There has always been an ominous feel to the town of Ember Grove. All its inhabitants know the woods around the town are to be respected,
and not to be wandered alone, especially at night.
As children grow and enter their teens, they learn of The Revelry. This is a ritual entered only by the graduating class of the local high school, and most parents and grandparents went to their own special night of Revelry.
No-one speaks of their night, or what happens. It’s said to be only one night of celebration, deep in their ancient forest, and has been happening for well beyond the generations they know.
Bitsy Clark was born and raised in Ember Grove and despite knowing every twig and root in the woods, she would never dare enter at night, let alone attend a Revelry that wasn’t hers. At least until her best friend Amy decides they are going. Amy has only lived in Ember Grove since she was eight, so she doesn’t understand the importance of sticking to the rules. Bitsy has tried to explain but Amy is determined to break them.
With trepidation but anticipation, Bitsy follows Amy into the woods on the night of The Revelry. When she wakes the next day with a painful raised scar on her finger and still wearing her scorched toga costume, she can’t remember a thing. She tries to talk to Amy about it, but she only remembers dancing. This bothers Bitsy more and more, wracking her memory for anything that happened, and being cross at Amy for not caring at all.
Their friendship has always been unbreakable, their accomplishments shared, but now strange things are happening. Bitsy has a nightmare first day of school. She’s always been a coveted member of the school swim team, but when it really matters, she sinks to the bottom of the pool.
Amy finally gets the guy she’s liked forever, and makes a major step in the right direction in her amateur acting career. The more Bitsy’s world falls apart, the more Amy’s improves. Soon it’s not just their friendship at risk. In Bitsy’s search for the truth, she has been hanging out with a strange girl in the woods at night. She knows this silver-haired teenager has something to do with their Revelry, but nearly learns too late, exactly how much!
This is a creepy story about unwritten rules, strange things left unsaid for generations, and the power of young women’s friendships. Fates change for the two main characters, but is it them causing it or something supernatural under the surface of their town?
The settings in the woods are very atmospheric with strange wood glens and shadowy green glades. These can only be found with intent, so as the tension rises, so do the character’s wishes. Like Pennywise the Clown in IT, a sinister force wants something.
Gripping, and easy to read, the indecision between real feelings from the characters or forced feelings from something else evil, had me guessing where, when and if, their amazing friendship would finally implode. You’ll have to read The Revelry to find out!
Author – Katherine Webber
Age – 13+
(2022, Walker Books, Betrayal, Courage, Family, Fantasy, Friendship, Growing up, Mystery, Popularity, Romance, School, Secret, Acting, School Play, Swimming, Woods, Forest, Supernatural, Creepy, Ominous, Arguments, Getting lost, Loyalty, School Dance, First Job.