My Review: Overall: 1 out of 5 Cover: 3 out of 5 ***Disclaimer: These views are my own opinion. I will always recommend people to read the novel and form their own opinion.*** Duane is given an assignment to write about the local legend of the Beast of Black Pond and the mysterious disappearances. The teacher warns the boy to be careful as the place is blocked off due to it being dangerous. Here is my first problem with this story. What teacher in their right mind would tell their student to investigate a place blocked off to keep people safe? None that I would let my children go to school and learn from. It was unbelievable and unrealistic. Duane would be better off doing internet and library research and then out of curiosity want to see what the legend was about. Second, the beast seemed restrained to a single place. If the solution to save his life was to stay away from Black Pond, why wouldn't Duane do it? Why do back and subject himself to numerous accounts of terror? It didn't make sense. Once again, the fatal flaw in this story is the overwhelming amount of detail given to the bullying. This will be the last title I review by this author. I am sorry but the bullying is given too much care over the actual storyline. As a middle grade, reminding some school-age kids of the daily struggle they have when a book should provide a form of escape is beyond my comprehension. I felt no connection to the characters, the world had little to no build to it and the final confrontation with the supposed monster was minute at best. I do appreciate the cover. It was much better than the others in this series. It gave a bit more of a suspenseful and creepy feeling. I sincerely hope future titles are given more care to the plot instead of the minutiae of the details. Horror is supposed to illicit a feel of terror, hopelessness and I am not seeing that in any of these stories.
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AuthorMy name is Iona Caldwell. I'm the author of the British Occult Fiction, Beneath London's Fog set to be published by FyreSyde Publishing October 2019. When I'm not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, I'm spending time out in nature. I love books. My biggest inspirations are H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allen Poe. I blog about many things but mostly everything bookish. Archives
August 2019
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