A review by sarahonthecoast
Amity by Micol Ostow
3.0
As someone whose interest in Halloween resembles that of a kindergartner (candy, cute costumes, a few silly decorations), I have managed to get pretty far in life with absolutely no knowledge of the Amityville Horror. I know there was a movie made about it, but I could not tell you a single other detail about this legend? Scary urban tale? Completely made up story? I'm not sure if my naivety makes me the ideal reader for this book or if I'm working at a disadvantage, but I can tell you that I came in with a completely blank slate and absolutely no preconceived notions regarding the inspiration for this story.
Despite my low threshold for all things scary, I did not find this book to be as terrifying or gruesome as the publisher suggested. Comparing it to the highly popular American Horror Story (perhaps a wise marketing move) was probably unfair to readers who are looking for something that will completely freak them out. Amity certainly contains plenty of psychological thrills and suspense, but maybe not quite the teen equivalent of a Stephen King novel.
The alternating narrators tended to blend together in plot and voice, despite the gender differences. Their spiraling mental breakdowns paralleled the longer they allowed Amity to mysteriously control their minds. However, there are so many warning signs (huge, flashing, billboard sized warning signs) throughout the book that it's obvious to everyone but the narrators' and their families that Amity is not-a-place-you-want-to-live. Their inability to catch any of these signs could be frustrating for readers who are looking at a more logical side of the story, but readers who just want to be creeped out will be able to easily forgive this. The novel moves fairly quickly and is fast-paced (with very short chapters and paragraphs) but the fact that you're essentially reading the same story twice (from two different perspectives and time periods) causes the momentum to stumble.
Despite my low threshold for all things scary, I did not find this book to be as terrifying or gruesome as the publisher suggested. Comparing it to the highly popular American Horror Story (perhaps a wise marketing move) was probably unfair to readers who are looking for something that will completely freak them out. Amity certainly contains plenty of psychological thrills and suspense, but maybe not quite the teen equivalent of a Stephen King novel.
The alternating narrators tended to blend together in plot and voice, despite the gender differences. Their spiraling mental breakdowns paralleled the longer they allowed Amity to mysteriously control their minds. However, there are so many warning signs (huge, flashing, billboard sized warning signs) throughout the book that it's obvious to everyone but the narrators' and their families that Amity is not-a-place-you-want-to-live. Their inability to catch any of these signs could be frustrating for readers who are looking at a more logical side of the story, but readers who just want to be creeped out will be able to easily forgive this. The novel moves fairly quickly and is fast-paced (with very short chapters and paragraphs) but the fact that you're essentially reading the same story twice (from two different perspectives and time periods) causes the momentum to stumble.