Publishers Weekly
06/12/2023
Talbot employs complex mythology to deliver a captivating supernatural thriller debut about queer teens who can speak to the dead. Ever since closeted 16-year-old Charlie Frith—who lost his legs to meningitis and uses prosthetics—was resuscitated after dying from a horrific ghost attack, he has been able to see and converse with the dead souls of York, England. After pushing away his two closest friends, he’s also withdrawn emotionally and confides only in his constant spirit companions. But he’s soon approached by Sam Harrow, a living transgender teenage seer who claims that local ghosts have been disappearing. Though Charlie has been wary of his hidden abilities, he hesitantly agrees to investigate with the help of his spectral best friends Heather and Ollie. When the group finds their first suspect murdered, Charlie worries that this investigation might be harder—and more dangerous—than he originally feared. While the worldbuilding can be a bit dense, labyrinthine twists and Charlie’s emotionally resonant evolution from timid and uncertain seer to fiercely determined sleuth drive this paranormal escapade to its dynamic—and romantic—resolution. Main characters read as white. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Sixteen Souls
"Sixteen Souls is a boundlessly clever, heartfelt queer take on the story of a sensitive young man who sees dead people. Talbot has crafted something chillingly delightful! Perfect for any ghoul-lover's shelf." — Adam Sass, award-winning author of Surrender Your Sons and The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers
"Longwood & Co. meets The Taking of Jake Livingston by way of York's most haunted landmarks, Sixteen Souls delivers fun and frights in equal measure. A fantastically spooky, thrilling adventure." — Kat Ellis, author of Wicked Little Deeds
"Sixteen Souls is the perfect mix of eerie and heart-warming. With vivid characters, fierce friendships, and flawless twists, this book immediately pulled me in — I laughed, teared up, and could not put it down. YA fantasy readers and ghost-story lovers, this is for you." — H. M. Long, author of Hall of Smoke and Temple of No God
"A captivating tale of loss, friendship, and love that had me gripped from first to last. I finished it with a smile of my lip and a tear in my eye." — Menna van Praag, author of The Sisters Grimm
"A gorgeously written debut that had me absolutely gripped. Rosie Talbot has created a deliciously creepy world with characters that you'll fall in love with." — Amy McCaw, author of Mina and the Undead
"I never have a problem screaming about books I genuinely love, and I love this book. The author's ability to evoke entire settings with minimal details is just amazing. The writing is rich; the characters sharply drawn. Welcome to the world, Charlie Frith — I can't wait to watch other readers fall in love with you." — K. D. Edwards, atuhor of the Tarot Sequence series
"Imagine a story that has all the character of York, then fill it with all the ghosts from there too . . . and whilst you're at it, make it QUEER. Perfect if you like books like Cemetery Boys, Ninth House, The Fell of Dark, and The Taking of Jake Livingstone." — Rory Michaelson, author of Lesser Known Monsters
"Sixteen Souls transported me so entirely, I feel as if I have walked the streets of York and seen the ghosts myself. An outstanding debut, this thrilling adventure perfectly mixes spookiness with mystery, sadness with love, and is filled with gorgeous characters you won't want to say goodbye to." — Bex Hogan, author of the Isles of Storm and Sorrow series
"A deliciously dark debut from Rosie Talbot. I dare you not to fall in love with Charlie and his ghosts in the heart of haunted York." — Cynthia Murphy, author of Last One to Die and Win Lose Kill Die
Kirkus Reviews
2023-05-09
A living boy, once badly harmed by phantoms, is the unlikely savior of ghosts in York, England.
Charlie’s been able to see ghosts ever since a childhood bout of meningitis. Seeing ghosts isn’t the problem, though; his only friends are spectral. No, the problem is that he can touch ghosts—which means they can touch him. Charlie lost his only human friends two years ago, when Mitch and Leonie witnessed him be violently attacked by invisible forces. At least it was the near-fatal ghost attack that drove a wedge between Charlie and Mitch and not the kiss they’d shared. Now the phantoms of York are disappearing, and Charlie’s ghostly friends are in as much danger as the many, many ghosts who terrify him. Sam, who also sees ghosts, wants to work together to chase down the villain. While Charlie is scared of spectral sleuthing, he finds Sam to be convincing, helpful, and kissable. Sam is trans and gay, and Charlie, who is also gay, has prosthetic lower legs; refreshingly, these traits are woven naturally into the main plot. Though the novel is in need of much tightening—there are infodumps and worldbuilding details that don’t lead anywhere peppered throughout—this only slightly detracts from the romantic, scary, often violent mystery and Charlie’s believable growth. Most characters read White; several characters, both living and dead, are queer.
A frightened-but-determined sleuth satisfyingly bests a villain who scares wraiths. (Paranormal fantasy. 12-16)
