Author. Engineer. Officer. Overachiever.
PLOT SYNOPSIS
Legend has it a ghost haunts the halls of Baker High School. Abel Fry, a student with a tragic past, was just a story until his apparition began cursing students at the school. In an effort to solve this mystery before panic begins, Elijah and Elisha Springfield and their parents are called upon to unravel the dark secrets behind the apparition and find the truth behind it all.
Series: Veritas Project (1 of 2)
Age Recommendation: 13+
Warning: Scenes of bullying and violence and themes of disturbing topics including suicide
Faith Based: Yes
ISBN: 979-15955-4445-2
Overall
Characters
Story/Plot
Writing
Setting
Consistency
THE BOTTOM LINE
This supernatural mystery is exciting and thought provoking and packs some pretty good twists and turns along the way.
THOUGHTS…
Hangman’s Curse is a twisting thrill-ride through the underbelly of a high school which has a dark secret. The concept of the series is interesting and while it is a bit of a stretch to think it might happen in real life, it is about what one would expect from a book targeted at teens. The storyline itself is engaging, tapping into elements of supernatural thrillers, suspense, and just a tinge of horror to keep the reader engrossed for the whole trip. This immersion is benefited by the writing mechanics which have the odd issue here or there but mostly serve to embroil the reader in the story’s conflict. Two noted weaknesses of the writing are that the dialogue can be a bit juvenile at times and the book can feel a tad preachy when it tries to push its message (sometimes messages which are only tangentially related to the main plot of the book, although they are a cornerstone of the series itself). The characters are also a bit less developed than I like which makes sense as this novel is more focused on the plot and action. And the action is where it shines, being atypical, memorable, and interesting. A few disturbing images, brief depictions of witchcraft, and thematic elements including suicide make this material unsuitable for extremely young audiences. Nevertheless, the paranormal themes, the twists and turns, and the final climax make for a great story which I would recommend for both teens and young adults.
RANTS AND RAMBLES (SPOILER WARNING)
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