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VOYA -
reviewed by
Erin K. Kilby |
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Shan pumps up
the gore to
maximum decibels
in his ghastly
introduction to
the Demonata
series,
where werewolves
and demons take
center stage.
Fans will remain
riveted to the
aggressive,
clipped prose
that propels
Grubitsch, or
"Grubbs," into
the
ghastly
adversity of
witnessing a
triple
otherworldly
homicide and to
his captivity as
a mental
patient.
Grubbs's only
hope for freedom
— from the
asylum
and his terror —
rests with his
one mysterious
ally, Uncle
Dervish. The
safety of
Carcery Vale,
the location of
Uncle Dervish's
magically
protected
mansion, becomes
merely an
illusion,
however,
when the mauled
corpses of
animals begin to
litter
the property,
and Grubbs finds
out that he must
face his
greatest fears
yet again.
Readers who
devour Shan's
Cirque du
Freak
books will be
snapping like
werewolves
themselves to
get this book.
Shan uses the
age-old idiom
that all
families have
skeletons — or
in this case,
werewolves
— in their
closets to weave
in complex
themes like
family loyalty
and betrayal
without
being didactic.
And despite the
controversial
nature
of demons and
werewolves, the
classic conflict
helps
reveal the heart
of the tale —
that with
loyalty and
love, good has a
fighting chance
of triumphing
over
evil. |
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