The Phantom Limb (review)

Fourteen-year-old Isaac is angry: angry at his father for dying in a plane crash last year, angry at his once-vibrant grandfather for succumbing to dementia, and, finally, angry at his mother, whose seizure disorder has landed her in the hospital and forced her to leave Isaac to look after himself at their dreary new home. The only thing that brings him any pleasure is his collection of optical illusions, so he is initially thrilled to find what appears to be an old "mirror box" in the closet of his bedroom; literally a box with mirrored walls, the contraption was once used to help rehabilitate amputees experiencing severe phantom limb pain, a fact that Isaac finds fascinating. Or, at least, he finds it fascinating until a hand that is not his own shows up in the reflection and starts giving him clues that point toward grave danger for both Isaac and his mother. Toss in a maniacal, serial-killing nurse, an ominously staffed hospital, and the tragic death of a young prodigy, and you've got yourself one wholly unbelievable but still compellingly readable ghost story. There is an impracticality behind the whole rescue-mom-from-the-crazy-person endeavor that almost reaches an absurd level, but convenient plotting aside, the book ratchets up the creep factor from the first page and doesn't let up until the conclusion. The same cannot be said for the consistency of the story, however, and several threads get lost amidst the jumbled, chaotic ending. While not quite as tight as some of his previous works, this title, possibly the last from the now-late author, will still send chills down the spines of his fans.