I'm truly feeling conflicted about this one.

On the one hand, there lies a beautiful narrative here. It's about reflecting on childhood and savoring the wonder and the emotional intensity of that stage of our lives.

On the other hand, what commences as a really down-to-earth story morphs into a highly lore-laden one. In and of itself, that needn't be a negative aspect. However, all the time expended on discussing Pooka, billy-blind, the Oakmen, the Huntsman, the Black Dog means less time devoted to Jenny's family, whom I've truly grown affectionate towards. I'd choose Julian over billy-blind any day! So when the middle portion was predominantly filled with lore-related stuff, I had such a hard time with the book that I even contemplated giving up on it.

I'm extremely glad that I persevered, though. The resolution of the ghost story at the core of this was both touching and refined. And the way Beagle portrays melancholy at the loss of childhood (without directly addressing it!) was deeply poignant.

To summarize - this is yet another "Henderson The Rain King" for me. A solid beginning, an incredible ending, a pity about the middle... Despite that and the star rating (the dull middle surely dropped 1 star), I really liked this book and can't wait to read more from Peter S. Beagle.

PS.: Also, there's so much love for cats in this book <3

Another "I bought this in 2015 on my Kindle" books.

It's a nice young adult novel that tells the story of a New York girl who is suddenly transported to Dorset. There, she encounters all the Jacobean ghosts that haunt the area.

And there's a ghost cat too! I just love a ghost cat. It adds an extra element of charm and mystery to the story.

The book did get a little long-winded towards the end, but overall, the author has a very good voice and creates a great atmosphere. The descriptions of Dorset and the ghosts are vivid and engaging, making it easy for the reader to get lost in the story.

If you're a fan of YA novels with a touch of the supernatural, then this is definitely one to check out.

When I read a few words about the book "Tamsin" by an American author and screenwriter specializing in fantasy, I thought it would be worth reaching for this intriguing novel, especially since the opportunity presented itself as it was just published by Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka.

A new family and a spirit named Tamsin.

American teenager Jenny moves with her mother and stepfather to an English province. At first, she is not interested in her new surroundings, but soon discovers the presence of another, mysterious inhabitant of her old house - a spirit named Tamsin. Tamsin has haunted the residence for three hundred years, trapped by an old trauma and a terrible evil whose name even other magical creatures living in the area cannot utter. If Jenny wants to help her new friend, she must immerse herself in the world of darkness deeper than anyone has in centuries and face the danger that will change her life forever.

Slowly.

I didn't expect that after such a simple, unhurried beginning, this seemingly down-to-earth story, written in the form of a letter or perhaps rather a diary, would turn into such an intriguing, fantastic adventure.

An adventure that not only charms with the diversity of characters, family warmth and the supernatural setting, but also in a fascinating way shows the struggles of a young girl with the great changes that she encounters in an extremely sensitive period of her life.

These changes, intertwined with the mysterious figure of Tamsin, whom Jenny, lost in her own life, tries to save at all costs, lead to an exciting battle of Tamsin against evil.

In conclusion. "Tamsin" by Peter S. Beagle is a wonderful, rich and emotionally complex story about growing up that will remain in memory for a long time and is a pleasure to read.

I recommend it!

https://unserious.pl/2024/08/tamsin/

A nice YA ghost story.

However, I have to admit that this book didn't quite meet my expectations, which were set high recently by 'The Inkeeper's Song' and a couple of Beagle's short stories.

A rebellious teenager named Jenny is reluctantly moved from NYC to the English countryside. She has a new stepfamily to handle and a significant amount of culture shock. But she's quickly diverted by the fact that the crumbling old manor house she's now in is haunted. The ghost is Tamsin, a young woman who passed away 300 years ago. Jenny feels compelled to research Tamsin's tragic history and help her tormented spirit find peace.

As someone writing from NYC, I found the description of British country life and folklore to be vivid and engaging. However, the beginning of the book, specifically the portrayal of Jenny's life in New York, I found entirely unconvincing. I actually had to look up Beagle's details - he's really American, not British, which is rather strange because I didn't feel like he grasped what it's truly like to live in New York at all. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly why, but one example is that upon arriving in London, Jenny's mom points out people wearing saris to her daughter as if it's something new and unusual. Well, it would be extremely hard to grow up in NYC and never have seen people wearing Indian traditional dress. But that's really just in the first few pages.

Overall, while the book has its strengths in the portrayal of the English countryside and the ghost story aspect, the inaccurate depiction of life in New York City detracts from the overall experience for me.