Book Review of The Lamplighter
The Children’s Book Review
The Lamplighter
Written by Crystal J. Bell
Ages: 12+ | 304 Pages
Publisher: Flux (2024) | ISBN-13: 978-1-63583-098-9
What to Expect: Family, suicide, gender roles, identity, and magic.
Blending the elements of a historical novel with the suspense of a thriller, this gothic narrative breathes life into the nineteenth-century New England whaling community, adding a sinister twist that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
After her father’s suicide, the role of Lamplighter falls to Tempe. The job isn’t just important because it enables her to care for her sister and mentally ill mother; it’s also an honor, a position of enormous responsibility in a town where the light of the lamps might be the only thing protecting the townsfolk from death in the fog that rolls in each night. However, not everyone approves of this crucial job being given to a woman.
Disappearances have always been a feature of life in Warbler, but when young women start going missing on Tempe’s watch, her position as Lamplighter is called even more into question. The only thing holding off her dismissal is the protection of the illustrious woodcarver, Gideon, whose lucky figureheads make Warbler famous and who is vying for her sister’s hand in marriage. But Tempe doesn’t trust him, and as her suspicions drive her family and friends away, Tempe must stand alone as the only person willing to admit that there might be a monster in the fog…
Tempe is resourceful, independent, and fiercely protective of her family, making her an appealing heroine. The novel is crammed with period details, and readers will surely enjoy immersing themselves in a world of hair ribbons, glass lamps, sailors, and freshly made chowder. The story is atmospheric, suspenseful, and moving, with a slow build that will mesmerize until the final page is turned. Readers should know this is not a story with a happy ending. However, the final, chilling chapter offers readers a thought-provoking reflection on the relationship between human communities and the natural world they depend upon.
The Lamplighter is a compelling and very enjoyable read.
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About the Author
Crystal J. Bell is a Colorado native who writes horror and fantasy with the intent to make readers both eager and uneasy to turn the pages of her books. When she isn’t drinking up autumn like the elixir of life, she can be found on the back patio with her laptop and a book, out on the reservoirs on her stand-up paddle board, or cooking in the kitchen with her husband. Most likely pasta.
