Yvonne Banham

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
The theme of death and ghosts is ongoing throughout, and there are some very chilling scenes with ghosts attacking people including suffocation.

In this stunning debut Yvonne Banham introduces Delores Mackenzie, a fourteen-year-old who has known magic all her life and is quite happy living alone with her sister, thank you very much. So when her sister Delilah informs her that it’s time for Delores to study with the Uncles she’s not interested. Unfortunately her sister has been assigned to Norway, a post she was recommended for after studying with the Uncles and the protections their parents put on their cottage are beginning to fade. Even if Delores could stay there on her own it wouldn’t be safe, and her magic is becoming too unpredictable and attracting dangerous restless spirits called bócans.

Whether Delores likes it or not it’s time for her to go through the same period of study that all paranormals must go through. It’s something she has to do alone, and one week later she’s left alone on the doorstep of Tolbooth Book Store in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Her experiences at Tolbooth are mixed and confusing at first, and Delores struggles with life with her strange new housemates as a ghostly presence makes itself known to her. As she does battle with her awful housemate Prudence, she tries to unravel a mystery with the help of her other housemate Gabriel. All the while attempting to avoid catching the attention of the Uncles whose she’s afraid will notice just how dark and strange her powers truly are.

With The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie, Banham has written a wonderfully spooky tale filled with lots of delicious mysteries that unfold within this cracking world she has created. It more than lives up to the description of “Beetlejuice meets Lockwood & Co with added Tartan Noir” which is what drew me in originally. Banham has seamlessly blended gothic horror and mystery together to create a thrilling story filled with magic, ghosts and friendship. Her characters are so awkwardly real that they made me laugh and cry with familiarity. Delores is such a colourful character and watching her grow during her time at Tolbooth’s was such a pleasure. I have to admit that by the end of the book I had a soft spot for Prudence; I like complicated girls, and she is very well written.

I loved the whole magical teacher/student relationships setting outside a traditional academic setting. A bookshop in Edinburgh’s Old Town is as unique as everything else in this book, and it’s the perfect backdrop for an independent teenager with the power to talk to the dead. The lack of a traditional school setting also lets Banham explore the daily lives of her characters in a way reminiscent of fantasy novels. The lines blur between reality and fantasy a lot in The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie, adding to the atmosphere and drama.

My only complaint about this book is that there isn’t a lot of representation in this book. It was good to see some disability representation though, in the form of Gabriel whose eyesight is fading as his power as a seer grows.

If you’re looking for a book with a great story, delicious world-building and a dark academia setting suitable for younger readers then The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie is for you!

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