Review: Chilling and Mystifying
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 20, 2011
Reading Savita Kalhan's The Long Weekend is like watching the latest chilling and mystifying thriller movie, as not only is it a freighting read, but it's one that will keep nearly any reader- from middle-grade to adult- clinging to the page, waiting to know what will happen next, while these two boys land themselves in one colossal mess.Sam knows his newest friend Lloyd and he should never have gotten into the black shinny car that Friday afternon, but it was raining, cold, and chilly waiting there by the school. In addition, there were so many cool things in the car- movies, CDs, as much junk food as any young boy could eat. However, now he is in the scariest position he has ever been in. Locked in a big mansion with Lloyd and a petrifying man in black, he knows he has to get them out of there if he ever wants to the light of day. Will he be able to? Will he come out unharmed, or will everything lead to the worst death imaginable?In The Long Weekend, Savita introduces a duo of two unique yet stereotypical tween boys. Sam and Lloyd are both easy to like and root for, and I feel many teen boys will be able to root for Sam's desire to be strong, and Lloyd's fight to keep hope in the most dangerous of situations. More importantly, their friendship is fully fleshed out in a way that it not only plays an important part in the book, but also leads to yet another part of the book I adored.As mentioned before, the premise of this is frightening to no end. However, what it makes it even more so is how situations like these do happen to kids all the time in real life- they make the wrong decision, get in the car with the wrong person, and end up fighting for their life. Better yet, Savita does not sugar coat the situation. Instead she makes it realistic to the point that it leaves an impact on the reader as well as an important message.In addition, Savita's writing was also quite good. I thought she did an excellent job of fleshing the plot lines as well as the characters and there feeling out given the book's short length. Lastly, I really liked how realistic the ending was- it was happy but it still taught a lesson so to say to Lloyd, Sam, and hopefully the reader, and that is all I will say about that.The Long Weekend is perfect for readers- avid and reluctant alike- looking for a fast-paced book to get lost in- one that while contains not only shock and intrigue but a great underlying lying message as well.Grade: B+