Many avid readers of today may know author Tahereh Mafi, creator of the Book Tok-popular series, Shatter Me. While I love Shatter Me as much as the next person, I have another book that I believe to be Mafi’s most eloquent work. In Whichwood, Thirteen-year old Laylee is the only one left of a long line of mordeshoors, a people that can communicate with ghosts and must prepare dead bodies for burial so their souls can pass onto the next world. However, her work is building up and slowly taking both a physical and mental toll on the young girl. When young magicians Alice and Olive arrive to help, they find that the ghost ridden town and young Laylee need more help than they thought.
I didn’t expect this novel to be as poignant as it was. Laylee’s life is filled with grief, isolation, and hard work. I felt like crying as I read about her parents and the terrible treatment her neighbors give her. Mafi’s writing is cutting and descriptive, making me perfectly picture her world while at the same time wishing I was truly in it. Alice and Olive were also great characters, and I was excited to find out that they are the main characters from another novel, Furthermore, which I hope to read soon. I give WhichWood a 5/5. It’s a must read!