Grief can make you do crazy things. In Nancy Springer’s Possessing Jessie, crazy only begins to describe the things that grief drives high school senior Jessie Ressler to do. After a car accident takes her younger brother, Jessie, feeling accountable for the accident, puts on his clothes one day. Then, she cuts her hair and adopts his voice. His attitude and his thoughts come next. As Jessie slowly becomes Jason, one question creepily emerges. Who truly died that night: Jason or Jessie? 

The situation is a hard one for everyone, but it’s especially hard to read how their mom is affected by the accident. For Jessie, impersonating Jason is something she has to do to keep her mom happy. It’s the only thing that will get her smiling again. The second she’s simply Jessie, a grieving sister, her mom shuts off again. She doesn’t eat, doesn’t talk, and barely even looks at her daughter. 

The novel becomes a more difficult read as Jessie loses herself. Despite her insistence, nothing is in her control and no one—including her best friend Alisha and school staff—seems to be able to pull her back to herself. 

Throughout the story, there’s a dreadful sense that as much as one can hope for a happy ending, for someone to get through to Jessie, all efforts are in vain. The pacing of the story is steady initially, but rapidly picks up as everything spirals out of control. 

Possessing Jessie ended on a too-abrupt, cliffhanger note that left much to be desired. However, it is an eerie, horror thriller of grief, hysteria, and paranormal elements that makes it suitable for the Halloween spirit.