Uncle Zeedie by Colm Fields
💀 There’s something wrong with the house. There’s something worse in the woods.
Pre-Reading Thoughts
I love horror for younger readers when it’s truly eerie, not just spooky-light. This sounded like it had that rotting house, sinister guardian, something-in-the-shadows vibe, and I was in.
Post-Reading
As I thought... The horror hits fast: Uncle Zeedie’s home is falling apart, the food is spoiled, and the man himself is deeply unnerving.
It surprised me by... how clever the misdirection is — you think you know where it’s going, but the truth is deeper, sadder, and even more unsettling. Bonus points for a strong sibling duo at the heart of it.
🎵 MUSIC PAIRING
Featured Song: “Youth Knows No Pain” – Lykke Li
Vibe Album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish
Artist Rec: Agnes Obel
🧭 Vibe Check
🎨 Colour Palette: greyscale and mold green
🎬 Soundtrack: creaking floorboards and whispers behind wallpaper
❄️ Season: late winter
😰 Mood: trapped, anxious, uncanny
👃 Scent: spoiled milk and wet stone
🔮 Tarot Pull
Death - Nightfall Tarot
Death strikes a terrifying figure atop his horse, but the young girl in front of him isn't afraid - she knows that things aren't always what they seem, that Death is only one thing changing into another. It's a lesson that George and Lacey learn during their adventure.
For fans of: Small Spaces (book) // Coraline meets The Others (movie vibes)