Book Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 stars)
We all feared the boogeyman in under our beds, in our closets, and in our basements growing up. Usually we outgrow them.
But what if we shouldn’t have? What if they’re real?
For Gregory and his sister Imogen, that’s exactly the case when a monster in hood appears from a mysterious door in their basement. The monster takes Imogen, and leaves Gregory in a state of utter distraught. In a quest for answers, he discovers the secrets of his town, and with the help of a local young man named Trent, sets out to destroy the monster that took his sister.
A suspenseful read from the start, Jonathan Pongratz wheels us into the world of a headstrong, caring 13-year old. The beginning ticks away like Gregory’s fear, and within the first two chapters, ends with a bang. The imagery makes it easy to visualize the house where Gregory lives, as well as the monster when it emerges from the door.
That being said, after the first two chapters, the story begins to fall short. Part of this is due to the short nature of the novella making some of it feel incomplete. As is often the case with novellas, this one leaves the feel of being a prologue to something bigger. That can work in some cases, but in this case, it almost felt like something was missing. Perhaps it was due to the one-sided nature of all the characters, or the fact that the twists were somewhat expected. I can’t quite put my finger on it though.
That being said, it’s definitely a fun and quick horror novel that is well written and entertaining. It is reminiscent of many horror movies and if you want a spooky read, it’ll definitely be worth your time.
What’s it about?
Gregory and his little sister Imogen love spending Halloween with their parents. But this year is different. If he proves he can take care of Imogen all by himself, he’ll finally have the allowance he’s dreamed of.
That was before the basement door opened on its own. Before the strange door appeared in the basement and Imogen was taken from him by the monster.
Now everyone in town is blaming him for her disappearance, but no one is listening to his story. Where did the door come from? What was that creature? And most of all, can he find his sister before it’s too late, or will he bury his memories of her along with his parents?
E.S. Barrison 