Below is the review I will be sharing on September 28th for my spot on the book blog tour.


ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ɪɴᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴏʀ ɪꜱ ɪᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴍᴇ?
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Thank you to Poppy Stimpson at Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for approving me to read ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢʀʏ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ by H S Norup.
I LOVED this book. Although it is categorised as Pushkin Childrens, The Hungry Ghost can clearly can be appreciated and enjoyed by all ages, and it really piqued my interest in Singaporean Buddhist/Taoist culture.
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ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢʀʏ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ ꜰᴇꜱᴛɪᴠᴀʟ. ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀɪɴɢꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴜʀ ᴀɴᴄᴇꜱᴛᴏʀꜱ - ꜰᴇᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜʀɴ ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴏ ᴏɴ. ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡɪꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛ ᴜꜱ.
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The story follows our protagonist Freja as she navigates a move across the world; from living with her Mother in Denmark to living with her Father and his new family in Singapore.
The changes Freja faces are depicted in an age appropriate way, which can obviously be beneficial for younger readers, but it allows us to empathise with her and bond with her.
I really felt myself rooting for her, and could appreciate her perspective both from her position, and from the position of the adults in her life.
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ᴍᴜᴍ'ꜱ ꜰᴀʀ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴀᴅ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ᴄʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ɪꜱ. ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ, ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜɢ ʜᴇʀ. ɪꜰ ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇꜰᴜʟ ɪ'ᴍ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅ ᴜᴘ ʟɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ.
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The characters that gravitate around Freja are well-rounded, and it was good to feel that I gained an insight into their lives. From her friends' backgrounds (like Jason who lives with his 'Ah Ma' instead of his parents) to Freja's parents and the particular struggles they've faced, and Clementine who has enough detachment to really recognise what support Freja needs, they all had their own worlds that overlapped with Freja's
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"ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴏᴋᴀʏ, ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢʀᴀɴᴅᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ?"
"ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ. ᴍᴏꜱᴛʟʏ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ. ꜱʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʀɪᴇꜱ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴍʏ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛꜱ. ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴍᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ'ᴍ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ꜰɪᴠᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴏʟᴅ... ʙᴜᴛ ꜱʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ʙᴇꜱᴛ."
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Norup's descriptions are unique and magical. They depict senses and feelings in a way that feel tangible, especially when relating to Freja's experiences at Bukit Brown.
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ɪɴᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀ ʟᴇɢꜱ ᴛɪᴄᴋʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ɴᴇᴄᴋ. ɢᴏᴏꜱᴇ ᴘɪᴍᴘʟᴇꜱ ʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴍʏ ᴀʀᴍꜱ.
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Freja's mission to understand Ling and to help satisfy her is a truly beautiful story, and without giving too much away, it shows how in helping others we usually help ourselves too.
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ᴡᴇ ꜱᴀʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ. ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ, ᴡᴇ ʟɪᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴇᴅ, ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴍɪɴᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴄᴏᴏʟɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ.
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Overall this was a joy to read, and there is so much more I could say, but I don't want to spoil this for anyone else by giving too much away.
The themes of culture, family, friendship, love, loss, and heritage were beautifully interwoven throughout, and I genuinely think readers will be intrigued by and want to learn more about the culture depicted through the story.
I've already bought a couple of books recommended by Helle (H S Norup) and definitely want to learn more myself. I've also ordered a copy of The Hungry Ghost to keep on my shelves, and would encourage everyone to do the same.

Freja is thrown into a puzzling ghost story when she arrives in Singapore to stay with her father during the annual Hungry Ghost Festival. Resourceful and curious, Freja finds herself haunted by a restless spirit and she won't rest until she figures out who the ghost is and why she's come to play.

My 10-year-old daughter and I both adored this thrilling, cleverly constructed tale, set in the steamy tropics of Singapore. The author weaves a compelling family mystery and captures the spiritual side of this fast-paced city with rich, evocative prose. Recommended for children aged 8-12 who love ghost stories, magic and adventure!

A truly captivating ghost story set in Singapore that totally transported me to another world and gave me all the great ghostly vibes.

Freja moves to Singapore to live with her dad and stepmom for a summer, leaving behind her mother to get hospital care. While in Singapore, she discovers it is the month of the Hungry Ghost festival, and she just so happens to meet a ghost named Ling. As Freja delves deeper into Ling's past and how it could possibly connect to her own, we get a stunning tour of Singapore and some of the traditions they have.

I've never been to Singapore but after reading this, I feel like I could have pictured it. Setting and locations were beautifully described and it's a ghost story unlike any other I have ever read. Fortunately, since the setting is so well-written, the atmosphere was high enough for me to feel submersed in the story.

Freja is a great character who holds a lot of complex emotions, especially in regards to her family. She is from Denmark and has to leave her mother behind to receive hospital treatment, which instantly made her a character to sympathise with. Her relationship with her stepmom is one of the most interesting things about this book and I loved seeing that develop, and how real it made this novel feel. I liked learning more about Freja's own past through the development of the ghost story, and I thought that both worlds blended so well together.

The ghost story was also well done. What makes a great ghost story for me is having a captivating backstory for the ghost and how it affects the main character. It was tied together so beautifully by the end and provided a few emotional moments for Freja too. I also loved the blending of Asian folklore that felt very well-researched due to Norup's 4-year stay in Singapore.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable ghost story I think would be perfect to read in the lead-up to the upcoming spooky season of Halloween!

The beautiful bright cover caught my eye and as soon as I read the description I just knew I had to get my hands on this book. It sounded like such a wonderful story and just a couple of pages in, I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed.

The Hungry Ghost takes place in Singapore during the month of the hungry ghost, where the doors to the realm of the dead are open and ghosts and spirits wander the streets accepting offerings left out by their ancestors. Freja arrives in Singapore to live with her father and his new family, one she’s not sure she wants to be a part of. One day she comes across a mysterious girl in white who seems to beckon her into an adventure she wasn’t expecting to happen.

I loved Freja. She was such a unique and refreshing child protagonist with a clear sense of self that was very endearing. I really liked the way her internal conflict was written and how it was expressed throughout the course of the novel, how she fights herself and her step-family to ensure that she isn’t forgotten by her family back in Denmark. I particularly enjoyed her interactions with Ling, and how she wanted to do everything possible to help her even if it did cause trouble for her. I felt that Norup really captured the voices of all the children in the novel really well, and they actually felt like children which isn’t always the case when it comes to child characters in novels.

The way this novel was written was brilliant and the plot was gripping. I easily devoured this book as I just had to know what was going to happen next. I was also fascinated by all of the different tales of Malay superstitions and folk tales. I enjoyed learning about them as Freja did, especially as a lot of it was taught to her by exasperated friends who didn’t understand why she didn’t know things (like, it’s a bad idea to follow a ghost or go to a cemetery at night).

This novel was pure brilliance with such unique characters and a wonderful mystery that you were dying to uncover, just as much as Freja. At the heart of the novel is a story about family and still being a family at a distance (in the realm of the living and dead), with a hint of magic thrown in to make this an adventure you soon won’t forget. I highly recommend picking this novel up when it is published on 24 September 2020!

I read HS Norup’s first book, The Missing Barbegazi, back in December 2018 and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was thrilled so see something new from her.

Set in Singapore during ‘The Hungry Ghost’ month, this couldn’t have sounded more different to the snowy ski slopes of The Missing Barbegazi!

But contained within both books are intriguing mysteries, with each showing the importance of friendship, family and history, and with each having a fantastic sense of place and culture.

This, is unsurprising as Helle puts a great deal of her own personal experience and research into the books; she knows the places she writes and is therefore able to transport us there along with her.

Here, we are taken to Singapore as Freja is suddenly taken to live there with her Dad, stepmum and half brothers. It’s apparent immediately what a culture shock this is with everything very different to her life in Denmark.

Homesick, worried about her mum, upset at her dad’s absence as he spends so much time at work and finding it hard to reconcile her loyalty to her mum with the fact that her stepmum, Clementine, is actually quite nice, Freja seeks comfort in exploring her new surroundings.

She’s an outdoor girl through and through, balking at the pretty dresses Clementine has bought her and taking her trusty Swiss army knife and compass everywhere, so when she follows a mysterious girl out of the garden and into an overgrown and disused graveyard in the lush rainforest nearby she’s thrilled at the adventure and relieved at the escape.

But who is this girl, where has she come from and how is she connected to Hungry Ghost month being celebrated by locals?

I love the way we found out about The Hungry Ghost celebrations throughout the course of the book. Rather than an awkward and obtrusive information dump, we see more and more about it as Freja sees local offerings, takes a trip to Chinatown, ends up at one of the ‘getai’ celebrations and speaks to new friends and locals. I felt, like Freja, that I was gradually becoming part of the celebrations and really enjoyed finding out about them in this way, especially as it wasn’t something I knew about previously.

Likewise, I really liked the way the ideas of honouring and remembering the dead linked into Freja’s own family and story later on in the book.

And I liked how, as Freja began to solve the mystery of Ling’s past, we began to see a mystery of her own coming to the surface alongside it. I thought the way the two stories interwove, and the way the pieces to Freja’s story fell into place and subtly came to the forefront was so clever and made it all the more moving.

The use of mythology to unravel both stories added a touch of fantasy which complemented the ghostly celebrations and was another dip into Chinese culture in itself.

There was a really careful balance struck here which was so well done – firmly rooted in real life and dealing with issues of family, friendship and loss, the book manages to use ghosts, mythology and folklore without tipping over completely into fantasy.

Family is dealt with so well in the book – we see a range of situations, both past and present, which help Freja to make sense of the changes to her own family life.

And death and loss are addressed sensitively too, as we consider them as opportunities to celebrate rather than mourn; lives to remember rather than deaths to grieve, whilst still acknowledging the sadness they bring and the necessity of the grieving process.

This is a wonderful book, rich in its setting – my senses came alive in that graveyard and when passing through the Banyan tree and the descriptions of the natural world were so vivid – and full of Chinese culture and Singaporian ways of life.

A gradually unravelling, slightly supernatural mystery, with family, friendship and positivity at its heart, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and compelling adventure and a cleverly, sensitively told tale of dealing with loss too. Perfect for fans of Emma Carroll or A M Howell and highly recommended!

'What could be worse than dying and no-one remembering you existed?"

The Hungry Ghost is a tale of two forgotten lives; of memories locked away and finding the key to unlock peace.

It really is an atmospheric read - an absolute feast for the senses. I was transported to Singapore where I inhaled the peachy aroma of Frangipani trees and the sweet smell of night flowers heavy in the air, breathed in the bonfire smoke and incense and felt the humid heat of the rainforest. I became totally immersed in the culture and savoured the foods and Feng Shui. H S Norup's personal experience of living in the far east makes the Oriental setting totally authentic and believable.

Freija arrives in Singapore to live with her father, stepmother and their two twin boys. It's the month of the 'Hungry Ghost Festival' when it's believed that the gates of the afterlife open to allow the spirits of ancestors and relatives to roam the Earth. Out on the street, tea lights twinkle to mark the offerings of food and bank notes left out to feed the spirits, to make them comfortable until the next year,

A mysterious girl wearing a white dress begins appearing to Freija in the garden - could this be a restless spirit that needs her help? Or perhaps she has come to help Freija. As the story unfolds, Freija follows the illusive figure to secret places, shrouded in stories of Pontianak - dangerous spirits. She is determined to discover the girl's identity but uncovers a secret from her own family's past. Freija is haunted by distant recollections of trauma and must unlock painful memories that have been stored away before the The Hungry Ghost Festival ends. I was gripped by the mystery surrounding Freija's past and had to stop myself reading ahead on more than one occasion as I was dying to solve it - the restless spirits kept me up reading late into the night!

The combat-wearing character of Freija will appeal to both boys and girls. Never without her Swiss Army knife and survival gear, she is an independent and fearless explorer. Clementine, Freja's stepmother is also a very well-developed character and I really enjoyed seeing the social media mad, manicured party planner evolve.

The Hungry Ghost presents an opportunity for Key Stage 2 children to not only experience a little of Chinese culture but equally explore the often difficult dynamics of family life. We watch as she struggles to fit in with her father's 'new family' and the feelings associated with this that many children will be able to identify with.

One final little teaser; watch out for two interesting characters that make a fleeting appearance in Chapter 15 as you will later discover their significance.

With thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the digital copy to review in advance of publication.

Just look at that cover- so elegant and aesthetically pleasing. This is definitely a nice read which is set in the gorgeous Singapore. The book is vivid and moving. The author's writing style is gorgeous and has definitely pulled me into the plot. This is completely unique to anything i've read previously. The cover caught my initial attraction. However, I have found that this book is a cultural delight.


I love that the author has interwined her personal journey throughout. This is powerful, emotional and definitely atmospheric.


This is definitely a great read which i highly recommend.

Freja has just moved to Singapore to live with her father, his new wife, Clementine, and their twins. It’s a big move from Denmark and she’s wary of leaving her mum who is unwell. When she arrives, she finds everything new and different; even more so when she sees her Dad wandering by the pool on her first night, seemingly oblivious to the pale girl in the white dress dancing behind him.
Freja’s arrival coincides with the festival of The Hungry Ghost where dead ancestors are able to return to visit their relatives who leave food for them. When it becomes apparent that the girl in the dress (Ling) is a ghost, Freja is determined to follow her and help her discover who she is - but what is the link between the two girls and how can Ling help Freja?

Freja is a wonderful character: stubborn, fierce, determined and always prepared but also in turmoil over her family situation. She feels guilty about having left her mum; she is desperate to spend time alone with her dad the way they used to and doesn’t really want to get to know Clementine or the twins. She has her own style of dressing and won’t be swayed to change (combat shorts and trousers are perfect for carrying her survival kit; dresses are not!). She’s seemingly fearless when it come to exploring Bukit Brown or tackling potentially dangerous creatures, yet there’s a vulnerability when it comes to family and her need to be loved.

The idea of parental separation and new families is handled well and I particularly liked Clementine and her approach to/discussions with Freja which hint towards how difficult it must be on both sides.

The story itself is pacey and mysterious, with hints and clues drip-fed throughout the plot to keep you gripped. The descriptions of the city, the graveyard and beyond are rich and captivating, transporting the reader to Singapore so that you feel you are alongside Freja every step of the way. I also very much liked the cultural elements of the book - Freja’s newness to the country allows for explanations of these which help to immerse the reader and it’s these links with the past and the traditions that that help both girls in their quest for answers with surprising and emotional results (yes, I shed a tear!).

The Hungry Ghost is a moving story that beautifully entwines family, friendship, culture and traditions in a way that will make you want to hug the book at the end. This is a book that is begging to be read.

This moving and complex story by H S Norup weaves an incredible number of threads into a relatively short book, pulling them all into alignment at the end to create a perfect picture.

The story takes off with 12 year old Freja being handed over like a package at the airport to change continents and families due to her mother’s unspecified illness. She leaves behind her small town life in Denmark to be plunged into the steamy, international melting-pot of life in Singapore. Her sense of alienation is compounded by the unwelcome addition of a stepmother and half-brothers and a landscape that bears no resemblance to the forests of Sweden where she has previously enjoyed outdoor pursuits with her father on his visits. Freja is a dedicated scout and has come to Singapore prepared for an outdoor culture; she has her Swiss Army knife, compass, combat trousers and many other survival accessories. She is not prepared for a life of frilly dresses, parties and social media which seems to be the milieu of Clementine, her glamorous step-mother. She also disdains contact with her twin half-brothers.

H S Norup’s writing captures Freja’s sense of displacement perfectly, emphasised further by the fact that her beloved father seems to be more interested in his high pressure, deal-making career, with his unexpected business trips to the financial hotspots of southeast Asia and inability to speak to her without constantly checking his phone screen.

Unable to sleep due to her unhappiness combined with jet-lag and wishing to pursue her natural instinct to be outside, Freja steps out into the garden on her first night and is surprised to see a tall, silent Chinese girl there. When the girl reappears in daylight and beckons Freja to follow her, she is surprised to be led to an overgrown tropical wilderness not far from the manicured street where she lives. On her way back home she learns that the wilderness is Bukit Brown, an old Chinese cemetery and that August is the month of The Hungry Ghost festival, when unhappy spirits roam the streets eating the offerings left for them by grieving relatives.

Despite being warned by Clementine to stay away from the cemetery with its dangers ranging from snakes to unstable ground, Freja is compelled to follow her ghost and help her in her quest to unravel the snippets of memories and discover her identity. It appears that the overwhelming fear that her mother will forget her is the catalyst for Freja to assist this unhappy ghost. As the mystery of Ling’s past and connections with Freja’s own ancestors begins to emerge, small clues that Freja has a significant part of her own identity locked away are dropped into the narrative. Aspects of traditional Chinese folklore are blended with modern-day life at international school and the role of domestic servants now and in recent history are also examined.

The crafting of the narrative is so deftly handled that the reader never loses sight of the central quest despite the lure of dangled hints just on the edge of your peripheral vision. As you desperately reach for these missing threads to complete the tapestry you have to take a moment to admire the author’s skill. The denouement as the Hungry Ghost festival closes is brimming with tension as Freja battles with mythical creatures and poignantly realises that she has made true friends in Singapore.

The weaving and contrasting of Western and Eastern attitudes to death and grieving are wonderfully combined and as the narrative gaps are closed the importance of remembering the dead, treasuring their memories and being grateful for those who love us is brought to the fore.

This book has clearly been written for the upper end of the MG readership with its ultimately hopeful conclusion, but in my opinion it is a satisfying read for anyone over the age of 10. I was deeply impressed at the construction of the plot and fascinated to learn a little about an aspect of Chinese culture and Buddhist and Taoist tradition. I was also left curious to find out more about the transition of Singapore to the global powerhouse that it is today from the society described during Ling’s childhood. I am particularly pleased to have read this book during a summer when I haven’t been able to travel; it highlights the power of a great story to transport the reader beyond their physical reality.

Freja, independent, adventurous and self-sufficient, is not looking forward to spending a year with father’s new family, especially when she is so worried about her mum and when Dad will be so busy with his work. Added to that, two very small step-brothers who will demand lots of attention, and the need to settle in at a new school makes the move from Denmark to Singapore quite an upheaval. When on her first night she sees a girl in a white dress, she tries to follow her to make friends, but she loses her on the way to the forest, and when she mentions this to her family she is forbidden to go there for reasons of genuine danger as well as local legends.
Although she quickly makes new friends at school, Freja continues to be intrigued by the girl in the white dress, and when she finally catches up with her in the forest, a frantic race against time begins to help her new friend, a race which will result in unexpected results for Freja.
This is at once an absorbing ghost story, an exciting mystery adventure, and a vivid depiction of Singapore where modernity and tradition thrive alongside each other and enrich the lives of the characters. It is also a warm and positive tale of family ties, sibling love and the power of friendship. It certainly has a place in our library.

As someone who follows quite a few authors, readers and other bookish people on Twitter, perhaps unsurprisingly I have a lot of new book titles pop up in my feed. Some I just scroll past because they do not appeal and others, like this one, jump out at me and beg for further inspection. This one very much caught my eye and having seen it was available on Net Galley, and having read through the blurb there, I immediately requested it and was delighted to be approved – setting about reading it as soon as it had downloaded.

Our story opens with Freja, who has travelled to Singapore to stay with her father and his second family after somewhat reluctantly leaving behind her mother in Denmark. Having arrived, she finds that stepmother Clementine has prepared her a very ‘girly’ room – something which does not please Freja who delights in being a scout, into outdoors activities and for whom practicality is everything.

Awake after dark due to her body clock being out of kilter and feeling hot and bothered, Freja looks out of her window and is intrigued by a girl she sees in the garden with her father – a girl with long black hair and wearing a knee-length white dress. After going to fetch her torch to help her to see what is going on more easily, she finds that both her father and the girl have disappeared, leaving her none the wiser. Returning to bed, she thinks about the mother she is already missing terribly, whose ill health has led to Freja being sent away in order to give her time with a ‘normal happy family’.

Following a visit to The Botanic Gardens with Clementine and her twin half-brothers, Freja is left alone in the family garden to swim and sunbathe and becomes aware of the mysterious girl’s presence once more. When the girl vanishes again, a determined Freja sets off in pursuit to try to talk to her.

After losing sight of her close to a graveyard filled with lush trees and plants, Freja reluctantly returns home only to upset a neighbouring boy by accidentally stepping in what she takes for a pile of rubbish but what he tells her is an offering to his ancestors as part of the Hungry Ghost Festival. This festival takes place for a month each year and is believed by the locals to be a time when the spirits of the dead wander the earth and those still living respectfully remember their ancestors.

The following day, a more prepared Freja decides to return to the graveyard, now identified as Bukit Brown, and again spots the girl who is sitting on a gravestone before she disappears yet again leaving an increasingly frustrated Freya unable to talk to her. Looking around more carefully for clues, Freya uncovers a symbol on the gravestone and makes a copy of it before discovering that the girl has left what Freja believes to be a message for her written in Morse code.

Back home, Clementine identifies the message as a forerunner to the distress call SOS and is able to tell Freja that the symbol not only could mean the girl’s name Ling but also has a second meaning: ‘spirit’. When Clementine discovers that Freja has been visiting Bukit Brown, she forbids her to return, telling Freja that it is far too dangerous but Freja is determined to take no notice of the woman she resents for not being her mother.

Resolving to find out once and for all who the girl is, Freja researches hungry ghosts and comes to the realisation that Ling is desperately in need of her help. Her decision to assist Ling no matter what it entails sets in motion a series of events which will lead both girls into making discoveries about themselves and their families, leaving neither unaffected by the end of the festival.

While stories of ghosts exist all around the world, the Hungry Ghost Festival is one with which I was unfamiliar and I had to look online to find out more about it. Having done so, I now know that it is associated with Buddhist and Taoist countries such as China and in addition to introducing many readers to this concept, the book features other mythology from these countries which I will not go into here for fear of including spoilers.

There are some some scary parts within the book, linked to that mythology, but this is not a ghost story – at least not in the traditional sense. Anyone who wants or expects a spine-chilling read with stereotypical hauntings should look elsewhere .

Many children will empathise with Freja’s feelings towards her blended family from personal experience and will understand the resentment she feels both at being separated from her mother and being forced to spend time with Clementine – somebody whose apparent obsession with her appearance and social media are of no interest to Freja. Her desperation to make her own way in her new environment and the way in which Freja’s father feels he needs to give his work greater priority than Freja would like, will also echo with many children – even more so possibly now that many parents are returning to work after being at home 24/7 during lockdown.

Although both Freja and Ling are girls, I would not say this is a ‘girly’ book. Freja’s scouting skills with compass and Swiss Army Knife for example are put to good use throughout the story and many boys will aspire to be like her in the way she escapes from the house and shows her determination to visit Bukit Brown. As someone who quite regularly used to climb trees and play on the neighbouring building site, in contravention of my parents’ rules, I would’ve greatly admired the practical ways in which Freja manages to both sneak out of the house and her defying the conventions that she is expected to fit in with.

This would make a great read for children in Year 4 upwards to read alone or to share with an adult – I very much enjoyed it, especially all of the details about the hungry ghosts and the mythology with which I was not familiar. Huge thanks yet again to Net Galley, and also to Pushkin Press for allowing me to read this ahead of publication on 24th September.

The Hungry Ghost was a nice read but it didn't really work for me. While I loved the premise (which is why I read the book), I found it quite disorienting to read about the characters in Singapore, their history (the Chinese ancestors). Here the girl Freja misses her hometown in Denmark, and her mother. She is trying to adjust with her father and his new family in Singapore. Now she finds a ghost friend and then tries to find the history of her family, how she is related to the ghost etc. Being Asian, I always felt as if the characters, and their world were not as developed as they could be. It read quite superficial to me even though I see many readers have enjoyed the book. I enjoyed parts of it—more of the communication between the step mom and the child—but the world and setting read quite flat to me.

The above points might be more valid from an adult's point of view. Because children care only about a good story. But I would've preferred a faster story too. Overall I'll give this 3 stars.

I love books that transport me to another place and The Hungry Ghost is just such a book. Singapore and its sights and sounds and smells and tastes is one of the main characters in this creepy mystery. At a time when travel is so restricted for so many, it was lovely to be imersed in somewhere that seems so exotic! The use of myth, folklore and tradition made the setting so vivid and alive and was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the story for me.
How how to describe this book? Its a story of friendship mainly. But it also touches on themes of loss and grief. Freja is a likable character and so well developed. She's a girl I would love to meet, although she would be a tough one to cross! She's stubborn and so sure of herself in someways and so vunerable in others. I loved the way her own journey was intermixed with Ling's and that we get a satisfying ending.
This is a story anyone could enjoy. Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the chance to read it ahead of publication.

I absolutely loved this book. I love learning about different cultures and places. Reading this, I felt like I was in Singapore. I do scare very easily and could vividly imagine the Bukit Brown Cemetery. And although I'm not keen on ghost stories, the cultural aspect fascinated me. Asian folklore is not something I know much about, but after reading this I am really eager to learn more.
But it was the different facets of this book that made it so impossible to put down. There wasn't just the mystery surrounding Ling. What was wrong with Freja's mum, what were the memories that were too traumatic for her to remember?
Such a well thought out story.

Firstly thank you the Pushkin press for allowing me a chance to read this book.

I was intrigued by the description of the book having not heard of the author previously.

This book is actually the second by this author and although it has the same characters as the first story, I was able to read it as a stand alone novel.

Having lived in the far East and visited Singapore, I was transported back to this fantastic part of the globe. The humidity, beautiful gardens and shrubbery and the genuinely amazing sights that this gorgeous city had to offer.
I enjoyed hearing the language being used in the dialogue between the characters and the culture of the country.

The author's descriptions are a sense overload. They mention in one part the " musty smell of decaying wood", "raindrops on the greenery glitter" and the "birds call out over the high-pitched background song of cicadas." They state " It's as if I've crossed the boundary to a magical, prehistoric world." It's just glorious.

I became engrossed with the story of Freja and Ling. I wanted to know who Ling was? Why everyone was telling Freja not to follow her? Why she was bad?
What was Freja trying to remember?

This book itself is a mixture of the real world and a magical realm. Both as gripping as the other.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was something different to what I normally would read but I now want to read more by H.S Norup.

The Hungry Ghost is the second middle-grade novel by H S Norup. When Freja arrives in Singapore to live with her dad and his new family, she feels guilty about her mother’s illness and leaving her behind in Denmark. In Singapore it’s the seventh Chinese month – the ghost month – when deceased ancestors roam the earth to eat. Life in Singapore is very different to Freja’s normal life at home and she doesn’t want to fit into her dad’s new family. When she discovers a ghost in the back garden, Freja’s life is about to get even more challenging; she will have to overcome many obstacles if she is to help the ghost and come to terms with her own dark and scary family secrets.

What I really liked about this book was the sense of place. Norup gives readers a strong sense of place and culture in The Hungry Ghost As an outsider, Freja is free to ask the questions readers have in their mind and is able to give wonderful insights into the Chinese traditions of the Hungry Ghost Festival without intruding on the story. Freja is resourceful while still being vulnerable making her both an interesting and engaging character. Brushed with mythology and fantasy, this exciting middle-grade adventure story will delight. I’m not sure if Bukit Brown – the cemetery in The Hungry Ghost – has been demolished yet, but I like to think that Norup has conserved it forever within the pages of her story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an electronic arc of this book. I am very much looking forward to receiving my own copy in paperback when my pre-order is delivered after the book’s release in September.

This is a beautiful, poignant middle grade book that can be read by anyone.

Norup's descriptions and setting are vivid, vibrant and rich... truly taking you to another world.

The themes are wonderful and children as well as adults would be able to take a lot from them. It explores, culture, identity, family - I felt very connected to the central character and her struggles. The handling of grief was especially poignant and well done.

I did not realise this was a follow up and will have to go back to the first book and enjoy from the beginning of the adventure.

Poignant, vibrant and beautifully written. The Hungry Ghost is a book that deserves to be read widely and I simply cannot wait to buy my own copy in September and champion it with the children I teach.
The Hungrey Ghost is a delightful experience of emotion and vivid description entwined with mystery and heartfelt characters that the reader wants to spend time with.
Helle has managed to ensure that the reader has a strong emotional connection with Freja, the main Protagonist. The story begins with Freja setting off to join her father and his new family in Singapore and immediately we, the reader, are receptive to Freja's uncertainty about her stepmother and her desperation to remain loyal to her mum. This undercurrent between Freja and her stepmother ebbs and flows throughout the book and is an important aspect of the story. We are also given the merest whisper of hidden heartbreak for Freja. The story moves at a fast pace but the emotional connection is not lost as the reader is drawn further into the mysteries surrounding Freja and her family.
It is clear that Helle has researched the setting and the cultural background for this story. The description is vivid and vibrant and the reader is completely immersed in the landscape and within the cultural beliefs.
Personally I love reading books from which I can learn something and I really loved the idea of the hungry ghosts and the beliefs, rituals and ceremonies linked with them.
The Hungry Ghost by H.S. Norup is a masterpiece that keeps the reader gripped until the final full stop!
I was generously permitted to read The Hungry Ghost via Netgalley by Pushkin Children's Books in exchange for honest feedback.

This long awaited novel from HS Norup does not disappoint. It couldn't be more different in setting from The Missing Barbegazi- from the cold mountains to the heat of Singapore- The Hungry Ghost is a sensory delight. The evocative setting is almost a character itself and all my senses were engaged throughout the reading of this. I could smell the incense and offerings being burned, taste the new foods of Singapore, could see the thriving markets of sellers, hear their shouts as they tempt buyers and could feel the humidity of Singapore on my skin. (Having travelled there I used my own memories as well).

Freja has moved from Denmark to Singapore to live with her father and his new family. She will be staying for a year to give her mother space and time to heal- we only piece together this family mystery as Freja solves one for a lost ghost. Having arrived during the Hungry Ghost Festival, a month long event where ghosts are fed and prepared for the after life, Freja discovers a ghost in her garden. Following the ghost and communicating using morse code, Freja abandons all else in order to solve the secret and to help set the ghost free.
As a Scout, Freja knows to always be prepared so she carries her swiss army knife, a compass and map with her. She uses her phone to pinpoint locations in the dense jungle surrounding a mass cemetery where the ghost is hiding.

What follows is an intense study of family history and searches for proof of name and identity , both for the ghost and for Freja who is struggling to fit into her new family. Missing her mother and feeling a fierce loyalty to her ensures that Freja actively seeks to dislike her step mother. She isn't bonding with her twin step brothers and with Dad away on business, she is feeling as lost as her ghost.

This is a wonderful journey for Freja and as the reader you feel deeply connected to her story. From learning cultural references and survival skills to understanding the dynamics of family life, there is so much to take from this beautiful story. With the topic of grief sensitively dealt with, Freja and her father share secrets and learn to trust and overcome their grief.

A stunning book, one my son has already commandeered from me and one to immerse in for the full Singapore mystery effect!

The long awaited follow-up to Helle Norup’s The Missing Barbegazi, The Hungry Ghost is about as wonderfully different as you can get! While the former had me snuggled up, dreaming of Christmas, snow and hot chocolate, Helle’s newest offering transported me to the tropical humidity of Singapore and was a cultural delight.

I adored Helle’s debut and though it was action-packed, the theme of grief was gently addressed. The Hungry Ghost packs more of an emotional punch and definitely stepped it up a level but it was so sensitively brought about that it is never overpowering. It takes skill to push the reader to the edge and pull it back gently, each time bringing us further into the hidden heartbreak of Freja and her past and it is perfectly achieved. I also felt the sense of conflict rooted in Freja, as she struggles to dislike her new step-mum but wants to maintain loyalty to her own mother, who resides in Freja’s home country, Denmark. I don’t often cry at books but I wept at the end. The resolution was perfect but truly bittersweet.

The storyline is fast paced and a mystery until the end, which kept me hanging on and desperate to find out the truth whilst simultaneously I internally begged for it not to finish! I’m really into quirky, cultural festivals and loved the idea of hungry ghosts and the beliefs that come with them. It reminded me of the Mexican Dias de los Muertos while being unique in its own right. There is a fantastic sense of cultural identity in this novel and it’s clear Helle has taken the time to do detailed research and really immerse herself in the culture, which shines through in The Hungry Ghost.

In terms of Freja herself, she is a fantastic protagonist, a true Scout, who is always prepared. While I was never a tomboy, I wasn’t a girly girl growing up either and I love to see characters who have a bit of substance and feistiness within them. Freja has these characteristics and more.

However, the true beauty of this novel for me is the quality of the description. Throughout, it is rich, vibrant and I could literally see colours, smell the smoke and the sounds were there in my head; the exquisite greens of the tropical foliage, the vibrant colours of the flowers and the chattering of the monkeys across the treetops. It is a sensory explosion in the best possible way.

I’ve waited patiently for Helle’s follow up and it was so worth it. The Hungry Ghost took me on a journey, both emotional and cultural and has a brilliant pace to keep any reader gripped until the end. In my opinion, Helle has topped her debut and I can’t wait to buy my own copy in September!

I was generously permitted to read The Hungry Ghost via Netgalley by Pushkin Children’s Books in exchange for honest feedback and would like to say a huge thank you to Helle for including me in her acknowledgments…it’s not hard to champion such wonderful stories ❤️

Words to describe The Hungry Ghost: poignant, vibrant, culturally rich, adventurous.