spookyoctopusreads's review
5.0
The Bad Box is a cute little dip into the world of bizzaro horror fiction with some depth beyond the story centered around a group of elementary school children. I appreciate that Mellick tackles the issues of classism, stereotyping, and bullying while also presenting a crazy story that you'll want to devour.
Mrs. Gustafson both punishes and rewards her students for their performance on tests in her class. On the surface, it may not seem like a terrible idea...but, trust me, both the rewards and the punishments are pretty horrifying in their own ways. You could sprout wings, read minds, or know multiple languages OR you could turn into a pile of goo, have crickets squirming within your body, or grow a tail. No one knows what awaits them when they stick their hand into the good box or the dreaded bad box. This seemingly goes on every day until Mika and Benny decide to hatch a plot to destroy the boxes and remove the curses they have each been given.
The way Mellick presented the characters' plights made me really feel for Mika and Benny, and I found myself rooting for them until the end. I wanted the "popular" kids, the ones who got all the rewards, to be cursed, if only just once. I could see the dynamics of a school pretty accurately playing out in the story, even if it was in a bit of an exaggerated and bizarre way. This certainly was a crazy story and a wild ride, but if you like your horror a little silly, or a little more than surface level, this one is for you.
Mrs. Gustafson both punishes and rewards her students for their performance on tests in her class. On the surface, it may not seem like a terrible idea...but, trust me, both the rewards and the punishments are pretty horrifying in their own ways. You could sprout wings, read minds, or know multiple languages OR you could turn into a pile of goo, have crickets squirming within your body, or grow a tail. No one knows what awaits them when they stick their hand into the good box or the dreaded bad box. This seemingly goes on every day until Mika and Benny decide to hatch a plot to destroy the boxes and remove the curses they have each been given.
The way Mellick presented the characters' plights made me really feel for Mika and Benny, and I found myself rooting for them until the end. I wanted the "popular" kids, the ones who got all the rewards, to be cursed, if only just once. I could see the dynamics of a school pretty accurately playing out in the story, even if it was in a bit of an exaggerated and bizarre way. This certainly was a crazy story and a wild ride, but if you like your horror a little silly, or a little more than surface level, this one is for you.
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