The main character is Trevor, the bright 14 year old great, great grandson of Elija Riddell, a timber baron. Trevor and his father Jones return to the family home in North Estate outside Seattle, after Jones goes bankrupt and his wife, Trevors mom, goes to spend a summer with her parents in England.
The majestic wood house is haunted, full of tragic lives and secret rooms and stairways. Trevor gets attuned to the house quickly and it starts sharing its secrets with him as he starts piecing together the family history. Elijah is the timber baron who has a son Ben, who convinces Elijah that he has done a lot of harm to nature and people, so he protects the old great forest around the estate from at least the next generation. Ben dies young without heirs, but his brother Abraham comes to live there and squanders away most of the fortune. He has a son Sam, who continues to protect the forest, marries a dancer Isabelle, and has two children - Jones and Serena. Sam's life turns tragic when Isabelle dies when Serena is only 11 and Jones is 16. Sam sends Jones away and Serena is left taking care of her father.
So many years later Jones returns, Serena is still taking care of Sam, now demented, and she hopes that she and Jones can develop the land to get financially stable. But the spirits of the past turn to Trevor to save the forest and their legacy.
I really liked the Trevor character, his brilliance (I was pretty bright at his age too, wonder what happened), curious, brave, but understands his own lack of life experience. Do I believe in spirits? Sorta. I'd like to think that if I encountered powerful spirits like these, I would be open enough to hear them.
A bit of history, but more of a family connections and tragedies through generations. I liked the supposed phrase from Muir - "My peace I give unto you." A brief search did not turn it up, but at least I can go take a look at Muir's book The Mountains of California.
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