The quick cut: A boy returns to boarding school with his twin sister for his final year when his closest friend acts strangely and his sister keeps her distance.
A real review:
Everyone has their preferred social scene, whether it be packed with people or more intimate. If the person you loved spending time with suddenly started avoiding you or acting odd, how would you react? This is the reality for Andrew.
Andrew has always been the type to prefer staying in his head than being with others - that is, until Thomas appeared in his life. While Andrew enjoys writing creepy fairytales, it's Thomas who draws them. With twin sister Dove, these three have always been a close trio. Now in their final year, Dove has become oddly distant and Thomas is showing up with blood on his shirt and running to the first alone. What is going on with the people in Andrew's life?
This book really leans into its dark and creepy vibe throughout the entire tale. Truthfully, I'm surprised how dark it got and by the end, it definitely left me feeling off balance. That unsettling feeling will be with me a long time. While it certainly achieved its goal as a book, some elements of the story make no sense.
A significant part of the plot here revolves around Andrew and Thomas' nightmarish creatures coming to life. While Andrew writes the story, Thomas draws them and it's Thomas' renditions that appear to be coming to life. I can't say I would know how to deal with this situation, but for how close these two boys are, you'd think that he wouldn't hide it from Andrew.
Andrew is a shell of a man while his sister is bright and full of life. They are written to be opposites and yet I kept hoping for more time with Dove. Andrew has a darkness that he can't seem to escape and it's left to the reader to wonder why he's that way.
Thomas brought Andrew to life in many ways. Before he showed up, Andrew was uninterested in the life outside his mind. Seeing Thomas interact with him, it's clear these two have more passion than just friends. If only we got to experience that in their chemistry as well.
A spooky story that leaves you with questions.
My rating: 4 out of 5
Comments