The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas
Release: September 18th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: Netgalley
The Good Demon Synopsis:
True Detective meets The Exorcist in this gripping YA mystery debut about one girl’s exorcism—and her desperate quest to reunite with her demon
Clare has been miserable since her exorcism. The preacher that rid her of evil didn’t understand that her demon—simply known as Her—was like a sister to Clare. Now, Clare will do almost anything to get Her back. After a chance encounter with the son of the preacher who exorcised her, Clare goes on an adventure through the dark underbelly of her small Southern town, discovering its deep-seated occult roots. As she searches for Her, she must question the fine lines between good and evil, love and hate, and religion and free will. Vivid and sharp, The Good Demon tells the unusual story of friendship amid dark Gothic horror.
Review:
A big thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for sending me an advanced e-copy of “The Good Demon” in exchange for my review.
I love reading thrillers and horror books, but I tend to stay clear of possession story-lines as they really creep me out. For the same reason, I was skeptical to read “The Good Demon” as I thought I would not enjoy it. As I did not have very high expectations of this novel, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would have!
To begin with, the story is really not your typical gory, horror, possession story-line. It is actually haunting, beautiful, creepy, and mysterious tale all put into one. I loved the concept of how Clare, the main character, misses her spirit “Her” and wants to be possessed again. Moreover, I really enjoyed Clare as a character overall, and the different emotions she goes through. I loved her flashbacks with ‘Her’, her complex relationship with her family and her first love with Roy. It was interesting to read how she goes through different emotions while trying to solve the mystery of who the ‘One wish Man’ is, how he is connected to Kevin, and how he can help her get ‘Her’ back. We gradually see Clare grow into a mature person during the course of the story.
That is not to say that the book doesn’t have its scary moments. One particular scene that sent chills down my spine is when Clare gets locked in with Luther Simpkins. I don’t know why, the image of him coming after her was terrifying. The where also other gripping moments like when Clare meets Gaspar, or when she sees Miss Mathis without her glasses. I was at the edge of my seat with Kevin’s flashback and how he connects to the Paradise Society. There are just so many things happening in this book and each chapter offers something new and intriguing. The author has done an amazing job in giving equal importance to the plot and the interaction between the characters. I would like to check out his other novels to see if they are equally good
Overall, I really enjoyed “The Good Demon” a lot and would give it 5/5 stars for its unique take on possession.
