Reviewed by Samantha Hui

A fairy tale where the true magic lies in the possibilities of the human spirit

The Girl Who Came Back to Life, by Craig Philip Staufenberg, transforms the question of what it means to live when everything is falling apart into a layered middle grade fairy tale that reads as both adventure and allegory.

Though filled with danger and loss, the book is ultimately about hope, forgiveness, and the ways grief can act as both a mask for denial and a tool for acceptance. Staufenberg leans into the myth-making tradition of fairy tales so that Sophie’s struggles resonate beyond her individual story. Readers who enjoy darker, more reflective fairytales will find themselves drawn to Sophie’s world. It’s a book that speaks not only to youth but also to older audiences who appreciate stories with moral and emotional depth.

“You must join the steady stream of mourners who pour north at all times to Send their loved ones, unwilling to let their dead wander forever through the cold.”

The novel follows Sophie, a twelve-year-old girl navigating a dangerous world after devastating loss leaves her unmoored. In this world, when someone dies, their spirit wakes in the City of the Dead, where they remain until a cherished loved one Sends them off with a heartfelt goodbye.

But when Sophie’s parents die suddenly, she refuses to let them go. Instead of Sending them, she concocts a plan to travel to the City of the Dead herself and bring them back. Left in the care of her estranged grandmother, Sophie’s complicated relationship with the old woman becomes one of the novel’s central tensions. As she ventures north, Sophie encounters mobs of mourners, desperate travelers, soldiers, and strangers who reveal both the cruelty and the kindness that emerge in times of crisis. These encounters slowly transform Sophie’s understanding of herself and of what it means to say goodbye.

“She showed her granddaughter the delusions people paint over their own eyes to avoid the devastation of loss, of all loss, of any loss, especially those small hits that wound the pride more than the purse.”

What makes the novel so powerful is Staufenberg’s style. His prose is simple yet resonant, echoing the cadences of classic fairy tales while grounding the narrative in very human emotions. At moments, his sentences are clipped and urgent, heightening the sense of danger; at others, they swell into lyrical rhythms that capture grief, longing, and fragile hope. His use of metaphor lends the story the weight of myth, making Sophie’s journey feel timeless while still accessible to middle grade readers.

“Some said the spirits of the dead killed you themselves if you met them with an insincere heart. And still others said the lost ones had chosen to leave with their loved ones, willingly leaving this world behind in favor of the next.”

If the book falters at all, it may be in its pacing. Early chapters return again and again to cycles of hunger, escape, and temporary relief, which may feel repetitive for some readers. Yet this repetition is intentional, mirroring Sophie’s own relentless struggle to survive. Likewise, some chapters are remarkably short, sometimes less than a page long, which can make the story feel fragmented. But these brief chapters also echo the rhythm of a journey broken into small steps, and for many readers, the structure will deepen rather than weaken the experience, immersing them more fully in Sophie’s world.

“When she lived, my daughter brought pain to my heart. After she died, she became a persistent wound I couldn’t heal.”

By the end, Staufenberg’s fairy tale leaves readers both weary and uplifted, as though they have walked Sophie’s long journey themselves. The Girl Who Came Back to Life immerses us in questions of love, grief, and acceptance while never losing its sense of wonder. It is a fairy tale in the truest sense: not about spells or enchantments, but about the human capacity to endure, to let go, and to find meaning in loss.

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Philip Staufenberg! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post Book Review: The Girl Who Came Back to Life appeared first on Independent Book Review.

Reviewed by Josie Prado

A poetic & spiritual journey that sheds a new perspective on every page

The question of what happens when we die is one that humanity has pondered for eons. Who, or what, is waiting on the other side for us? Craig Philip Staufenberg’s, Cracking the Shell of the Egg, tackles mortality and the spiritual realm with adeptness and beauty. 

Through a unique story of spiritual and physical illnesses with no real explanation, the collection’s fragmented poetry transcends time and the corporeal realm. Otherness, disability, and unexplained events are also huge topics in Cracking the Shell of the Egg. Here, readers are given the chance to hatch—to prick the outside of the shell gently and break through.

I loved how introspective and meditative Cracking the Shell of the Egg was. There’s a constant repetition of “He told me,” as though Staufenberg is having a conversation with his inner self. Staufenberg is an observer and a participant in his own life. He even writes, “He told me to leave in all of his circles, / his contradictions, his hypocrisies,” at the very beginning of the book. This bold beginning might confuse some readers initially, but it’s an attention-grabber that lingers. The poetic style is expressive without sacrificing quality, and the verbiage is simple yet sagacious. 

The poetry braids in the experiences of other people too—an effect that proves all the more compelling in the end. In one instance, we’re introduced to Maia, a woman who “brought shadow people with her everywhere she went.” Rather than focus on Maia and her shadow people, the poem ends up being about setting boundaries as Staufenberg banishes them. Staufenberg utilizes this method a lot, using the spiritual to unearth psychological pain. Thus, rather than be afraid of the gift of seeing these entities, it’s instead shared as important to gain control. This approach is fascinating and functions well.

The book’s mystery is also enhanced by a purposeful direction and pure poetic skill. There are no hyperbolic or scandalous phrases for entertainment purposes—instead a clear version of mysterious events. In a distinct moment, he’s in Italy and an older woman whispers to him. But then he is feeling disconnected from his body and the rest of the outer world. The matter-of-fact tone makes it believable and even goosebump-inducing. While he’s eventually put back together, the event is unforgettable for both him and us.

Equipped with enough philosophy to challenge comfortable readers and enough mysticism to broaden their horizons, Cracking the Shell of the Egg is an easy recommendation for numinous individuals. The book’s got much to teach; so start pecking. Hatch. See the world from a new point of view.

Thank you for reading Josie Prado’s book review of Cracking the Shell of the Egg by
Craig Philip Staufenberg! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post Book Review: Cracking the Shell of the Egg appeared first on Independent Book Review.