Laura Kasischke

“Kasischke’s writing does what good poetry does—it shows us an alternate world and lulls us into living in it . . . The language catapults us into another plane of existence, one of facade and reflection.” —New York Times Book Review “Haunting, unsettling, and unforgettable, The Raising limns love, longing, belonging and the things we only think we know about life—and yes, death.” —Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You From Laura Kasischke, the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of In a Perfect World and The Life Before Her Eyes, comes a hypnotic mystery about one girl’s tragic death and the fallout that occurs on her closely-knit college campus. Part Stephen King, part Donna Tartt, and wholly unforgettable , Kasischke’s The Raising sets a new standard for hair-raising literary suspense.

A Novel

The Raising

Nejma Selma

Kasischke has mastered the art of great description and fleshes out her story with vivid, cinematic detail. The entrancing plot is enriched by different vantage points—characterization is one of Kasischke’s strengths—and a multiplicity of timelines propel the narrative forward with elegant complexity. 

The language of ‘The Raising’ is delicate, deliberate and beautiful, leaving no doubt as to Kasischke’s mastery of her craft. Chapter after chapter, the narrative she weaves elicits a growing sense of excitement and curiosity, often tinted with eeriness and dread (certain parts of the book are genuinely frightening). 

Though ‘The Raising’ is undoubtedly a page-turner, it occasionally suffers from poorly written dialogue (seriously, who describes someone as ‘strong but [with] slender limbs’?) and a rushed ending.


death. In Godwin Honors Hall, the walls are draped in black. The college is in mourning for Nicole Werner, a blonde and beautiful prom queen who died in a car crash last semester. She was a prized member of the Virgin Sisters, the most powerful sorority on campus. obsession. Nicole's boyfriend Craig was at the wheel that night. He has no memory of the crash, but he is plagued by guilt. For as winter sets in and the nights darken, Nicole's death dominates college life - and then the hauntings begin. suspicion. Craig's roommate, Perry, doesn't believe in ghosts. He always thought Nicole was as manipulative as she was charming, and refuses to be swept up in the hysteria. But when he and his fellow sceptics join forces, he too sees Nicole's spirit in the crumbling college halls...

The Raising A Novel

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