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spacecomics's review
5.0
Outstanding young adult novel. While taking pictures along the river for a school project, Charlie becomes intrigued by an elusive, strange animal and a weird, bullied younger boy. Charlie senses a connection as he attempts to protect both, and hints of something supernatural enhance the suspense. A page-turner.
bahlamber's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
This book was not AT ALL what I expected. Reading the description I was fully expecting pseudo- horror/thriller. In the beginning there is a lot of suspense and tension as you first meet the characters. Charlie is a young photographer in a school camera club who, while snapping photos for a class assignment, captures an intriguing shot of a rare animal’s wake in the local river. Befriending a newcomer, Jennifer, Charlie begins to notice a reclusive boy with an intense stare who turns out to be Jennifer’s brother, Peter. Strange things seem to keep happening around Peter despite the fact that he doesn’t seem to be doing anything but staring causing the other kids to dub him “Evil Eye”.
I got a bit frustrated that there seemed to be a build up preparing for something that would never quite happen. Slowly, you start to realize that Peter seems to be an outcast everywhere and with everyone, including his own family. Not only do they all treat him horribly, further feeding the tension (because why are they being so hostile to him????), but after an incident with Charlie’s cousin, Zoe, you start to suspect that all is not what it seems.
As hostilities towards Peter become increasingly more violent, Charlie feels compassion for him and they start an unlikely friendship with one another. You start to realize that Peter is really just a quiet, odd boy that’s quite harmless, who’s being constantly bullied by family, teachers, and schoolmates alike.
That’s when the anger kicked in for me. Not only do the accusations become more and more ridiculous (predominately from that little twat Zoe
I got a bit frustrated that there seemed to be a build up preparing for something that would never quite happen. Slowly, you start to realize that Peter seems to be an outcast everywhere and with everyone, including his own family. Not only do they all treat him horribly, further feeding the tension (because why are they being so hostile to him????), but after an incident with Charlie’s cousin, Zoe, you start to suspect that all is not what it seems.
As hostilities towards Peter become increasingly more violent, Charlie feels compassion for him and they start an unlikely friendship with one another. You start to realize that Peter is really just a quiet, odd boy that’s quite harmless, who’s being constantly bullied by family, teachers, and schoolmates alike.
That’s when the anger kicked in for me. Not only do the accusations become more and more ridiculous (predominately from that little twat Zoe
jeyz's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jlrmac's review
British suspense-fantasy revolving around a 9th grade photographer, the river, & a mysterious, sinister youngster
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