Ett hus utan speglar

“Vad önskar du dig mest av allt?”

Illustrated by Moa Schulman

Ett hus utan speglar, by Mårten Sandén is one of the six books I bought during my first visit to the Jönköpings Stadsbibliotek bokloppis. I was attracted by its cover and intrigued by the title, which is A House without Mirrors in English.

I began reading it some time last week and was hooked. This book is great for reading aloud, so within two weeks, I finished reading all 155 pages—out loud—to Mister Pops my cat.

Mister Pops will come and sit beside me each time I read out loud and falls asleep efter en stund (after a while).

From the back cover:

Henriettas hus är som gjort för kurragömmalek. Fyllt av trappor och skrymslen. En gång var hon en firad skådespelerska men nu ligger hon gammal och sjuk uppe i vindsrummet.

Släkten har samlats för att vaka och stämningen är dyster, men elvaåriga Thomasine och hennes kusiner tycker ändå att det är roligt med det gamla huset.

Men så börjar uunderliga saker ske. Varför finns det ett rum där alla speglar förvaras? Vem är flickan de möter där, som verkar vara från en annan tid? Hur ska man tyda förändringen hos de som mött henne?

I would classify Ett hus utan speglar as a supernatural, mystery story for children. It was quite an emotional read for me, as well, because from page 146 onward, I was tearing up. It’s a story of change, longing, love, family, and friendship.

It takes one mysterious little girl whose name is Hetty, to—one by one—change the lives of the people in the story. And it all takes place in the huge, old house of Henrietta, a once-beautiful-and-famous actress. She is related to Thomasine’s father, and he now lives in the house to take care of her because she is very old. Thomasine’s cousins Erland, Wilma and Signe are also there, and it is Signe who meets with Hetty first. The 5-year-old Signe hardly speaks (her parents thinks there’s something wrong with her in the head) but after meeting Hetty, she is not her usual self and she starts talking. Then it’s Wilma. Then Erland. Even Thomasine’s father at the end. Just who is this Hetty? She is a a very young girl when Signe first ‘sees’ her but with each meeting with the others, she changes—she has become older…

Thomasine is the only ‘stable’ person in this story and seems to be the ‘bridge’ for everyone else when they meet Hetty. To add more mystery to everything, each revelation happens in a room that is full of mirrors, in the house without mirrors.

I liked the story. The black-and-white illustrations are wonderful too.