Tor Teen, 2011
ISBN: 0765328658
Available: New
Theseus Cassio (Cas) Lowood is a ghost hunter, a trade he inherited when his father was brutally killed by a ghost. Armed with his father’s powerful athame (a knife that is able to “kill” ghosts), Cas and his mother travel around the country on the hunt for evil spirits. Cas’ latest “case” brings him to Thunder Bay, Ontario, on the hunt for a ghost referred to as Anna Dressed in Blood. Killed in the late 1950s, she now haunts her former home, killing whoever crosses the threshold. She still wears the same white dress she wore when she died, now dripping in blood. Anna has a reputation as a serious and dangerous ghost, killing dozens of people each year. Cas doesn’t get just how dangerous she is until he witnesses one of these deaths. Not a pretty picture, to say the least. Yet he’s the only person alive who has lived through a sighting of Anna; for some reason, she spares his life. Before he can put an end to Anna’s murderous rage, he must find out the cause of her death, and the motive behind her anger. Along the way, he becomes fascinated, almost obsessed with her. With the help of a handful of his classmates, he devises a plan to trap Anna and rid the town of her evil acts.
Overall, Blake provides a unique story in Anna Dressed in Blood. It is a haunting read, guaranteed to chill the reader. While classified as a book appropriate for ages twelve and up, I’d be reluctant to allow my twelve year old to read it. There is a good amount of swearing, not of the mild variety. Additionally, there is a good deal of gore. The downside of this book was the author’s attempt to force a romance. Since Twilight was published, it seems as if all YA literature has to have some element of romance, far too formulaic in my mind. In the case of Anna Dressed in Blood, it came across as unnatural, and quite frankly, a little eerie.
All this said, I would still recommend adding Anna Dressed in Blood to a library collection. It’s a good, classic ghost story, one that would appeal to teens looking for a good dose of horror.
Review by Jennifer Lawrence