House of whispers

Unexplainable events begin in this story set in the mystical city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and an otherworldly place, the Dreaming, where anything is possible.A rift has opened in the Dreaming. Matthew the raven is sent to find the Lord of Dreams. Along the way, Matthew crosses paths with four black girlsLatoya, Maggie, Lumi, and Habibias they walk along the pier. Habibi is upset that her sister, Latoya, is dating Maggie and throws the alligator necklace that Maggie gifted her into the nearby water. The pendant sinks and morphs into Uncle Monday, who is saved by Mistress Erzulie Freda Dahomey, Voodoo deity of love and glamour. Meanwhile, Shakpana, another god, has forcefully possessed Latoya, trapping her soul in the Dreaming and turning her into the living dead. Erzulie and Uncle Monday are yanked from her world into the Dreaming with Shakpana after summoning him. As Erzulie tries to escape the Dreaming, she must also figure out how to stop the spread of Shakpana's living dead plague and contain the other deities that live within her. Readers unfamiliar with the Sandman Universe may be confused by parts of this narrative, however the characters are the highlight of the story and will keep readers engaged. Illustrations of the Dreaming are bright and lush in contrast to the darkness plaguing New Orleans. Characters are ethnically diverse and differently abled.Despite the perplexing plot, this has a promising future. (Graphic fantasy. 16-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.