The thing is, I did read the book quite a lot of times, all of which were when I was 10 years old and in the 5th grade, where this book was one of several housed in a house-shaped book shelf that had something to do with levelled reading. And you've also probably guessed (again, correctly) that I read this book quite a number of times. My guess is that if you read the plot summary, you've correctly surmised how very involved I got in this story as a kid.

Since that's approximately how I read the book. Emily vanishes, Jane recovers, guardian marries nice doctor, tie it up with a bow and put it on the shelf so I can read it again tomorrow. (HA! Take that, Emily!) Anyhow, Jane fights Emily and finally, the old lady (who had been Emily's mother, I think), runs out to the glowing mirror ball in the yard and pushes it off its pedestal, shattering it completely, while saying 'No Emily! You shan't take Jane! I will not allow it!' (or words to that effect). She expected it to earn her some sympathy, but instead it caused her death. It turns out that Emily got herself sick when they were children because she wanted to marry the guy, and he refused to play along.

Meanwhile, the helpful doctor/boyfriend comes and does his best for Jane. And what she wants is Jane.Įmily establishes a sort of psychic connection with Jane, and manages to control her to the point that Jane heads outside in a violent storm, gets soaked through, and becomes deathly ill. Turns out Emily was a wretched, willful, evil child back in the day, one of those kids who is used to getting what she wants. Meanwhile, Jane wanders about the house and sees Emily's room and Emily's things, and in the garden, she gazes into a reflecting ball and 'meets' Emily herself. The young woman falls in love with a young man in the neighborhood (who happens to be a doctor). What I remember about this book is that it featured a young girl named Jane, who is, I believe, an orphan under the guardianship of a fairly young woman, and they head off to a big old house to spend a few months with somebody's grandmother or great-aunt. Isn't that a cheerful, pink cover? You'd be surprised at the the menace hiding behind that happy cover.

And since this cover was issued in 1974 (according to my internet research), that means I was 10 when I read it. That's it wearing the cover I remember from when I was a child. Kellyrfineman Continuing my series on books I read (and, more to the point, re-read) as a child, I have to add the Gothic novel that is Jane-Emily by Patricia Clapp, about which I've posted before.

Twin Spell by Janet Lunn