The Story is About   +  young adult

The Devouring by Simon Holt

The Devouring by Simon Holt

Release Date: September 1, 2008
Publisher: Little Brown Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 240

15-year-old Reggie doesn’t know who penned the mysterious journal about the Vours, wicked creatures that inhabit children’s bodies on Sorry Night, the darkness of the winter solstice. Once inside a human, the Vour assumes the victim’s personality, banishing their soul to a dark netherworld called a fearscape. Frightening, but thought to be only the musings of an anonymous lunatic... until a midnight game awakens an ancient evil.

After playing with the journal’s incantations on Sorry Night, Reggie and her best friend Aaron discover the story of the Vours is all too real. When a demonic force consumes Reggie’s little brother, Henry, she must race to save him. Slowly, she uncovers the truth: Vours have existed since the dawn of mankind, feeding on humanity’s fright. Reggie acquires the ability to enter victims’ fearscapes, psychic prisons sculpted from pure terror. Once inside, she must empower victims to conquer their fear and destroy the Vours that have enslaved them.

Together with a small band of believers, Reggie wages war against an enemy she cannot touch or reason with, creatures powerful enough to enslave human bodies and steal souls without detection. The Vours gorge themselves on human fear—feeding their guile, their cruelty, and their power. A cataclysm called “The Devouring “ approaches, and only Reggie Halloway can stop it.

I wouldn’t classify myself as a fan of scary things. I’ve been afraid of the dark for as long as I can remember, yes, I am still afraid of the dark. I do not like scary movies, I happened to watch It, the movie based on the novel of the same title by Steven King, when I was in elementary school, I don’t think I slept for weeks, and I still haven’t been able to watch the movie again. So, when I grabbed a copy of the Devouring by Simon Holt and read the synopsis, I have to admit I was a little scared to read it!

And it was scary/freaky/suspenseful! But besides that it was a great novel! Yes, me scardy girl, enjoyed reading a “horror” novel. I can’t really compare it to any other novels of that nature, but I can say that I thought the plot was wonderfully crafted. The whole concept of the Vours was masterful! I hope I don’t run in to any of those things on Sorry Night.

I also appreciated the fact that the novel kept the gruesome elements to a minimum. Instead of being overkill the few mentions where actually an enhancement to the tale. I’m eagerly waiting to begin the next novel in this series!