A quick, fast paced, under-300-pages novel about the harm of toxic cycles set against the backdrop of a creepy cult in a small, small town and the courage needed to break these cycles, Sklya Arndt finds a way to weave this perfectly themed story, just in time for Autumn - or in other words, "spooky season."
I really enjoyed that the cult was "right" in the existence of the literal seed and the demon, instead of it simply being a metaphor for mental illness. I also really liked the fact that this is a horror/thriller meant for an audience being about the characters ages (aka young adult), allowing for "dumb teenager horror movie vibe mistakes" (such as a phone going off when trying to hide from the murderous cult in the church at night - looking at you Wil) without, say, an audience of adult readers groaning and grumbling about the stupid teens.
Now, not that I've read all that many horror novels nor seen all that many tv shows or movies in that same genre, I do get the feeling that many end in one of two extremes - either horribly, with the "bad guys" winning, or overly happy, specifically unrealistically so. Instead, Skyla Arndt allows for a bittersweet ending. This book is definitely more of an unsettling, creepy, atmospheric, gothic horror than any sort of terrifying slasher horror, so if you're looking for a read along the lines of the latter, this one would not be for you.
The commentary on cycles of abuse and the courage needed to break them was fascinating in the genre (and I can't help but mention that I felt really... happy? when the Clarke patriarch died - without giving too much away.) I knocked this down one star due to my struggle to emotionally connect with the characters, otherwise this was a wonderful YA gothic, atmospheric horror.
I really enjoyed that the cult was "right" in the existence of the literal seed and the demon, instead of it simply being a metaphor for mental illness. I also really liked the fact that this is a horror/thriller meant for an audience being about the characters ages (aka young adult), allowing for "dumb teenager horror movie vibe mistakes" (such as a phone going off when trying to hide from the murderous cult in the church at night - looking at you Wil) without, say, an audience of adult readers groaning and grumbling about the stupid teens.
Now, not that I've read all that many horror novels nor seen all that many tv shows or movies in that same genre, I do get the feeling that many end in one of two extremes - either horribly, with the "bad guys" winning, or overly happy, specifically unrealistically so. Instead, Skyla Arndt allows for a bittersweet ending. This book is definitely more of an unsettling, creepy, atmospheric, gothic horror than any sort of terrifying slasher horror, so if you're looking for a read along the lines of the latter, this one would not be for you.
The commentary on cycles of abuse and the courage needed to break them was fascinating in the genre (and I can't help but mention that I felt really... happy? when the Clarke patriarch died - without giving too much away.) I knocked this down one star due to my struggle to emotionally connect with the characters, otherwise this was a wonderful YA gothic, atmospheric horror.