EERIE is a collaborative novel written by Blake Crouch and his brother Jordan. I refer to the author collectively as Crouch in this review. I’ve read many of Blake’s works…my favorite by far is RUN, which I reviewed here earlier. See Review for RUN. From what I can tell, crafting exceptional stories runs in the Crouch family DNA.
EERIE kept me riveted to the page until the very end. I honestly haven’t been this “chilled” or “goose bumped” by a novel since rereading Stephen King’s SALEM’S LOT after moving to Maine. I finished EERIE in a twenty-four hour period, constantly sneaking fifteen minutes here and there to get to the next scene.
I won’t retell the story in detail, though it is important to pay attention from the beginning. I love stories like this…where I often search back through the book to reread a scene for clues and hints. At one point in the book, I guarantee you will reread the first chapter. This may sound like a spoiler, but the book is so engrossing that you won’t think about it until the time has come. When it does, you’ll have that “Sixth Sense” moment, when everything falls into place.
Before that reveal, I was spellbound by the horror and darkness wrapped into the two main characters’ world. Grant and Page Moreton are estranged brother and sister, perpetual victims of tragic curveball thrown at them as children. No better off as adults, they are reunited through a menacing coincidence, which binds them together and forces them to confront an unspeakable presence.
The descriptions of the house and the presence they experience are unforgettable…and trust me…you’ll want to forget before you walk into any dark parts of your house. Many of the scenes were exponentially frightening, brought to life by Crouch’s prose and ratcheting suspense. I highly recommend that you read this book in as few sittings as possible. The imagery evoked will surface your most intimate fears. If you’ve recently come to terms with basements…get ready for some more therapy.
I rather enjoyed the ending to this book, in relation to the main reveal, however, I could have used a little more explanation of why the “original” event occurred. Why “he” was chosen for the experience. I won’t say more than that. It didn’t in the least bit diminish the experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed Crouch’s first offering of the summer.
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