Frank (short for Francesca) is tired of being the target of Neil Noble and his cadre of neighborhood bullies. She can’t shake them, can’t avoid them and doesn’t know where to turn. But when lumbering, awkward outsider Nick comes to her rescue, Frank finds herself drawn to—and repelled by—his weirdness. There’s no reason the two should be friends, but in an eerie way, they both need to be friends.
Soon, Frank visits Nick’s house, where she unearths odd and uneasy secrets and learns more about his unusual family. What are the strange shadows Frank sees? Where is the mysterious, mellifluous music coming from, and what does it mean? Is Nick in danger, and if he is, can Frank save him like he rescued her? Drawn in by the enchanting atmosphere—a combination of skilled text and dark drawings—readers will be eager to follow the familiar and haunting music along with Frank.
Similar to Neil Gaiman’s tales that intertwine real life and fantasy— often with a very thin dividing line—A.F. Harrold’s latest novel offers a story of friendship, loyalty and the unknown. With a creep factor enhanced by atmospheric illustrations by Levi Pinfold, The Song from Somewhere Else will entrance those making their own journeys from tweendom to adolescence.
This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
