Today's read just hit the shelves a few days ago, just in time for the upcoming Halloween season. I'm not usually a huge fan of horror, but this one promises to slide a little more into the legend and myth direction while incorporating indigenous aspects. So, I figure it's definitely worth a peek.
Let's see how it did!
THE UNFINISHED
by Cheryl Isaacs
Heartdrum
YA Horror
336 pages
In this debut YA horror novel by Cheryl Isaacs (Mohawk), small-town athlete Avery is haunted by the black water and Unfinished beings of Kanyen’kehá:ka stories and must turn to the culture she hasn’t felt connected to in order to save her town.
The black water has been waiting. Watching. Hungry for the souls it needs to survive.
When small-town athlete Avery’s morning run leads her to a strange pond in the middle of the forest, she awakens a horror the townspeople of Crook’s Falls have long forgotten.
Avery can smell the water, see it flooding everywhere; she thinks she’s losing her mind. And as the black water haunts Avery—taking a new form each time—people in town begin to go missing.
Though Avery had heard whispers of monsters from her Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) relatives, she’s never really connected to her Indigenous culture or understood the stories. But the Elders she has distanced herself from now may have the answers she needs.
When Key, her best friend and longtime crush, is the next to disappear, Avery is faced with a choice: listen to the Kanyen’kehá:ka and save the town but lose her friend forever…or listen to her heart and risk everything to get Key back.
In her stunning debut, Cheryl Isaacs pulls the reader down into an unsettling tale of monsters, mystery, and secrets that refuse to stay submerged.
The black water has been waiting. Watching. Hungry for the souls it needs to survive.
When small-town athlete Avery’s morning run leads her to a strange pond in the middle of the forest, she awakens a horror the townspeople of Crook’s Falls have long forgotten.
Avery can smell the water, see it flooding everywhere; she thinks she’s losing her mind. And as the black water haunts Avery—taking a new form each time—people in town begin to go missing.
Though Avery had heard whispers of monsters from her Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) relatives, she’s never really connected to her Indigenous culture or understood the stories. But the Elders she has distanced herself from now may have the answers she needs.
When Key, her best friend and longtime crush, is the next to disappear, Avery is faced with a choice: listen to the Kanyen’kehá:ka and save the town but lose her friend forever…or listen to her heart and risk everything to get Key back.
In her stunning debut, Cheryl Isaacs pulls the reader down into an unsettling tale of monsters, mystery, and secrets that refuse to stay submerged.
MY TIDBITS
Dark secrets, sinister legends, and the call of Indigenous cultures gives depth and lays a wonderful foundation for evil to haunt before unleashing its deadly intentions.
Avery loves to run, and as most serious athletes, takes her training seriously. During one morning run down one of her more favorite paths through nature, she follows the voice in her head to take a slightly different path. And this is a mistake. She discovers a dark pond and unwillingly releases an ancient evil onto the town. When the boy she's always adored disappears along with others in the town, she knows it's time to step up and embrace her indigenous culture, despite her desire to ignore it before. The stories of her relatives hold the key to saving the town, and she's determined to stop the monster no matter what the cost.
Starting on the very first page, this tale dives head-first into tension. The dark forest fits Avery's own emotions and mood, and sets the perfect scene to set off the story. It was a bit confusing, at first, with the thoughts playing around in her head, but the entire uncertainty in that beginning scene matches with Avery's own life as the secrets begin to come to light. These continue to unfold bit by bit, as the tension and danger mount. All along we learn more about Avery's own struggles and life. This creates an enticing weave, which lures in and allows the eeriness to sink in its claws. The legends add depth and richness, while never threatening to overshadow the chills and thrills. Even the monsterly evil is more of a lurking danger, which doesn't poke out its head unless necessary. The constant unease raises tension and adds a dangerous whisper in the shadows to let unrest grow.
This isn't a fast-paced read from beginning to end but takes time to ease down as necessary to allow Avery, those around her, and the surroundings to gain more depth. It's also not a slam-it-in-your-face horror, but rather, gives secrets room to work their magic and the horror the lovely space to taunt with deadly promise.
In other words, it's worth a peek for paranormal horror fans and works especially well for the upcoming, spooky season.
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