I was actually surprised to discover that this book has gotten a lot of negative reviews. I personally really liked it. Maybe it’s not the absolute best book I’ve ever read, but that’s not really the point. It’s a good story, I liked the characters and it certainly had chills crawling down my spine!
Plot Overview
Sixteen year old Dan goes to a summer school program, located at a former Asylum, which has been -mostly- re-done.
Dan quickly befriends two other students, Abby and Jordan. Some slightly odd things start happening and the three of them decide to go exploring. They start uncovering some mysteries and soon discover that this wasn’t just any Asylum, and it’s no coincidence that the three of them ended up there when they did, together.
Some secrets just weren’t meant to be kept.
My Thoughts
Characters
The main character Dan was a bit of an odd one, I’m not going to lie, but I think that’s why I liked him so much. He had a very interesting personality for sure. His relationship with his two new friends was very interesting as well. They act as though they have a bit of a pre-existing connection, which some may see as poor writing, but I see it for what I think it really is – foreshadowing.
Abby was quite likable. I think she was very intriguing and had a very strong personality. You don’t always see strong, opinionated female characters when there is already a male lead.
I do wish we saw more of Jordan, the third member of the trio. Even though he was a main character, he wasn’t always very present. He was a real interesting guy as well, and I would have liked more insight into him. Perhaps we will see more of him in the sequel, which I have yet to read.
Overall I found the characters to be very interesting. They were fairly well written, and although I sometimes thought they didn’t quite act their age and they said some strange things, it didn’t ruin the story. They were still relatable and believable for sure.
Development
I actually think both the character and plot development in this story was pretty good. There were a lot of dynamic characters, Dan and Abby being good examples. There were even some smaller characters that you saw grow and change a little bit. While fairly simple until you near the end, I think the plot is well executed. It held my interest and there were actually a LOT of twists that I did not see coming.
A lot of reviews and comments I’ve read online say that the writing was too boring and simple, and the idea/plot was unoriginal and predictable. I disagree. I found the writing to be just fine, and while a haunted asylum is not an original idea, the way this story develops and ultimately ends is something I can’t say I’ve seen before. The cool thing about it too, is that there are clues placed throughout. Could one guess exactly what was happening? Maybe not, but once I finished the story, I thought back to a lot of things that suddenly made sense. I’ve yet to read it through a second time, but I do want to. I love reading or watching something a second time and finding all the clues and foreshadowing that I never would have thought to look for the first time around.
Conclusion
Not the most complex read for sure, but this is a solid read for thriller/horror fans. Creepy enough, and a little humorous and light-hearted in places, it’s very enjoyable. The characters are very interesting and I really liked getting to know them as the story progressed. The ending is not something I would have guessed, which is definitely the way I like my endings. There wasn’t an obvious set up for a sequel, but there is one, which I am looking forward to reading. That being said, it works as a stand-alone. All in all, a solid novel that I don’t think is getting enough positive attention.
Want to Read?
You can pick up a copy from Amazon by clicking the image below! They offer hardcover, softcover as well as e-book versions.
Leave a Reply