Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 07/01/2015 Serafina, daughter of the custodian at the infamous Biltmore Estate, spends her days and nights underfoot of the rich and famous, though she excels at never being seen, hiding in tiny spaces where no one else can fit. One night, she sees a man in a swirling black cape do something terrible to another young girl: he tells her not to fear, wraps his cloak around her, and she disappears, screaming. Serafina is determined not to be next on the cloaked man’s list. She meets and makes a true friend in Braeden Vanderbilt, who cares for her deeply, and together they’re sure they’ll find the truth behind the Man in the Black Cloak. While investigating the eerie goings-on in the forest behind the estate, she discovers the secrets of her own origins and of the things that lurk in the darkness, threatening doom for any who cross them. The historical and social significance of the Biltmore and the Vanderbilts will likely be lost on young readers, but the chills and adventure will still surely please. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2015 Gr 5–7—A mystery set at a sumptuous estate, featuring a courageous female protagonist entangled in a hair-raising adventure. It is 1899 and 12-year-old Serafina lives with her Pa in the basement of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Pa had come to Asheville years ago to help with construction and stayed on as a fixer of all things mechanical in the 250-room mansion. For reasons unknown to Serafina, they must keep their nightly lodgings in the basement a secret as well as the existence of Serafina herself. She has developed catlike skills in exploring the vast Biltmore estate and enjoys sneaking through heating vents and other small spaces in order to eavesdrop on staff and inhabitants. Her quiet existence is shattered when she witnesses a strange man dragging a tearful young girl down into the bowels of the vast home. The man is wearing a large black cloak and reassures the young girl that everything is okay. Suddenly, the captive struggles to get away from the man and his cloak appears to come alive. It wraps itself around the terrified child as she calls out for help. Serafina is frozen with fear and before she can react, the girl has vanished. Serafina escapes, thanks to her agility, and discovers the next day that a visitor of the Vanderbilts by the name of Clara has disappeared during the night. More children disappear and it becomes increasingly obvious that Serafina's new best friend, Braeden, is the man in the black cloak's newest target. The story drips with suspense, wrapping readers into the narrative just as easily as the man in the black cloak binds his young victims. Serafina's friendship with Braeden is heartfelt and believable. The ending is tied up too neatly, but that's a minor quibble; most horror and mystery fans will enjoy this book. VERDICT A creepy, suspenseful read that's not quite as dark as the works of Neil Gaiman or Adam Gidwitz.—Julie Shatterly, W. A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2015 It’s 1899, and the Biltmore estate is hosting a number of families. Meanwhile, young Serafina has been skulking in the shadows and navigating the dark nooks of the house; she and her father have lived undetected in the basement for years, and, by the orders of her pa, she cannot allow herself to be seen by any members of the household. An encounter in the middle of the night with a man in a black cloak and clearly terrified girl leaves Serafina shaken; when she hears that visiting children have begun to go missing from the house, she’s certain the man in the cloak is the culprit. Joined by Braeden, the young master of Biltmore, Serafina ventures into the eerie forest that surrounds the estate-the forest her father has warned her away from her entire life-to discover the nature of their enemy. In the process, however, she also learns of her own tragic history. Savvy readers will spot the identity of the cloaked man pretty readily, but the vast estate with a haunted past and a creepy present makes for an atmospheric setting, and Serafina’s multiple narrow escapes from her enemy are absolutely thrilling. Serafina herself is an enchanting heroine, brave and determined, and her attraction to the dark forest adds another layer of suspense and mystery. Pair this with Auxier’s The Night Gardener (BCCB 5/14) to introduce young readers to the Gothic tradition. KQG - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.