Rachel’s
trip to Venice turns into a nightmare after losing her mother. She has a
feeling that things are not right when she goes into a tourist shop. Her
instinct that evil is in the shop appears to be correct as her situation
continues to escalate out of control. Once back in San Francisco, her father
remarries. Her step-mother Lilah,  is not welcoming to her new step-daughter.
Rachel is unsuccessful in pointing out her new step-mother’s disdain for her to
her father, who seems to have fallen under his new wife’s spell.

A souvenir
from Italy leads Rachel on an adventure that may answer all of her questions
regarding her new step-mother. She enlists the help of her best friend Sam and
Justine, the school’s human Barbie doll to get her to Venice. The three embark
on a journey with a pink eyed captain that will make each one of them face a
demon that they had been able to avoid up until now.

Patrick’s
descriptions make the reader feel like they are paddling through the caverns
with Rachel and her friends. The unique twist to this story about a girl losing
her mother makes this book hard to put down. Instead of giving in to Lilah’s
evilness, she decides to challenge her. Rachel’s strength and belief in herself
is inspiring. She never gives up on the belief that something is not right in
her home and fights for what is hers.

The
tension between Rachel and Lilah is palpable and adds a sense of urgency to the
book. Rachel is always waiting for the next attack from her, whether it’s
verbal or physical. Patrick has written a wonderful heroine that has faults of
her own but follows her gut in order to save her family. Nobody that reads this
book will ever look at a snow globe the same way again.

© 2006 Amy Ridley

Amy Ridley
received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Boston University.

Categories: Children