[Review] A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge

A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge

Rating: 4.5 stars

Published: October 17th 2017

Goodreads Synopsis:

This is the story of a bear-hearted girl . . .
Sometimes, when a person dies, their spirit goes looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space within them, perfect for hiding. 
Twelve-year-old Makepeace has learned to defend herself from the ghosts which try to possess her in the night, desperate for refuge, but one day a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard. 
And now there's a spirit inside her. 
The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, and it may be her only defence when she is sent to live with her father's rich and powerful ancestors. There is talk of civil war, and they need people like her to protect their dark and terrible family secret. 
But as she plans her escape and heads out into a country torn apart by war, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession – or death.

This book reminded me so much of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman with its spookiness and ghosts! Should have read it during Halloween season haha.

Makepeace has the power to absorb the spirits of the dead, communing with them and honing their abilities, making her a sought out person by the Fellmotte family, who has been utilizing this power for generations. She is essentially the 'spare' in case the 'heir' of the family is unable to properly absorb the spirits of his past ancestors. But Makepeace wants more to be tucked away for safekeeping in Grizehayes, the Fellmotte estate, and so must come to terms with the fact that in order to find freedom, she must commune with the dead inside her.

Makepeace's story is the classic progression of how a protagonist turns into the hero of their own story. Perhaps this simplicity is one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much. Makepeace begins with nothing, a runaway with her mother (who soon ends up dead). But even with each hurdle she's given (the difficulty in trying to escape her fate, trying to make a name for herself in a patriarchal society, etc), she surpasses the odds and grows up clever for the sake of survival. She stands up for herself and isn't afraid to back down despite how often others think lowly of her. So that in the end, she is no longer a child afraid of her abilities, but rather, is confident in using them. 

This is a story that I can see fans of Harry Potter or The Graveyard Book enjoying, because it has that protagonist whose progression is so clear, you can't help but root for them every step of the way. And the cast of spirits Makepeace absorbs inside of her are all interesting characters! Bear, who is quite literally a bear. Dr. Quick, a chirurgeon. Livewell Tyler, a deserting soldier. Lady Morgan, the former Infiltrator for the Fellmottes. In order to hone their abilities, Makepeace has to reason with them, standing up for herself for once. She becomes a character who is not to be trifled with. 

Sometimes you had to be patient through pain, or people gave you more pain. Sometimes you had to weather everything and take your bruises. If you were lucky, and if everyone thought you were tamed and trained... there might come a time when you could strike. p. 57

It is also a story of a found family. Makepeace is left an orphan, with her only friends being her cousin James and the spirits who inhabit her. 

I also enjoyed the time period this book was set in because I haven't read a book set during the English Civil War before. So we got a lot of the Puritans and a lot of the political infighting that occurred between upper class families as to which side they were on. Makepeace also brings up a great point when questioning the monarchy.

Nobody has shown me why I must die for the King, or why I should love Parliament better than my own hide! I wish to life! And I have more than a dram of sympathy for everybody else who just wants to live! - p. 293

What a lovely book to read! I actually wish there was more but this was a great introduction to Hardinge's works. A story about discovering your inner strength.