Reviews

I am shocked by how far in quality this series dropped. I shouldn't be because it happens all the time. Nevertheless, I did not see it coming. This felt underwritten by a mile, rushed, and unsatisfying pretty much in every single way. The worst part is Empty Smiles is just as bad so I can't even comfort myself with the knowledge that, at the very least, the series finale was good.

The set-up is strong. Following the formula of each kid getting a book to shore up their insecurities, this book is anchored to Brian this time. Brian is feeling inadequate in the face of his perceived failure to help in Dead Voices. He hopes that the boat trip will give him an opportunity to prove his worth as he's the only one with any experience on a boat. Joining them is new-ishcomer Phil, Brian's former friend, who they soon learn, unlike they previously thought, has memories of the incident in Small Spaces. Inevitably, the Smiling Man decides to cause mischief in the form of a mysterious lake creature. They end up marooned on an island beyond the fog with Ollie's father fading fast and a ghost closing in.

This is where everything begins to go down hill.

One of the major conflicts running through this book into Empty Smiles is whether or not the kids should inform their parents of what has been happening to them. Ollie is firmly against it. Coco is firmly for it. Brian is on the fence leaning more towards keeping quiet, therefore the three agree not to say anything.

On the island, it's clear that Ollie is hiding something. It's heavily implied her mother is trying to get her to tell - a microcosm of the larger issue. While they have had arguments before this is the first time they've had one that is this contentious. Ollie and Coco are diametrically opposed and emphatic to boot. Both make good points. Both are correct in their own way. Compromise is impossible because you can't take back telling someone something. In a way, the island is a test run. Ollie's father is out of it, but Coco's mother is there. Can she be trusted? Can she handle the truth? If she can, does that extend to the other parents or is she an exception? There was some great tension to build on that could have furthered the character relationships, solidified previous character development and set the stage for the final showdown.

The problem is that to preserve the twist at the end, Arden chooses to totally cut Ollie out of the story to its detriment. Once they reach the island, you have no idea what is going on with Ollie which totally severs the underlying dispute at its inception. Not only that it means forcing the other characters to act out of character to maintain the secrecy.

Brian mentions several times that Ollie is acting shady yet he never tries to confront her. Coco's point of view is largely absent this time around so we don't know if she noticed for certain, but still I have a hard time believing either of them after all they've been through wouldn't see the weirdness of her behavior. It makes no sense that one of them wouldn't have called her out or aside especially when it was obvious she knew more than she let on. More than that, not getting any insight into Ollie's thought process was bizarre given how crucial she is to the series overall. She's absolutely the heart of these tales. The Smiling Man hates all of them, but she is special. It was weird to have her so far removed.

The ending works perfectly fine as a cliffhanger without all the subterfuge. I'd argue it'd be more compelling if Ollie was working hard to not have to do what the Smiling Man wanted only to fail anyways. It heightens the stakes and emphasizes the danger of the Smiling Man. The idea that he's merely been toying with them all long is a terrifying concept.

The ghost in this was boring. The mystery surrounding it fell flat particularly because I kept wondering when we were going to get around to Ollie. It didn't feel significant to the ongoing plot, it tacked on. It was purely a distraction to keep the three kids away from Ollie. Technically in-story that is exactly what it was, but out of story I could see the strings so I was annoyed. It also gave the impression that Brian was not good enough to hold his own against a real ghostly encounter so he needed a ghost on easy mode in order to win.

Phil brings absolutely nothing to the table. His plot point about not trusting the others and suffering for months alone with his memories since Brian abruptly cut him off in favor of the girls is abandoned quickly as he needs to be able to function easily in the group now that Ollie isn't here. He is there to be Ollie's stand-in and nothing else. Arden needed him for a purpose so here he is. Whether or not he was an interesting character did not seem to cross her mind. His uncle literally dies on this trip and Phil is over it in two seconds. Anything that could have served as a barrier to the three becoming the bestest of friends was obliterated instantly.

All of the problems present in this book carry over to the next. Having read the final book I believe a lot of this could have been solved if it was combined with Dark Waters rather than left to stand on its own. Honestly, unless you're really jonesing to know the details I'd recommend skipping to Empty Smiles.