The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden by Emma Trevayne (review)

The Spiritualism movement is sweeping across England, and a man named Mordecai brings people in droves to his shows as he successfully communicates with the dead. Unbeknownst to his audience, however, caged faeries are trapped below Mordecai’s stage and forced to open the door between the living and the dead so Mordecai can continue to make money. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Thomas has spent much of his life digging graves with his father—until they find a burial site that contains a dead boy who looks exactly like Thomas, even down to the small birthmark on his face. Discovered to be a changeling, Thomas is drawn into the efforts of Deadnettle, an elder faerie, to release his kind from Mordecai’s enchantment and return them to their beloved homeland. Rich historical details combine with faerie legend to create an engrossing atmosphere—creepy, ugly, but compelling nonetheless. Mordecai is a villain of the mustache-twirling variety and he plays it well, managing to be both menacing and a bit of a buffoon. The focalization shifts between Thomas and Deadnettle, giving readers a broader view of what exactly is at stake as more and more faeries die under Mordecai’s abuse. Thomas makes an interesting hero, especially in his initial decision to just walk away from the whole thing and in his resentment toward a people he believes willingly gave him up to the human world. Readers who’re looking for a quieter but still creepy alternative to the boldness of Colfer’s Artemis Fowl (BCCB 7/01) will appreciate this historical fantasy.