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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Fragile Souls: The Japanese Room by Alex Woodking is the first book in the Fragile Souls Trilogy, a haunting young adult thriller set in the eerie Villa Aurora. This once-grand estate has concealed its secrets for over a century, ever since the Canelli family mysteriously vanished in 1895. At the heart of the mystery lies the enigmatic Japanese Room: an elegant yet unsettling space that seems to exist outside of time. When a group of friends arrives at the villa for a summer retreat, they soon find themselves caught in its dark history. Andrea is determined to uncover the truth, Mileva is drawn into a waking nightmare, and Piero, a young boy with autism, hears whispers from beyond the veil. As the boundaries between past and present dissolve, the friends become entangled in a ghostly tragedy, guided by Sister Imelda, a spirit desperate to be heard. But lurking in the shadows is another presence, and this one is far less forgiving. Woodking weaves a chilling tale of supernatural suspense, where history refuses to stay buried and fragile souls cry out for justice.
Author Alex Woodking has a real talent for creating an atmosphere that goes beyond the cinematic into a multisensory state for full immersion, and this results in a beautifully eerie and chilling ghost story with unforgettable characters who feel real. The narration around the group of friends is deeply emotive, and they’re all so different in their experiences and approaches that readers are bound to find one who is similar to them and whom they’ll end up rooting for, as I did with young Piero. Fans of gothic thrillers and supernatural mysteries will both find plot elements to enjoy here, and the novel’s elegant writing style crosses so many genre boundaries that it ends up feeling literary and elevated by taking the best of them all. I loved the layering of different dialogue moments and emotional, eerie experiences. Woodking blends history, horror, and psychological depth into a mesmerizing read that you never want to leave, despite its creepy implications. Overall, I would certainly recommend Fragile Souls: The Japanese Room as a hauntingly poetic novel that lingers in the mind long after the final page, perfect for fans of supernatural thrillers.
