Review: Good for Halloween.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 23, 2014
I received a free copy in order to review it honestly.First, let's get the bad stuff out of the way:I was struck by how unnatural the dialogue went. Unless English is one's second language or they're being emphatic, it's good to use contractions. The characters are Aussie and they kept saying things like "I am good... I am unsure... I am scared..."The main characters go straight from the hospital to the house and we're told the marriage is on the rocks. They go to the house to spend time alone together. This is a perfect case where we are told and not shown. I feel as though transitional scenes are missing. For example, a really awkward moment would have been bringing Jake home and him having a fit when some neighbor's kid kicks a ball against the wall and he blows his lid with all the neighbors watching, or something like that... (I'm aware that people with head injuries develop temper problems.)Telling the story in the 1st person is not that effective. Maybe 3rd person would have been better.There's a few issues with misplaced or missing commas and periods, one place with a repeat word ("me me"). Hyphens are an author's best friend. But nothing too jarring.When somebody has a gun to your face, it's not logical to laugh. In the movies, tough guys get sarcastic but it doesn't work with a father of one girl.Another transitional moment is lost in the epilogue. We could have been treated to a nice walking scene on a beach, where everything is just peachy. Instead, a bunch of information is dumped on us.Now for the good:The book title and cover piqued my interest.I like how the story starts with a newspaper article (just like Stephen King's Carrie!). It sets the location right away (Sydney) and the made-up article is believably written.The dream sequences are well-written. They are written in the impersonal voice, a good thing because when you're really dreaming, things happen that don't make sense but we just accept them.The child screaming about an old man in the beginning sets the stage well for trouble.The story keeps you guessing about who the real culprit is. The cottage scene made me question Ben's sanity.The scariest part is the issue with the cupboard and I will think twice about bringing home an antique piece of furniture.