The Dark Becomes Her

August 15, 2024
When dark forces meddle with her family, a teen discovers a world of gods and demons in Vancouver's Chinatown. Sixteen-year-old Taiwanese Canadian Ruby Chen doesn't make waves. As the eldest daughter of immigrants, she does her best to fulfill her parents' expectations of academic perfection and dutiful obedience. She even stifles her own passion for classical piano just to maintain harmony in her family. But when a malevolent spirit suddenly attacks Ruby and her sister, Tina, on their walk home one day, her life is shaken up. Ruby has always been able to see creatures lurking in the shadows, and she initially tries to move on from the incident. But when Tina starts acting unnervingly differently, Ruby knows she can't just stand by. Desperate for help, she approaches Shen and Delia, two Taiwanese Canadian teens who can also see spirits and who came to her assistance on the day of the attack. Through them, she learns of an ancient conflict that involves a wandering temple that preys on people's deepest desires and the guardians who work to keep evil at bay. Can the teens act in time to banish the dark forces from their community and save Ruby's sister as well? Though the bulk of the book is character-driven, centering on Ruby's introspection, the blood-curdling horror sequences are riveting, and Ruby's search for herself amid familial and societal expectations is equally compelling. A captivating blend of horror and traditional folklore. (content warning, author's note, glossary)(Horror. 14-18)

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Starred review from October 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-An atmospheric horror novel imbued with Taiwanese and Chinese mythology. Sixteen-year-old Ruby Chen bears the weight of heavy parental expectations. On top of this, she has always been haunted by spirits. Her world changes when one attacks her in Vancouver's Chinatown neighborhood, and she is rescued by a boy named Shen who has a tiger tattoo. He, along with his friend Delia, introduces her to a world of deities she has never believed in. Even so, she has to trust her new friends in order to save her sister who is acting unusually. Lin excels at creating dread with every page without resorting to cheap scares. Initially, the book appears to be a simple possession narrative, but really, its themes are multitudinous. Her story is about managing relationships with family and friends which comes with their own horrors. Simultaneously, Ruby also wrestles with identity questions that many children of diaspora communities know too well. Readers' fear while reading is heightened by having such a whip-smart protagonist. Her actions make sense, and readers are with her every page. All of the main characters are Taiwanese. This is sophisticated horror for both fans and non-fans of the genre alike. VERDICT A superb addition to horror collections that will also satisfy fans of mythology, too.-Wilsinia Ocasio

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2024
Grades 8-12 Lin (A Magic Steeped in Poison, 2022) makes her horror debut with this standout novel following Ruby Chen, a girl driven to perfection and overburdened with the duties and responsibilities of being the oldest daughter in a Taiwanese Canadian family. Ruby takes on the difficult task of trying to keep her more laid-back sister, Tina, on an academically oriented track that won't displease their parents, but that gets more complicated when Tina is captured by a group of ghouls and returns a completely different person, seemingly under a demonic spell. What's more, Vancouver's Chinatown seems to contain a gate to the underworld, and sinister wishes made at a temple there begin to threaten the community. Alongside the scary events, readers will encounter thoughtful underlying themes exploring the complicated dynamics between siblings, within families, and among the wider community. In an adventure that explores both inner and outer demons, Lin's spine-tingling Chinese-folklore-inspired novel will appeal to readers looking for scares grounded in realistic emotions. Well-known for her stirring fantasies, Lin proves with this novel that she has true promise as a horror author.

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