The Clackity: Horror for Older Children/Pre-teens
Photo courtesy Simon & Schuster
The Clackity, by Lora Senf, is a great book for older kids who have begun to take an interest in horror. It is similar to Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and Hocus Pocus in its intensity and scares, but it also adds a very real world horror.
The Clackity’s Plot
Evie Von Rathe lives in the city of Blight Harbor with her Aunt Desdemona; her parents mysteriously disappeared after a house fire that took everything.
It’s a good thing Aunt Desdemona is a paranormal expert, because Blight Harbor isn’t your typical town-it’s the seventh most haunted town in America.
Ghosts live in nearly every house and even a few businesses; there’s even a haunted streetlamp-and a possible vampire mayor.
There’s something else, too.
The long closed slaughterhouse outside of town.
Everyone knows to stay away, but Desdemona disappears inside, and now Evie must rescue her.
An entity that lives in the slaughterhouse and calls itself The Clackity makes a bargain with Evie to help, but at each stop in her quest, she realizes more and more that maybe the bargain wasn’t such a good one for her, her aunt, or Blight Harbor.
The Clackity’s Characters
Evie and her aunt are very close, and love and support one another.
Evie volunteers at the library, helping Lily Littleknit, Aunt Desdemona’s best friend.
The Clackity is a shadowy creature that badly wants something that Evie can get for it. It lives in the slaughterhouse, and is possibly trapped there.
The sparrows start out as a mysterious mural on the abattoir wall, but one attaches itself as a moving tattoo on Evie as a guide and protector.
Evie Deals with Anxiety
Evie has anxiety, and the anxiety and panic attacks are described in ways that older children can understand.
Readers with anxiety can definitely identify with the young heroine; if the reader does not have anxiety themselves, reading this book will hopefully foster understanding for their peers that do.
Horror Elements
There are otherworldly and real life horror elements in The Clackity.
Ghosts, witches, and original types of supernatural creatures live in the book’s lore, not all of them benign.
In her worldbuilding, Senf has created her own lore about witches, and readers will enjoy reading something new not seen in any other book.
The Clackity can best be described as a demon with the power of possession.
Senf also adds a serial killer into her story, and he-and his murders-become a major part of the plot as the story goes on.
Clackity Sequel
In October, the sequel to The Clackity was released. The Nighthouse Keeper continues Evie’s story, and is set only a few weeks after the events of The Clackity.
Senf planned a trilogy for Evie and Blight Harbor; I hope she writes even more.
A Recommended Read
Senf doesn’t infantilize or talk down to her target audience. They are expected to be with Evie through panic attacks, puzzles, and scares. She doesn’t telegraph everything that is going to happen, either. There are surprises, and things for the reader to figure out.
It is up to the parent to decide if the themes are too intense for their younger readers. Fans of Coraline will enjoy this read.
The Clackity and its sequel are published by Simon & Schuster books, and are available wherever books are sold.
