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 . . .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.
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.
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.
