Official Review: The Girl Who Cheated Death by Alan Baker
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Girl Who Cheated Death" by Alan Baker.]
[rbc=4]id400652-125[/rbc]
18-year-old Alex Drummond's whole world is turned upside down when she and her family are involved in a head-on collision, and she is the only survivor. Alex sustains a severe head injury, which impairs parts of her memory. The only thing about the accident that she can recount is a menacing creature named Azrael who summoned her loved ones to death. Alex can't seem to get that chilling encounter out of her head.
Consumed by grief, but determined to regain some sense of normalcy, she goes to live with her Uncle Rick and resumes her high school studies. Alex leans on her friends Carl and Kate for support while she attempts to put the pieces of her life back together. Things seem to be going in the right direction until she sees Azrael again. He keeps reappearing, and every time he does, someone dies. Is it possible that she can see the Angel of Death? Azrael has already taken her family, what more could he possibly want, and why does he keep stalking her?
The Girl Who Cheated Death by Alan Baker is a chilling thriller that haunted my dreams long after I had finished reading it. The book is written in the first person and follows the main character, Alex, as she grapples with two very different feelings—grief and terror.
The Girl Who Cheated Death is not for the faint of heart; the author has crafted a dark novel that is infused with terrifying revelations and a sinister villain. The writing was quite convincing and quickly had me immersed in Alex's plight. On numerous occasions, I found myself looking over my shoulder. I was convinced that something or someone was following me.
The thing that I liked most about the book was the author's ability to create memorable characters; that is what drew me in. Azrael's ominous presence sprung off the pages and sent shivers down my spine. Every time he made a haunting appearance, the hairs on the back of my neck would rise; the control he had over Alex was immeasurable. Alex described a terrifying encounter; she said, "He raised his hand perpendicular to his body, and with four fingers he motioned at me as if he were telling me to get up. I felt myself rise above the ground. I tried to turn my head, but I was paralyzed."
I also liked the fact that the book had a coming-of-age component; Alex dealt with typical teenage issues like jealousy and heartbreak throughout the story. Her relationship with Carl was a source of strength, but as the story progressed, it was often met with uncertainty. There were conflicts between Alex and best friend, Kate, regarding members of the opposite sex. This fight for ownership often led to petty arguments and bruised egos.
While it was challenging to find something that I disliked about the book, one thing that irked me was Alex's relationship with her doctor. Dr. Khan's confessions seemed to blur the lines between doctor and friend. He divulged personal information about the infidelity within his marriage and seemed to look to Alex for advice. Given the circumstances, this seemed highly inappropriate and unlikely to happen in real life.
The book was professionally written, and I did not find any spelling or grammatical errors. I chose to give the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Despite the frightening nature of the storyline, the author was able to keep the language clean, and I was impressed with the lack of profanity.
For readers who love a good scare, this book is for you! The author delivered a thrilling story complete with spooky imagery and well-developed characters. I would recommend The Girl Who Cheated Death to adult readers who are intrigued by unconventional ideas.
I would not recommend The Girl Who Cheated Death to readers who are looking for an easy read; this book is multi-layered and requires your full attention. The author takes readers on a series of twists and turns, and it could become complicated if the reader is not invested. The book deals with some weighty topics such as suicide and sexual assault, which would not be suitable for younger readers.
******
The Girl Who Cheated Death
View: on Bookshelves |
18-year-old Alex Drummond's whole world is turned upside down when she and her family are involved in a head-on collision, and she is the only survivor. Alex sustains a severe head injury, which impairs parts of her memory. The only thing about the accident that she can recount is a menacing creature named Azrael who summoned her loved ones to death. Alex can't seem to get that chilling encounter out of her head.
Consumed by grief, but determined to regain some sense of normalcy, she goes to live with her Uncle Rick and resumes her high school studies. Alex leans on her friends Carl and Kate for support while she attempts to put the pieces of her life back together. Things seem to be going in the right direction until she sees Azrael again. He keeps reappearing, and every time he does, someone dies. Is it possible that she can see the Angel of Death? Azrael has already taken her family, what more could he possibly want, and why does he keep stalking her?
The Girl Who Cheated Death by Alan Baker is a chilling thriller that haunted my dreams long after I had finished reading it. The book is written in the first person and follows the main character, Alex, as she grapples with two very different feelings—grief and terror.
The Girl Who Cheated Death is not for the faint of heart; the author has crafted a dark novel that is infused with terrifying revelations and a sinister villain. The writing was quite convincing and quickly had me immersed in Alex's plight. On numerous occasions, I found myself looking over my shoulder. I was convinced that something or someone was following me.
The thing that I liked most about the book was the author's ability to create memorable characters; that is what drew me in. Azrael's ominous presence sprung off the pages and sent shivers down my spine. Every time he made a haunting appearance, the hairs on the back of my neck would rise; the control he had over Alex was immeasurable. Alex described a terrifying encounter; she said, "He raised his hand perpendicular to his body, and with four fingers he motioned at me as if he were telling me to get up. I felt myself rise above the ground. I tried to turn my head, but I was paralyzed."
I also liked the fact that the book had a coming-of-age component; Alex dealt with typical teenage issues like jealousy and heartbreak throughout the story. Her relationship with Carl was a source of strength, but as the story progressed, it was often met with uncertainty. There were conflicts between Alex and best friend, Kate, regarding members of the opposite sex. This fight for ownership often led to petty arguments and bruised egos.
While it was challenging to find something that I disliked about the book, one thing that irked me was Alex's relationship with her doctor. Dr. Khan's confessions seemed to blur the lines between doctor and friend. He divulged personal information about the infidelity within his marriage and seemed to look to Alex for advice. Given the circumstances, this seemed highly inappropriate and unlikely to happen in real life.
The book was professionally written, and I did not find any spelling or grammatical errors. I chose to give the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Despite the frightening nature of the storyline, the author was able to keep the language clean, and I was impressed with the lack of profanity.
For readers who love a good scare, this book is for you! The author delivered a thrilling story complete with spooky imagery and well-developed characters. I would recommend The Girl Who Cheated Death to adult readers who are intrigued by unconventional ideas.
I would not recommend The Girl Who Cheated Death to readers who are looking for an easy read; this book is multi-layered and requires your full attention. The author takes readers on a series of twists and turns, and it could become complicated if the reader is not invested. The book deals with some weighty topics such as suicide and sexual assault, which would not be suitable for younger readers.
******
The Girl Who Cheated Death
View: on Bookshelves |
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