“Don’t leave the street, they can’t get you it you don’t leave the street.”
Christopher and his mother have just moved to a small town, escaping from their past. Young Christopher starts at a new school and is waiting for his mother to pick him up when he is mysteriously being called into the woods. Upon investigating, Christopher gets lost in the woods for 6 days with no recollection of any of it, just the knowledge that something terrible is going to happen to the town and he is the only one who can stop it.
Ok I really loved this book. Like, really, really loved it.... at first.
I listened to the audio which I found to be so compelling. I finished this 700 page book within 3 days. It genuinely was scary, especially listening to the audio. It touched on a type of horror that would give anyone the chills.
I know, everyone that writes a horror has gained inspiration from the King himself, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was reading a Stephen King novel! I drew too many comparisons to not think otherwise. I must say, it was a lot easier to read and very well done. I really loved Christopher and his mother and was genuinely worried for them throughout the book.
I’m going to put a lot of what I thought into a blog post, because it isn’t long enough to fit in here but I wasn’t surprised by the theme reveal at the end, I could see it coming but maybe that’s what happens after reading similar stories by SK. I was a little let down towards the end and felt like it super dragged for a while. I think I need to think on it more but I know it didn’t need to be 700 pages long. I’m still rating it 4 stars as the writing was truly mesmerising, the characters were amazing and the story was addicting. Think along the lines of, Freddy Kruger meet Stranger Things meet IT meet The Stand!
I know that any time I get a tickle on my ear or my neck or absent mindly scratch myself I’m going to think it could be any of these “imaginary friends”