If you enjoy visual journals, scrapbooks and altered art then you need to check out Journal: The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Amy Zoe Mason by Kristine Atkinson and Joyce Atkinson.
From the first page the authors tell us that they found this journal in a compartment of an old desk bought at a resale shop. It is the journal of Amy Zoe Mason, a young housewife and mother, who picks up an old Victorian novel to alter it and use it as a journal. She employs collage techniques to alter the book thus making it a unique journal to record her story.
She is grieving for the recent death of her mother and on top of that has to prepare for a cross-country move as her husband has just accepted a prestigious job in Boston. Throughout the journal there are old recipes, postcards, newspaper clippings and the assorted detritus of a daily life. As more pages are turned though, the reader quickly sees that Amy’s marriage is crumbling, her depression is getting worse and friends don’t seem as friendly anymore.
These tidbits and all the visual clues make for a fast-paced read. After I finished it, I went back to look through the pages and see what other clues are hidden in the artwork. This novel is reminiscent of the Griffin & Sabine books although I wish it had also had envelopes to open or letters to unfold like those books had.
It’s a very fun book although for those readers wanting more substance to their mystery they are likely to be disappointed. Be sure to check out the authors’ web site as it’s quite appealing and has more tidbits about the Journal.
Additional Resources: