A review by brennanlafaro
Offstage Offerings by Priya Sridhar
3.0
As I’ve come to expect from these Rewind or Die books, this one kicks off with a bang. We get a unique creature that, although completely at home in horror lit, I don’t think I’ve read anything that features them. Sridhar excels at the sensory descriptions put on the page here. We can hear, see, and feel all the terrible things going around us.
The story focuses around the haunted Basilio Theater, more specifically a theater summer camp occurring there. Our main character, Vivian, is working as a counselor. We’re introduced to other counselors as well as campers, a relatively sizable cast for such a short book. Whenever I have the following issue, I’m always willing to admit it could be my problem, but I found the cast of characters difficult to keep track of and keep straight. I could’ve used a bit more character development to help me differentiate and become more invested when people begin to go missing.
This is a tough review to write because the main issue I had with the story was due to pacing. I want to be objective and hold the story up on it’ own merits, but the Rewind or Die logo gives me a certain expectation. As bonkers as the first part goes, the story never really gives us that over-the-top sensibility again, and we keep looking for it. We get a bit of action toward the end, but there’s a very large portion in the middle where we deal in drama (literally and figuratively) and a bit of slow-burn mystery. It makes for a slightly slower read than we’re used to.
What I liked about Offstage Offerings is the unique setting where the story takes place. While we’ve seen haunted theater, the haunting on display here isn’t traditional, though that notion is touched upon by the author. Same thing with summer camps, but combining the two is a nice touch. One thing I’ve really loved about this series is just how different the books all are from each other while still nailing the 90’s VHS aesthetic, and in that respect, Offstage Offerings is a nice addition.
I received a copy from the author for review consideration.
The story focuses around the haunted Basilio Theater, more specifically a theater summer camp occurring there. Our main character, Vivian, is working as a counselor. We’re introduced to other counselors as well as campers, a relatively sizable cast for such a short book. Whenever I have the following issue, I’m always willing to admit it could be my problem, but I found the cast of characters difficult to keep track of and keep straight. I could’ve used a bit more character development to help me differentiate and become more invested when people begin to go missing.
This is a tough review to write because the main issue I had with the story was due to pacing. I want to be objective and hold the story up on it’ own merits, but the Rewind or Die logo gives me a certain expectation. As bonkers as the first part goes, the story never really gives us that over-the-top sensibility again, and we keep looking for it. We get a bit of action toward the end, but there’s a very large portion in the middle where we deal in drama (literally and figuratively) and a bit of slow-burn mystery. It makes for a slightly slower read than we’re used to.
What I liked about Offstage Offerings is the unique setting where the story takes place. While we’ve seen haunted theater, the haunting on display here isn’t traditional, though that notion is touched upon by the author. Same thing with summer camps, but combining the two is a nice touch. One thing I’ve really loved about this series is just how different the books all are from each other while still nailing the 90’s VHS aesthetic, and in that respect, Offstage Offerings is a nice addition.
I received a copy from the author for review consideration.