3 out of 4 stars
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Something, by Shelby Lamb, is a supernatural horror thriller that straps you into a demented merry-go-round. Aubrey, a heartbroken high schooler on the brink of suicide, desperately wants to get back with her wholesome boyfriend Nathan. She discovers a strange book called Something that carries a devastating curse: those who read it are visited by a terrifying presence which threatens to consume them. The book then spreads to other classmates, sometimes unwittingly. For Aubrey and three others, bound together by friendship, love, or hatred (including a wannabe porn star), reading the book could prove deadly.
The book is definitely a guilty pleasure. I was transfixed by the fast-paced, relentless action and could not put it down. The author takes you on a visceral ride drawing you into the characters deepest desires. You never wonder where they stand, they tend to yell it from the rafters. On the guilty side of the guilty pleasure equation, the book includes lots of sex, violence, and at least several instances of supernatural assault (in great detail) happening to characters under the age of 21. It’s as if the Dementors in the Harry Potter universe were a lot more hands.
I enjoyed the author’s attempts to show the consequences of teenagers being now more connected than ever. One of the key themes of the book is that even sworn enemies cannot easily hide from one other, and the spread of information cannot be controlled and is a kind of viral STD. The cursed book is an example of how certain things can wreak havoc among people with even the most tentative connection in real life.
What worked well in the book to hold my attention was also its downside. Emotions, reactions, and proclamations are dialed up to eleven at all times, and they sometimes verge on cartoony, as if the characters were on massive doses of Adderall. The dialogue sometimes reads as ALL CAPS. The most jarring aspect of the book is that the action does not conform to the expected audience. Virtually all the main characters and the supporting cast are high school-age. If intended as a young adult novel, it is waaay too explicit. The (many) scenes of violence, sex, profanity, and supernatural sexual assault may be too much for teen readers. If this were a movie it would get a hard R rating. If this is a book meant for adults, it feels kind of creepy to read about such extreme and disturbing situations happening to teenagers.
I rated this book 3 out of 4 stars. Even though there are some flaws, the relentless action kept me turning the page. I was always eager to find out what happens next. Fans of the genre will appreciate the author’s visceral, fast-paced world full of menace and spookiness. Just beware that this book is set in a high school environment full of grisly and terrifying mayhem.
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Something
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