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A review by wordsofapaige
Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
TW// graphic animal deaths, reports of child abuse, suicide.
Whisper Down the Lane is a book I read in under 24 hours. It captured me and didn't let me go until the very end. There's this sense of not knowing what is real and what isn't, with just hints of what might be the truth throughout. I didn't experience the Satanic Panic, but there's still this sense that it could very easily happen in the real world. That fear and paranoia mixed with biases could twist a narrative and create evil where there is none. Whisper Down the Lane is based on true events, and it really gives it a very real foundation.
I didn't see the ending coming at all. I saw a few other reviewers saying that they'd guessed at it but I was completely and utterly blindsided by the reveal. To be honest I'm still not sure how people guessed it, but perhaps if I re-read it I'd figure it out. I wasn't overly impressed with the ending but I did like that the threads were all pulled together and things were explained.
I liked the dual narrative. In Sean's narrative I kept forgetting he was meant to be a young child, but this isn't a bad thing. It was an engaging and unsettling portion of the book to read, as it comes across pretty early that he's being unwittingly manipulated. I'd argue that none of the adults in this book are perfect, and if anything they're incredibly flawed and cause the events of the book to happen. Richard is also presents an interesting parallel to the events in Sean's parts, as he begins to experience the same thing Sean's teachers did.
This book is fast-paced and unputdownable. While the ending might not have worked for me I think it will for others, and the build up to that moment is worth reading the book for. I flew through this and it's definitely a read if you're interested in the satanic panic.
Whisper Down the Lane is a book I read in under 24 hours. It captured me and didn't let me go until the very end. There's this sense of not knowing what is real and what isn't, with just hints of what might be the truth throughout. I didn't experience the Satanic Panic, but there's still this sense that it could very easily happen in the real world. That fear and paranoia mixed with biases could twist a narrative and create evil where there is none. Whisper Down the Lane is based on true events, and it really gives it a very real foundation.
I didn't see the ending coming at all. I saw a few other reviewers saying that they'd guessed at it but I was completely and utterly blindsided by the reveal. To be honest I'm still not sure how people guessed it, but perhaps if I re-read it I'd figure it out. I wasn't overly impressed with the ending but I did like that the threads were all pulled together and things were explained.
I liked the dual narrative. In Sean's narrative I kept forgetting he was meant to be a young child, but this isn't a bad thing. It was an engaging and unsettling portion of the book to read, as it comes across pretty early that he's being unwittingly manipulated. I'd argue that none of the adults in this book are perfect, and if anything they're incredibly flawed and cause the events of the book to happen. Richard is also presents an interesting parallel to the events in Sean's parts, as he begins to experience the same thing Sean's teachers did.
This book is fast-paced and unputdownable. While the ending might not have worked for me I think it will for others, and the build up to that moment is worth reading the book for. I flew through this and it's definitely a read if you're interested in the satanic panic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Child abuse
Moderate: Suicide