Author: Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Genre: Middle Grade
Format: e-book
Pages: 288
What drew me to this book originally was that it's loosely based on the Westfield Watcher case. It's probably one of the weirdest unsolved crimes, and I'm absolutely fascinated by it. So I was excited to see how McCall was going to spin this case into a middle-grade book. Because even as an adult this case is super unnerving.
Huge props to this author for how she handled not only the case but the scare factor as well. While I'm always down for a book that creeps me right out. For a book that is targeting a younger reader, I think the scare factor is on point. This would have definitely been a book that I would read under the covers with my flashlight, and then regret as every single nose in my house kept me up that night. And, while McCall doesn't deep dive into this case, I did like how she weaved through the story. Just enough that if you an adult reading this book you have to send you straight down a Google rabbit hole. But, enough that the kids will find it super creepy.
McCall also hit on my favorite tropes in any magic set book, and that is magic with consequences. None of this comes from being free and to protect their town, they have to make a great sacrifice. Only it doesn't stop there, once the magic goes wrong, there are also consequences to that as well. I like a magic system that is given and taken instead of what just is. For me, that kind of magic is more tangible, especially for a story like this when the magic is tied to the land.
I also adore the setting of this story. Not only is my neck of the woods so it's easy for me to picture this little town in Oregan, but it fits the story perfectly. There's something about Oregon and Washington that fits that creepy little town where somebody is up to something hinky. So setting here was perfect, and I'm also a sucker for a young adult and middle grade just moved in trope. That always adds to the creepy factor, not really knowing your surroundings. Absolutely perfect.
And while the first-person point of view isn't really my favorite, it really works for The Keepers. This way we're seeing all of this through James' eyes, and while he isn't the most reliable narrator because he was at ten. McCall writes in a way that you really feel who scared James gets throughout the book, who lonely he is at this movie, and just unsure of himself after losing his grandmother and being uprooted. It's hard not to adore him, and it was so amazing to see him find himself and work with his sister to survive this story.
The other great thing about this book is having McCall put her own heritage into this book, it added great depth to the book. Made you see these characters as a family, and that heritage helped James and his sister fight back against the Keeper and its minions. I loved it.
This book was everything I wanted and a little more. It definitely applied to my younger self, and I'm so glad to see this weird case be used in such a great way.
The Keeper by Guadalupe Marie McCall comes out on Jan. 24, 2022!
HAPPY READING!!
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