In THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE, sophomore novelist Julia Fine personifies postpartum depression through the apparitions of Margaret Wise Brown and Michael Strange. If you’re not sure who these women are, you might remember Brown as the author of GOODNIGHT MOON. Strange was a poetess, and she took Brown on as a mentee and eventually as a lover. She is seen as the villain in Brown’s life, a theme that is explored here. Fine’s protagonist, Megan, struggles to adjust to being a mother. While writing her dissertation on children’s literature, she sees, hears and feels things that no one else does. Is it in her head? Are the ghosts choosing to show themselves only to her?

The novel opens with the unsavory details of postpartum life that aren’t well advertised to those who aren’t mothers. The ice packs, the pads and the uncontrollable leakage are enough to make one uncomfortable. I say this not out of disgust, but out of imagining what it would be like to have to live one’s life under those conditions, all while trying to raise a baby, finish a dissertation and seem like a normal person to friends and family. Add to that the mental stress, and you have a pretty nerve-racking setting.

"THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE makes for an unsettling read that may inspire a desire to advocate for improved resources for new mothers. Plus, it will make you think differently about GOODNIGHT MOON and THE RUNAWAY BUNNY."

At times, I am frustrated by horror or semi-horror stories that intertwine the supernatural with mental illness. The key word is “frustrated,” because I don’t dislike that narrative tool; in fact, the frustration shows that it works! The plot is unnerving in that the reader can’t distinguish reality from illusions, but here's something to keep in mind: Just because others can't experience what Megan does, it doesn't mean that the events aren't true. Her visions signify her mental health, and THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE validates those with postpartum depression and other mental illnesses by making Megan’s interactions with Margaret and Michael as real and disorienting as possible.

While the book is pretty tame for horror, and might be better classified as a psychological thriller, there is one scene in particular that sets itself apart. It is quite short and won’t be much of a spoiler as it occurs early on in the story. Michael’s visits always put Megan and her baby, Clara, in danger, and at one point Michael tries to drown Megan in the bathtub. You feel the battle within Megan, despite describing being pulled underwater by an external force. The way Fine puts you into Megan’s head during this terrifying incident is remarkable and chilling.

One of the things that really helped push the book’s themes forward was Fine’s sprinkling of etymologies throughout the narrative. One word, a derogatory synonym for “vagina,” comes from a Latin word meaning “hollow.” Megan later calls herself this crude term. She is hollow, lacking the feeling she wishes she had, something that stays with her the rest of the book. This hollowness also connects her to Margaret and Michael as she tries to figure out which writer she is most like.

While reading, I struggled with the “why” question, but that is answered by Margaret and then by Megan herself as she ponders this as well. The book’s epilogue was also somewhat strange. I won’t give away specifics, but it disconnects the apparitions from the postpartum experience, which seemed a bit confusing. However, Fine could have just been making a point about the pervasiveness of mental illness through people’s lives, and through generations.

THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE makes for an unsettling read that may inspire a desire to advocate for improved resources for new mothers. Plus, it will make you think differently about GOODNIGHT MOON and THE RUNAWAY BUNNY.