The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall

Today I’m reviewing The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall, a Young Adult Horror novel. This post is part of the TBR & Beyond Tours blog tour for The Narrow.

I received this book for free from NetGalley to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall
Published by Penguin on 08/01/2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Ghost Stories, Young Adult Fiction / Horror
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
IndieBound
Goodreads

A ghost haunting her boarding school uncovers a teen girl’s best kept secrets in the Queen of Scream’s deliciously terrifying new novel.

Everyone has heard the story of the Narrow. The river that runs behind the Atwood School is only a few feet across and seemingly placid, but beneath the surface, the waters are deep and vicious. It’s said that no one who has fallen in has ever survived.

Eden White knows that isn’t true. Six years ago, she saw Delphine Fournier fall into the Narrow—and live.

Delphine now lives in careful isolation, sealed off from the world. Even a single drop of unpurified water could be deadly to her, and no one but Eden has any idea why. Eden has never told anyone what she saw or spoken to Delphine since, but now, unable to cover her tuition, she has to make a her expenses will be paid in return for serving as a live-in companion to Delphine.

Eden finds herself drawn to the strange and mysterious girl, and the two of them begin to unravel each other’s secrets. Then Eden discovers what happened to the last girl who lived with she was found half-drowned on dry land. Suddenly Eden is waking up to wet footprints tracking to the end of her bed, the sound of rain on the windows when the skies are clear, and a ghostly silhouette in her doorway. Something is haunting Delphine—and now it’s coming for Eden, too.

So we all know I’m a horror girlie, but I usually don’t go in much for ghost story horror. Most of them are just so cliché and boring to me that I don’t want to read them. I’m also that way with horror films – in fact, there are only a couple of ghost-based horror movies I really like. So the fact that I gave The Narrow a 5 star rating, should tell you something.

Characters

First, I love the characters. I love Delphine. I love Eden. I love the way Eden, Veronica, Zoya, and Ruth interact with each other. They’re all strong characters. We get back story for those we need (Delphine, Eden, Maeve, and Grace) and no back story for the ones that don’t matter as much (Veronica, Zoya, Ruth, and the adults).

Atmosphere

This book had a great, creepy setting. A boarding school with a history of being haunted that exists near a raging river… and it rains a lot here, or does it? A dorm that is specially outfitted for a student with an extremely rare allergy… this one just has all the pieces for a great setting.

Writing

Kate Alice Marshall’s writing style is amazing. It is easy to read, fast paced, and doesn’t overly describe things like my all-time favorite horror author tends to. Reading this takes hardly any effort – you don’t have to think too hard, you just read and relax.

Plot

This one takes a unique plot for a ghost-based horror novel. It takes possession to a different level by executing it in a different way. Add to this a love story and it becomes a great story that keeps readers interested and wanting to know more. At least it kept this reader wanting to know more.

Intrigue

If there’s one thing every thriller or horror novel needs, it is intrigue. You have to have a reason to want to know what happens next. And trust me, with The Narrow, you need to know what happens next. You can’t just leave it alone. The intrigue is amazing in this book. It just works so well.

Relationships

The relationships in this book are complicated but at the same time, not. For some relationships they seem to get more complicated as the book goes on, while others seem to get less complicated. I love the interactions between Eden and Delphine, Eden and Grace, and Eden and her friends.

Ending

The ending to this book actually made me a bit sad. I understand why it has to end the way it does, and I’m grateful that it does end the way it does. But it still made me a bit sad because the person Eden fell in love with is one person she simply cannot have. It is amazing, beautiful, and sad all at once.

I highly recommend this book to those looking for a ghost story that isn’t your typical ghost story. I also recommend this 5 star read to those looking to get started in YA Horror with something that isn’t too terribly scary.

Playlist

I don’t usually make playlists for books and while this isn’t the greatest playlist, I thought it was a decent collection of a few songs that made me think of The Narrow.