Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the remote, eastern European town of Borslav there is St. Sebastian orphanage, a place where people discard theirunwanted children. For the American, Blaire Baker, it’s the perfect place to volunteer her services. Paired with a cheerful volunteer nurse, Blaire is enthusiastic about the possibilities, but is quickly discouraged when she encounters the nefarious nature of the staff and the deplorable conditions of the facility and the children.

Upon arrival, one of the children informs Blaire, “There’s something in the basement.” It isn’t long before strange things begin happening, including Blaire’s flashbacks of the accident that killed her parents. The children soon suffer injuries that Blaire, first, fears may be the deeds of the callous workers but she soon thinks the abuse may originate from a source that is less than human, something unwanted.

The unwanted is coming but in order for Blaire to fight it, she must dig into St. Sebastian and herself in search of truth. Blaire wants nothing more than to help the children, but when discovers the tragedy that happened in the basement and learns that the same evil forces are still at work, it will be Blaire who needs help…There’s something in the basement.

Izdevniecība/Publisher: JNR Publishing

Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?

E-grāmatas eksemplārs no autores apmaiņā pret recenziju.

Vērtējums/Rating: 4.25/5

Mana recenzija (pārdomas)/My (thoughts) review

Blēra un Treviss ir divi brīvprātīgie, skolotāja un māsiņa, kuri ierodas St. Sebastian bāreņu namā ar domu palīdzēt citu novārtā atstātiem bērniem un uzlabot viņu ikdienu. Jau pats sākums, kad abi galvenākie varoņi ierauga, kur viņiem būs jāpavada nākamais gads, nevēsta neko labu. Treviss pa humoram ēku salīdzina ar Drakulas mītni; arī darbinieku un finansējuma nav pietiekami, lai apmierinātu iestādes vajadzības.

Stāsts pamatā norit no Blēras skatpunkta, tāpēc arī vairāk uzzinām par viņas pagātni. Lai gan viņai nav jāuztraucas par to, ka maks varētu palikt tukšs, un varētu domāt, ka arī ģimenē un personīgajā dzīvē viss būtu daudzmaz labi, tad bāreņu nams liek atcerēties apspiestas atmiņas par autoavāriju, kurā zaudēti abi vecāki un no kuras pati knapi izglabās. Kā arī Blērā nebija tā populārākā meitene skolā, ar to domājot klasesbiedru attieksmi.

Autore prasmīgi izmanto valodu un dažādus elementus vajadzīgās atmosfēras radīšanā. Kad vajag, kaut kas iečīkstas vai nograb. Kad gribi tikt prom, kā par sodību laukā sākas sniegputenis un līdzīgi. :)

Kamēr Treviss visu jocīgo un neparasto mēģina loģiski un racionāli izskaidrot, Blēras uztvere un maņas ir stipri vien jutīgākas. Pirmā būtiskā pārmaiņa un dīvainība sākas ar fotogrāfijām, jo ilgāk viņi uzturas bāreņu namā, jo vairāk deformētas sejas paliek katrā jaunā fotogrāfijā. Arī daļa no bērniem uzvedas ērmoti, tā ka pat šermuļi reizēm uzmetas. Var vien atklāt, ka priecājos, ka tuvākajā laikā nevajadzēs doties pagraba virzienā. :D

Pagātne atkārtojas!

P.S. Nebiju gaidījis tik bēdīgas beigas.

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Blaire and Travis are two volunteers, a teacher and a nurse. They arrive at St. Sebastian orphanage with hope to help children unwanted by others and to improve their day to day lives. Already the beginning isn’t telling you anything good when both our main characters see their home for the next year for the first time. Travis jokingly compares it to the home of Dracula; St. Sebastian also don’t have enough workers and/or money to satisfy their needs.

The story is mainly from POV of Blaire; therefore also find out more about her past than about Travis’. Although she doesn’t have to worry that she might run out of money herself, but suddenly the orphanage make her to remember suppressed memories of a car crash in which she lost both of her parents and barely survived herself. And besides that she was also bullied in the school and wasn’t the popular girl.

The author masterfully uses the language and all kinds of elements to create the right atmosphere and vibe. When it’s needed, something creeks or clatters; when you want to leave, a sudden and heavy snow storm confines you in.

While Travis explains away everything weird and odd thing and tries to find logic and rationality behind it, Blaire’s senses and perception is much more acute. The first significant things that she notices is in the photographs, the longer you stay at the orphanage the more twisted your face is in each new photo.  Plus, some of the children are acting quite weird and even bone chilling. I only can say that I’m glad that I will have no need to go to the basement anytime soon.

And lastly a bit creepy rhyme:

‘’Mommy, mommy take me home, far away from the unknown. Pick me up and fly away into the light of another day. Rescue me from the halls of the haunted, the desperate, the evil, unloved, and unwanted.’’