Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 28/10/2022
Cover:
This cover may not be particularly striking, but I love the purple smoke and simplicity of the design.
Writing:
The clear writing style is delightfully haunting. A tense, creepy atmosphere is established from the start and maintained throughout the story. As strange events occur, the history behind these is gradually teased out, keeping the information easy to grasp and engaging.
Change is not always necessary but the right change is most definitely needed
Storyline:
The story begins with Marigold and her blended family arriving in a strange new house and city. While things get rather creepy and violent as the story builds towards a climax, it is not particularly scary. Much of the focus is on Marigold’s personal struggles and family drama, which adds complexity to the story and these characters. Serious themes surrounding race, gentrification, incarceration for marijuana possession and blended families are also explored, giving readers lots to consider. However, these topics are not given a clear resolution due to the open ending.
Main character:
Marigold is a complex protagonist sinking under the weight of internal and external ghosts. Despite this, her character does not experience much growth – especially since she is unwilling to get the professional help she needs. Her selfish and headstrong nature also makes her character hard to root for, yet, she remains compelling and realistic.
Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling
Secondary characters:
The four other characters in Marigold’s family are given distinct personalities and roles in the story. I absolutely loved Marigold’s brother Sammy, who is constantly amusing and sarcastic. On the other hand, her stepsister Piper was hard to like as she is cunning and vindictive, but I eventually sympathised with her character. Marigold’s mum and stepdad (like the remaining secondary characters) were less noteworthy as they failed to make much of an impression.
Romance:
The hint of romance in this story was cute, and I loved the comical first meeting the characters had. However, little happens, so this aspect only has a minor effect on the story.
In essence, ‘White Smoke‘ is a thrilling read that uses a creepy tale and complex characters to explore several serious themes. Sadly, no clear resolution is given, which makes the story unsatisfying. Why not check out The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed if you liked this book.
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