Book Review: Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Title: Asylum (Asylum #1)

Author: Madeleine Roux

Release date: August 20th 2013 by HarperTeen
Pages: 313
Genres: Horror, paranormal
Publisher:  HarperTeen
Source: Bought

Synopsis:

Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

(taken from goodreads)

Review:

I decided to pick this book up because I was in one of those moods were you just don't have a clue as to what you want to read. After some consideration I settle upon this one because it had been a while since I read a creepy book. And trust me, this one was creepy. 

I felt like the setting of this book really delivered a sense of eeriness without overdoing it. It started out slow until the creep factor gradually built up. In my opinion that was the best way to do it since it really kept me interested in the story wanting to find out more and more. As if creepy asylums weren't intriguing enough! The author took this topic and made it a complete journey for the reader. There were moments in which I felt like I was actually in the story. I don't know what it was but the characters and the way they were written made it feel like they were real. I loved how, despite being very different from each other and disagreeing on so many things, they became really good friends throughout the course of the story.

The only problem I had with the characters, or possibly the only problem I had with the book was that the main character, Daniel, felt a little flat to me. I'm thinking this as due to the somewhat abrupt start of the story.  Perhaps, it would have helped if we have gotten a little bit more backstory. Not that there wasn't any, because there was, but maybe a bit more backstory to his personality wouldn't have hurt. Luckily, towards the middle of the book I got used to him and it didn't really bother me anymore.

What I loved the most out of this whole book, was the fact that it had pictures! You see, pictures are actually a huge part of the story. The main characters stumble upon some pictures that are basically the reason for all the trouble that ensues. And the reader actually gets to see them. The visual content really added something special to the story and it helps the reader connect more to it. It really helped everything come together and I loved it.

The only thing I'm sad about is that I don't own the second book yet and I'm basically dying.

I say go read this book if you're in need of something creepy that will have you glued to the pages and checking behind you every five to ten minutes.

Rating:

 
                                                                     

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