Masterpiece! That’s the only word you’ll have on your mind after reading Jan Carson’s breathtaking psychological fiction that goes by the name of The Raptures. We discover Hannah, a little girl born into a strict Evangelical Protestant family, at the start of the summer holidays. But the events of this summer are unprecedented, as the peace of Hannah’s hometown Ballylack is shattered when Ross, one of her classmates, dies of a mysterious disease. When she’s visited by his grown-up ghost, Hannah feels that something is going on. As more and more of Hannah’s classmates die, she begins to ask herself questions: Why is she the only one not infected? Why is she the only one to have visions of her deceased classmates?

The Raptures is a powerful, beautiful and disturbing book. The writing style is informal, with lovable characters, and moments of humour, contrasting with serious subjects like otherness and beliefs. These contrasts sprinkled throughout the story make the reading of The Raptures an incredible and wonderful experience, not to be missed!