Eating disorder
The main focus of the novel, despite its haunting title and atmosphere, is Miranda's eating disorder. One might say it is the most disturbing part as well. Miranda suffers from an eating disorder called pica, which makes her reject regular food, and pushes her to eat things like chalk, dirt or plastic. The progression of the illness and Miranda's struggle to appease to her father by eating the food he made for her, even her father's fear and determination to prepare anything that might make her overcome this illness, make for a sad, emotionally haunting and disturbing experience. Understated descriptions of the effects of the disorder, like the intense pain Miranda experiences, her nonchalant descriptions of the objects she eats as something that is only harder to digest, as well as the descriptions of her physical appearance of hollow eyes, sharp bones, and clothes fitting her loosely, makes this thematic exploration of this disorder in the novel that much disturbingly effective and worthy of deep consideration.
Blood relations-inability to find ones own voice
What stands behind the haunting of Miranda and Elliot's family home? As the novel progresses we get to know that the ghosts of the house are their ancestors, mother and grandmothers, particularly focused on Miranda. The house becomes an entity in itself, with her mother and grandmothers, calling to Miranda, making it impossible for her to leave. Miranda often states that she doesn't see herself when she looks into the mirror, but them. The main theme behind the supernatural elements is the theme of heritage, blood relations and Miranda's inability to break free from the image of her mother, her grandmother, her great-grandmother even to find her own voice and to be an individual for herself. It shows how damaging this inability of separation can be portrayed literally through the disorder Miranda inherited, through to the end of the novel where Miranda becomes literally lost and ends up a ghost of the house.
