Formats: Print, digital
Blurb:
| Ladies and gentlemen, the show is about to begin… All Laura Fitzpatrick wanted to do was tell her lab partner, Maddie, how she really feels about her, but when a perfect opportunity falls into her lap, Laura does what she does best – chickens out. Then, Laura is dared to check out the abandoned carnival grounds outside of town, and she seizes the opportunity to prove to herself and others that she can be brave after all. To her surprise, Maddie isn’t about to let her go alone. As they explore the eerie property, they’re thrust into an endless night of terror, where danger lurks around every corner. With a century-old mystery waiting to be uncovered, Laura must learn what true bravery means if she hopes to get herself – and Maddie – out of the Plum Creek Carnival alive. Whatever you do, don't let the Carnival Man see you... |
Oh Sarah McKnight, you had me at sapphic horror set in a
creepy carnival.
Laura is an introverted highschooler riddled with anxiety
and self-doubt. Instead of staying home watching horror movies (a girl after my
own heart) she forces herself out of her comfort zone and attends a Halloween
party hoping to run into her crush, Maddie. Even with her social battery almost
completely depleted, Laura ends up staying for a game of Truth or Dare and a
chance to confess her feelings. But when she’s dared to make out with Maddie in
front of her classmates, Laura chickens out and instead chooses to go to the
town’s old, abandoned carnival grounds for her dare. Maddie, a fan of urbex, volunteers
to go with her. Will this be Laura’s chance to confess? Well, it’s a horror
story, so of course it goes badly. The moment the two share a kiss on the
carousel, they’re ripped into a reality outside of time where they, along with
the other teens trapped there, are continuously hunted by the enigmatic
Carnival Man.
Maddie is Laura’s opposite. She’s outgoing, adventurous, and
is perfectly happy to visit a creepy, abandoned park, despite Laura’s
misgivings. Interestingly, while initially appearing to be the braver of the
two, Maddie is the first to give up when the two girls are trapped in the
carnival, and Laura is forced to take charge. Laura does her best to find
solutions that will allow them to escape their magical prison, while Maddie
does her best to be supportive while not truly believing they’ll ever escape.
The other teens trapped there are also hesitant to encourage Laura, as most of
them have already lost all hope of escape. Some have even given into their
grief and despair which causes them to behave desperately. But despite the
odds, and everyone telling her it’s impossible, Laura refuses to give up.
I liked how Laura was terrified but still did what needed to
be done, or as she says “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Brave characters
conquering their fears are always more relatable than fearless ones. I found
Laura’s undying hope endearing rather than irritating, as, despite her
optimism, she was still practical and cautious. Her determination was inspiring
and I absolutely loved her character growth as the story unfolded. My only
complaint is I wish we had gotten to know the other characters a little better
so their deaths would have more impact, but this is not uncommon in horror.
Luckily, Laura and Maddie were extremely likable and relatable. As an
anxiety-ridden, introverted, horror fan myself, it felt like Laura was written
just for me. Meanwhile, I found Maddie’s adventurous spirit admirable because
I’m often the one egging friends into exploring abandoned locations (and I
would totally visit a creepy old carnival if I could). But once they were
actually in danger, Maddie turned out to be the more practical of the two,
discouraging Laura from taking unnecessary risks.
This was a particularly fun, creepy read. The pacing was perfect; the tension never let up and the story never dragged. The entire experience was like riding one of the carnival’s decrepit roller coasters, even when you weren’t screaming as you sped down a perilous drop or took a bank turn, you felt the dread of going up a lift hill, waiting for the inevitable fall. I read the entire book in one sitting, unable to put it down because I was so desperate to know how the Carnival Man’s prisoners escaped. (Would they escape??) Plus, it had the perfect horror story setting.
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