Simon & Schuster, 2009
ISBN: 9781416959014
Availability: New and Used
After a trip to New Orleans, the students of Saint Opportuna High begin to have nightmares: horrible nightmares about killing people. The only problem is that they aren’t just nightmares. After several nights, the students wake up to realize that they actually have killed people. Emma Montgomery and her friends, who have all had these nightmares, decide that they have to stick together and stay awake long enough to figure out what is happening. They need to know who – or what – is causing this, and how they can stop it before any of them kills…or ends up dead.
Fahy has written an excellent tale that will make it difficult for readers to feel safe dreaming afterward. It is well written, the characters are believable, and the reader will be drawn into the story by the frightening atmosphere that the immediacy of the action creates. The incorporation of flashback sequences is excellent, giving snippets of background information precisely when it is needed. The dream sequences are also well done, giving the story a whole other dimension of horror. The only drawback is that those who have read a lot of horror novels or murder mysteries may find the story slightly predictable. Overall, it is a satisfying read and will appeal to a fairly wide audience, including both YA girls and some YA guys. Recommended for public library YA horror collections.
Contains drug use, violence and murder
Review by Stacey L. Wilson, Master of Library and Information Science candidate at The University of Western Ontario.