coming of age story, beautifully crafted, with unique plot twists and finely drawn characters. I was absolutely enchanted with this book and will definitely be looking for more by this author.
***Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the Advance Reader Copy***
Winifred Bright lives with her father in the cemetery where he works, among quiet tree-lined paths, headstones, and ghosts - real and perceived. When her 16th birthday plans don't quite go over as planned, she encounters an actual spirit in the cemetery, who leads her on an inner journey to self discovery and the opportunity to find closure over her mother's death.
A coming of age story, beautifully crafted, with unique plot twists and finely drawn characters. I was absolutely enchanted with this book and will definitely be looking for more by this author.
***Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the Advance Reader Copy***
August 11, 2024
„Pieśni żałobne dla umierających dziewcząt”, Cherie Dimaline.
współpraca reklamowa @dom_wydawniczy_rebis
Z książką mam trochę relacje gate-love.
Hate, bo główna bohaterka była trochę męcząca, a love, bo nasz cmentarny duch Phil była bardzo interesująca. W zasadzie to jej historia bardziej przypadła mi do gustu i mogłabym zatracić się w opowieści o niej i jej życiu przed śmiercią.
Win jest nastolatką, trochę wycofaną, trochę przygnębioną i mierzącą się z zaburzeniem obsesyjno-kompulsywnym. Jej silna potrzeba powtarzania jakiejś czynności absolutnie nad nią zawładnęła i to nie raz. Dziewczyna mieszka w domu przy cmentarzu wraz z ojcem i starym psem Kluchą. Niby nic nadzwyczajnego, ale przez splot wydarzeń, w obrębie domu Winny zaczynają się dziać przeróżne rzeczy. Od pojawienia się ducha zmarłej Phil, do wycieczek, które podążają śladem nawiedzonych miejsc w Toronto.
Mam mieszane uczucia do całości. O ile tak jak wyżej wspominałam, Phil była ciekawą postacią, natomiast Win odstawała dosyć dużo. Nie wiem, czy to przez jej charakter, czy sposób myślenia, jaki miała? No nie poczułam więzi z tą bohaterką. Miała ona swoje perypetie i nie powiem, bo ciekawiła mnie ta książka, ale raczej jest dla mnie do przeczytania na raz. Nie sięgnęłabym ponownie po nią.
Jednak chciałabym też uwzględnić pozytywne uczucia, jakie towarzyszyły mi przy czytaniu. Lekko Queerowy romans z duchem, zdecydowanie motyw, który da się pokochać. Więź, jaka powstała przy dziewczynach, jest z jednej strony piękna, a z drugiej bardzo smutna. W tym wypadku miłość nie ma prawa bytu. Winifred jest bardzo emocjonalna, a przy tym popełnia wiele nastoletnich błędów, które niosą za sobą przykre dla niej konsekwencje. Interakcje pomiędzy nastolatką a dziewczyną-duchem były przyjemne w odbiorze. Czytelnik może lawirować pomiędzy wspomnieniami, co jest na duży plus.
Koniec książki bardzo mi się podobał, poczułam nastój tego zakończenia i aż odczułam swego rodzaju ulgę, ale nie zdradzę wam dlaczego. W ogólnym rozrachunku książka jest w porządku, ale brakowało mi większego zagłębienia się w poszczególne sytuacje. Chciałam więcej, by móc poczuć bardziej emocje, jakie towarzyszą bohaterom.
Jestem ciekawa czy macie za sobą tę książkę? Jak wy ją oceniacie?
współpraca reklamowa @dom_wydawniczy_rebis
Z książką mam trochę relacje gate-love.
Hate, bo główna bohaterka była trochę męcząca, a love, bo nasz cmentarny duch Phil była bardzo interesująca. W zasadzie to jej historia bardziej przypadła mi do gustu i mogłabym zatracić się w opowieści o niej i jej życiu przed śmiercią.
Win jest nastolatką, trochę wycofaną, trochę przygnębioną i mierzącą się z zaburzeniem obsesyjno-kompulsywnym. Jej silna potrzeba powtarzania jakiejś czynności absolutnie nad nią zawładnęła i to nie raz. Dziewczyna mieszka w domu przy cmentarzu wraz z ojcem i starym psem Kluchą. Niby nic nadzwyczajnego, ale przez splot wydarzeń, w obrębie domu Winny zaczynają się dziać przeróżne rzeczy. Od pojawienia się ducha zmarłej Phil, do wycieczek, które podążają śladem nawiedzonych miejsc w Toronto.
Mam mieszane uczucia do całości. O ile tak jak wyżej wspominałam, Phil była ciekawą postacią, natomiast Win odstawała dosyć dużo. Nie wiem, czy to przez jej charakter, czy sposób myślenia, jaki miała? No nie poczułam więzi z tą bohaterką. Miała ona swoje perypetie i nie powiem, bo ciekawiła mnie ta książka, ale raczej jest dla mnie do przeczytania na raz. Nie sięgnęłabym ponownie po nią.
Jednak chciałabym też uwzględnić pozytywne uczucia, jakie towarzyszyły mi przy czytaniu. Lekko Queerowy romans z duchem, zdecydowanie motyw, który da się pokochać. Więź, jaka powstała przy dziewczynach, jest z jednej strony piękna, a z drugiej bardzo smutna. W tym wypadku miłość nie ma prawa bytu. Winifred jest bardzo emocjonalna, a przy tym popełnia wiele nastoletnich błędów, które niosą za sobą przykre dla niej konsekwencje. Interakcje pomiędzy nastolatką a dziewczyną-duchem były przyjemne w odbiorze. Czytelnik może lawirować pomiędzy wspomnieniami, co jest na duży plus.
Koniec książki bardzo mi się podobał, poczułam nastój tego zakończenia i aż odczułam swego rodzaju ulgę, ale nie zdradzę wam dlaczego. W ogólnym rozrachunku książka jest w porządku, ale brakowało mi większego zagłębienia się w poszczególne sytuacje. Chciałam więcej, by móc poczuć bardziej emocje, jakie towarzyszą bohaterom.
Jestem ciekawa czy macie za sobą tę książkę? Jak wy ją oceniacie?
October 26, 2023
I've become a huge fan of Cherie Dimaline recently and was thrilled at the opportunity to review her YA novel, Funeral Songs for Dying Girls.
Winifred has lived with her father in an apartment above a cemetery office all her life. Her father works in the crematorium, just across the graveyard - where her mother resides. She's almost sixteen and filling her languid summer days rolling her obese dog (affectionately and hilariously dubbed Mrs. Dingleberry) around the cemetery in a wagon while awkwardly crushing on her best friend, Jack.
Winifred's life is turned upside down when she learns the crematorium is on the verge of closing and her father could lose his job, rumors spread that the cemetery may be haunted, her friendship is on the verge of --- what exactly? --- with Jack, and then an actual ghost shows up.
The appearance of the ghost, a young woman named Phil, causes further upheaval in Winifred's life as she navigates coming of age without a motherly influence or any remaining connection to her Metis community. As she learns the truth of Phil's life and death, Winifred is in a race to save her father's job and hold on to what she has left of her mother... but what if letting go is the best way to honor those lost to us?
A bittersweet coming of age story with a paranormal spin, I loved this YA novel and highly recommend to mature middle grade readers and up.
Thanks to Tundra Books and the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program for mailing me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Winifred has lived with her father in an apartment above a cemetery office all her life. Her father works in the crematorium, just across the graveyard - where her mother resides. She's almost sixteen and filling her languid summer days rolling her obese dog (affectionately and hilariously dubbed Mrs. Dingleberry) around the cemetery in a wagon while awkwardly crushing on her best friend, Jack.
Winifred's life is turned upside down when she learns the crematorium is on the verge of closing and her father could lose his job, rumors spread that the cemetery may be haunted, her friendship is on the verge of --- what exactly? --- with Jack, and then an actual ghost shows up.
The appearance of the ghost, a young woman named Phil, causes further upheaval in Winifred's life as she navigates coming of age without a motherly influence or any remaining connection to her Metis community. As she learns the truth of Phil's life and death, Winifred is in a race to save her father's job and hold on to what she has left of her mother... but what if letting go is the best way to honor those lost to us?
A bittersweet coming of age story with a paranormal spin, I loved this YA novel and highly recommend to mature middle grade readers and up.
Thanks to Tundra Books and the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program for mailing me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2024
3.5 ✨ it was decent. I know it’s YA and I really felt like it. Maybe I am too old to really enjoy it. That’s my problem with YA these days. Beautiful cover though!
December 19, 2025
Trama/Plot ⭐
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐
Molto sotto le mie aspettative. È un mix di generi, ma tutti sviluppati in modo banale e con uno stile di scrittura che non riesce a tener viva l'attenzione. La parte fantasy-paranormale sembra solo un pretesto per raccontare – a grandi linee – la breve vita di Phil; la parte romance è superficiale, la narrazione banale. Neppure il trope dell'appartenenza ad un gruppo etnico minoritario è approfondito, anzi sembra un elemento buttato lì a caso ed utilizzato per dei passaggi che non ho trovato neppure così rispettosi della cultura nativa americana.
***
Far below my expectations. It's a mix of genres, but all developed in a banal way and with a writing style that fails to keep the attention alive. The fantasy-paranormal part seems only a pretext to tell - in broad terms - the short life of Phil; the romance part is superficial, the narration banal. Not even the trope of belonging to a minority ethnic group is explored in depth, rather it seems like an element thrown in randomly and used for passages that I didn't even find so respectful of Native American culture.
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐
Molto sotto le mie aspettative. È un mix di generi, ma tutti sviluppati in modo banale e con uno stile di scrittura che non riesce a tener viva l'attenzione. La parte fantasy-paranormale sembra solo un pretesto per raccontare – a grandi linee – la breve vita di Phil; la parte romance è superficiale, la narrazione banale. Neppure il trope dell'appartenenza ad un gruppo etnico minoritario è approfondito, anzi sembra un elemento buttato lì a caso ed utilizzato per dei passaggi che non ho trovato neppure così rispettosi della cultura nativa americana.
***
Far below my expectations. It's a mix of genres, but all developed in a banal way and with a writing style that fails to keep the attention alive. The fantasy-paranormal part seems only a pretext to tell - in broad terms - the short life of Phil; the romance part is superficial, the narration banal. Not even the trope of belonging to a minority ethnic group is explored in depth, rather it seems like an element thrown in randomly and used for passages that I didn't even find so respectful of Native American culture.
July 26, 2024
Dwie mocne gwiazdki za koncept, ale na koniec dnia, ja nie wiem o czym jest ta książka.
Zapowiadała się klimatyczna historia, taka trochę spooky, bo przecież cmentarz, duchy, jakieś pogłoski o nawiedzeniu.
Ale ciężko było się przebić. Przez pierwsze 60 stron czytamy o tym że bohaterka jest zła na swojego przyjaciela z dzieciństwa że przeszedł glow up i nie chciał uprawiać z nią seksu (plus na nią NIE POCZEKAŁ bo przecież wszystko trzeba robić razem po raz pierwszy??xd), no więc była wkurzona i czuła się zdradzona, tylko że tej relacji wcale nie było czuć tak jak przyjaźń. Mega płytkie było między nimi połączenie i to jeszcze trzeba było się go doszukać.
Cała reszta to, jak sądzę, po prostu godzenie się z żałobą. Ona jest outsiderka za którą wołają Wednsday Addams (eh) i sama ciągle zaznacza że ogólnie to ją to nie obchodzi ale jednak ją obchodzi. A potem znów się izoluje i jest zła, że komuś idzie lepiej w relacjach.
No nie wiem. Jak miałam dostać tę książkę to mega się cieszyłam, czułam że to coś dla mnie, serio, próbowałam dać temu szansę. I niestety.
Zapowiadała się klimatyczna historia, taka trochę spooky, bo przecież cmentarz, duchy, jakieś pogłoski o nawiedzeniu.
Ale ciężko było się przebić. Przez pierwsze 60 stron czytamy o tym że bohaterka jest zła na swojego przyjaciela z dzieciństwa że przeszedł glow up i nie chciał uprawiać z nią seksu (plus na nią NIE POCZEKAŁ bo przecież wszystko trzeba robić razem po raz pierwszy??xd), no więc była wkurzona i czuła się zdradzona, tylko że tej relacji wcale nie było czuć tak jak przyjaźń. Mega płytkie było między nimi połączenie i to jeszcze trzeba było się go doszukać.
Cała reszta to, jak sądzę, po prostu godzenie się z żałobą. Ona jest outsiderka za którą wołają Wednsday Addams (eh) i sama ciągle zaznacza że ogólnie to ją to nie obchodzi ale jednak ją obchodzi. A potem znów się izoluje i jest zła, że komuś idzie lepiej w relacjach.
No nie wiem. Jak miałam dostać tę książkę to mega się cieszyłam, czułam że to coś dla mnie, serio, próbowałam dać temu szansę. I niestety.
August 11, 2024
Mam bardzo mieszane odczucia. Po przeczytaniu opisu nastawiłam się na nietuzinkową lekturę. Ojciec z córką zamieszkujący cmentarz? Wycieczki po nawiedzonych miejscach? Wątek paranormalny w nowoczesnym wydaniu? A to wszystko opatulone w wydanie, obok którego nie można przejść obojętnie.
Książka momentami zyskiwała moje zaangażowanie by pózniej przez dłuższy czas nie działo się nic znaczącego. Autorka poruszyła mnóstwo wątków i to trudnych, od żałoby, miłości, dorastania czy samotności i wykluczenia. Czułam narastający chaos, który prowadził do nikąd. Większość tych wątków została rzucona jak kamień w wodę. Aspekt z duchem wysuwa się na pierwszy plan jednocześnie zostawiając całą resztę za sobą. Klimat nie należy do tych z pogranicza mroku i niepokoju, był bardziej surowy i melancholijny. Sposób pisania raz prosty i młodzieżowy a raz poetycki co akurat mi przypadło do gustu.
Książka momentami zyskiwała moje zaangażowanie by pózniej przez dłuższy czas nie działo się nic znaczącego. Autorka poruszyła mnóstwo wątków i to trudnych, od żałoby, miłości, dorastania czy samotności i wykluczenia. Czułam narastający chaos, który prowadził do nikąd. Większość tych wątków została rzucona jak kamień w wodę. Aspekt z duchem wysuwa się na pierwszy plan jednocześnie zostawiając całą resztę za sobą. Klimat nie należy do tych z pogranicza mroku i niepokoju, był bardziej surowy i melancholijny. Sposób pisania raz prosty i młodzieżowy a raz poetycki co akurat mi przypadło do gustu.
September 8, 2025
Not bothering with a review. I wasn’t a fan of the writing, and the main character was annoying as fuck. The story had too much going on, which made it feel messy to me. I finished it because of a reading challenge, I would have DNF’d it otherwise.
Content warning for fatphobia. Like, every villain/lazy character is overweight and the emphasis about it was unnecessary.
No thanks ✨
Content warning for fatphobia. Like, every villain/lazy character is overweight and the emphasis about it was unnecessary.
No thanks ✨
May 1, 2023
This heartbreaking, novel left me in tears, but full of hope for the wonderful protagonist, sixteen-year old Winifred. We follow her over a summer full of humiliation, loss and grief, but also love and a growing understanding of her identity.
Winifred and her dad live in a cemetery; he works at the crematorium. Winifred’s mother had died giving birth to her; Winifred's dad has been mourning for years, and has consequently put a wall between them, leaving her to figure out how to navigate her difficult teen years mostly alone. She did have her mother’s elderly aunt Roberta for some time, who provided love and support till she died, leaving Winifred mourning and at loose ends, as now she had no remaining connection to stories of her mother, an indigenous woman, and her heritage. Roberta’s daughter Penny, though alive, is a spiteful, occasional presence in Winifred’s life.
Winifred had looked forward to the summer to forge a physical connection with Jack, her sole friend from school, which failed miserably, with Jack’s friends humiliating her online.
Then, the cemetery owner was going to let Winifred’s dad go for decreasing cemetery profits.. Winifred has no desire to leave, as her mother’s ashes are in the graveyard, and the cemetery is Winifred’s place of safety, where she wanders at all times of the day and night.
When someone mistakenly thinks she’s a ghost, a man running ghost tours wants to bring people through the cemetery, giving Winifred hope that this will keep her father’s job safe.
Then she meets Phil, a vibrant, young woman with a somewhat spiky personality. And who is a ghost. Winifred, after her initial terror, begins interacting with Phil, learning about Phil’s life, and death.
Winifred initially sees Phil as a way to save her father’s job, and goes so far as asking for Penny’s help. Which Penny does, but in her own way, co-opting much of the first ghost tour so as to highlight the indigenous people possibly buried here, but more importantly, to ensure Penny creates a new revenue stream for herself, to augment her already shady activities as a spiritualist.
Seeing how Penny’s summoning hurts Phil, Winifred must decide what’s more important: protecting the cemetery and her dad’s job, or her ethics and Phil’s physical manifestation?
Winifred has lot to deal with during this book. Her feelings, mistakes and wants are portrayed unapologetically and honestly. Her pain is raw, as is that of Phil's, whose story is pretty sad. Cherie Dimaline is terrific at balancing the conflicting, big emotions of adolescence, and has crafted a powerful, deeply moving story.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Winifred and her dad live in a cemetery; he works at the crematorium. Winifred’s mother had died giving birth to her; Winifred's dad has been mourning for years, and has consequently put a wall between them, leaving her to figure out how to navigate her difficult teen years mostly alone. She did have her mother’s elderly aunt Roberta for some time, who provided love and support till she died, leaving Winifred mourning and at loose ends, as now she had no remaining connection to stories of her mother, an indigenous woman, and her heritage. Roberta’s daughter Penny, though alive, is a spiteful, occasional presence in Winifred’s life.
Winifred had looked forward to the summer to forge a physical connection with Jack, her sole friend from school, which failed miserably, with Jack’s friends humiliating her online.
Then, the cemetery owner was going to let Winifred’s dad go for decreasing cemetery profits.. Winifred has no desire to leave, as her mother’s ashes are in the graveyard, and the cemetery is Winifred’s place of safety, where she wanders at all times of the day and night.
When someone mistakenly thinks she’s a ghost, a man running ghost tours wants to bring people through the cemetery, giving Winifred hope that this will keep her father’s job safe.
Then she meets Phil, a vibrant, young woman with a somewhat spiky personality. And who is a ghost. Winifred, after her initial terror, begins interacting with Phil, learning about Phil’s life, and death.
Winifred initially sees Phil as a way to save her father’s job, and goes so far as asking for Penny’s help. Which Penny does, but in her own way, co-opting much of the first ghost tour so as to highlight the indigenous people possibly buried here, but more importantly, to ensure Penny creates a new revenue stream for herself, to augment her already shady activities as a spiritualist.
Seeing how Penny’s summoning hurts Phil, Winifred must decide what’s more important: protecting the cemetery and her dad’s job, or her ethics and Phil’s physical manifestation?
Winifred has lot to deal with during this book. Her feelings, mistakes and wants are portrayed unapologetically and honestly. Her pain is raw, as is that of Phil's, whose story is pretty sad. Cherie Dimaline is terrific at balancing the conflicting, big emotions of adolescence, and has crafted a powerful, deeply moving story.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.
April 14, 2023
Crimes against female biology. I expect the sort of nonsense of breasts "standing to attention" or 'a mother could nurse her child for two years because she loved him so much' (because that's how biology and the laws of supply/demand work, ffs) from male authors, but female ones? that crap is unforgiveable.
that's before we get to the mixed race people being "half-breeds"
the writing is *painful* "adult thinking this is how a 'deep' 16 year old thinks"
the protagonist is "not like other girls" and annoying as hell. Zero chemistry with her male friend. then when he's surprised that she's just decided, with zero consultation, that the'll have sex, she's offended when he isn't champing at the bit
that's before we get to the mixed race people being "half-breeds"
the writing is *painful* "adult thinking this is how a 'deep' 16 year old thinks"
the protagonist is "not like other girls" and annoying as hell. Zero chemistry with her male friend. then when he's surprised that she's just decided, with zero consultation, that the'll have sex, she's offended when he isn't champing at the bit
July 16, 2023
3.5 ⭐
It was okay, the actual plot was good, the message behind the book is great however this book felt unnecessarily hard to read in some parts. It seems like the desire for it to be shocking was taken a little too seriously in some elements. The characters were fine, it was a bit hard to feel a connection with them.
after reading the marrow thieves I was so excited to pick this one up. I think my expectations were too high for this one so it fell a little flat for me.
while I may be a little disappointed, It was still a good read!
It was okay, the actual plot was good, the message behind the book is great however this book felt unnecessarily hard to read in some parts. It seems like the desire for it to be shocking was taken a little too seriously in some elements. The characters were fine, it was a bit hard to feel a connection with them.
after reading the marrow thieves I was so excited to pick this one up. I think my expectations were too high for this one so it fell a little flat for me.
while I may be a little disappointed, It was still a good read!
March 24, 2023
Dimaline has such a unique writing style that always captures my attention and whisks me in her stories. Funeral Songs for Dying Girl tells us a story about Winifred, a young girl experiencing grief from the loss of her mother, a motherly aunt and an emotionally absent father. The way the author delicately writes about the different ways of grieving was a wonderful read. We also experience the main character struggling with her identity and where she belongs in life, a common theme with people of all ages. I enjoyed how Dimaline incorporated the importance of Indigenous oral history and story telling seemlessly into this book as well. There are multiple elements of sexual and substance abuse and I personally wish there was a trigger warning to prepare readers for some of the heavier details discussed in this book.
I couldn’t quite tell if this book was supposed to be horror with some humour, or vice versa. This for me didn’t take away from the book, I wasn’t looking for a specific genre, I was looking forward to Dimaline’s writing once again.
I couldn’t quite tell if this book was supposed to be horror with some humour, or vice versa. This for me didn’t take away from the book, I wasn’t looking for a specific genre, I was looking forward to Dimaline’s writing once again.
December 1, 2025
I really like the writing, but it just felt so stretched out for some reason.
November 1, 2025
O wszystkim i o niczym - niesamowite rozczarowanie bo początek zapowiadał się ciekawie xd chyba lepiej by tej książce było gdyby temat ducha w ogóle się nie pojawił, bo tak szybko jak przyszedł tak inne wątki zostały porzucone a fabuła umarła śmiercią naturalną.
Z tej książki nic się nie dowiadujemy, postacie są kartonowe, nie ma tu żadnych emocji czy też jakiś ciekawych wydarzeń - jak na young adult to strasznie jest tutaj dużo wątków erotycznych które właśnie ze względu na gatunek nie czytało się komfortowo.
Z tej książki nic się nie dowiadujemy, postacie są kartonowe, nie ma tu żadnych emocji czy też jakiś ciekawych wydarzeń - jak na young adult to strasznie jest tutaj dużo wątków erotycznych które właśnie ze względu na gatunek nie czytało się komfortowo.
October 24, 2023
A little spooky, dark coming-of-age story about grief and love and ghosts???
Did I expect to like this more than I did? Yes. Did I still enjoy it? Absolutely. The execution of the story disappointed me a little bit, it was a lot more dark than I expected (and I was really hoping for a queer love coming of age :( ).
That being said, the writing was heartbreakingly beautiful and it encapsulated the story and characters very well.
Did I expect to like this more than I did? Yes. Did I still enjoy it? Absolutely. The execution of the story disappointed me a little bit, it was a lot more dark than I expected (and I was really hoping for a queer love coming of age :( ).
That being said, the writing was heartbreakingly beautiful and it encapsulated the story and characters very well.
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