McCormick, known for issue-oriented realism, offers a fictionalized retelling of Chorn-Pond's youth for older readers. The childhood of Arn Chorn-Pond has been captured for young readers before, in Michelle Lord and Shino Arihara's picture book, A Song for Cambodia (2008). Major characters are White.Īn eerie thriller reminiscent of summer horror movies that will keep readers on edge.Ī harrowing tale of survival in the Killing Fields. While the strong buildup of action comes late, it leads to a shockingly satisfying finale. Discussions of adulthood, trauma, and recovery are subtle and realistic, but acts of sexism and machismo aren’t fully analyzed. Similarly, Esme’s first-person point of view allows for increased tension and action as well as offering insight into her emotional and mental well-being. The slow buildup of suspense and the use of classic horror elements contrast with lighthearted camp activities, bonding with new friends, and budding romance.
Paranoia and fear soon cause Esme and Kayla to revisit their ominous secret and realize that nobody in the camp can be trusted. But when a threatening message appears, Esme and Kayla realize the secret they’ve kept hidden for nearly a decade is no longer safe. An intuitive 17-year-old, Esme is ready to jump in and teach her cute little campers. Even Andy, their straight-laced supervisor, can’t dampen their excitement, especially after they meet the crushworthy Olly and Jake. Two teens with a dark secret return to their old summer camp.Ĭhildhood friends Esme and Kayla can’t wait to return to Camp Pine Lake as counselors-in-training, ready to try everything they couldn’t do when they were younger: find cute boys, stay up late, and sneak out after hours. Showalter has created a promising playground for future story installments. The climax is rushed, especially when compared to the pacing of the first act of the story, but action-packed.
While using an Alice in Wonderland motif and established survival/horror video game staples (such as a gradually revealed journal written in code), Showalter creates an original zombie mythology and a completely new set of rules for the monsters to follow, as covered by the sometimes-clunky exposition. The obligatory love triangle never threatens the main love story, but at least Ali’s friendships with other characters, especially her quirky new best friend Kat, are interesting. As if being chased by slobbering, decaying dead things wasn’t enough, Ali also navigates well-meaning if out-of-touch grandparents and the tension between her new social group and the rough crowd (more specifically, Ali’s interested in its leader, Cole Holland). Now living with her grandparents and starting a new school, Ali-she eschews her old name due to memories, grief and survivor’s guilt-can’t build a new life while being followed by her father’s demons.
But after a terrible car accident kills Alice’s family, she begins to see the undead, too. Alice Bell has never been an ordinary girl-she’s never been allowed outside after dark courtesy of her paranoid father and the monsters he sees everywhere.
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