Review: Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle

HICKEY OF THE BEAST by Isabel Kunkle

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Mystery

Pages: 308

Publication: March 2011
(Candlemark & Gleam)

Source: Publisher


Summary: Bad dreams? No big deal. After all, Connie Perez is starting her first year in the prep school her mom runs. Anyone would be a little stressed, right? When she starts dreaming about strange creatures and places that don’t make sense, she doesn’t think much about it: there’s other stuff on her mind. Then she starts noticing that the people she dreams about get sick right afterwards.

Then everything gets weird.

There’s something bad on the campus of Springden Academy. Something that feeds on students and warps their minds. And, as Connie and her friends try to figure out what’s going on, it starts to look like she’s the only one who can stop it.

Freshman year was hard enough without having to fight evil after class. (From publisher's website)

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Hickey of the Beast is a quick, enjoyable read that redefines freshman year. Sure, there are the typical classes to deal with and cute boys to admire, but there's also something more, something...sinister.

As the head's kid, Connie has grown up at Springden, so starting high school there feels fairly natural. Even still, it's a new experience; so when the first nightmare happens, Connie doesn't think too much of it. But her brother is having nightmares as well. And each time Connie has the dream, she is able to experience more, to learn more about this...force. There are other signs this isn't a typical year at Springden as well. Various girls start becoming ill - even ill enough to leave - and nobody seems to know why. With the help of her friends, Connie realizes these two things may be related. And if they are, she has to stop them - but how? In the midst of soccer practice, trying to pass classes, and worrying if someone will ask her to the Red and White dance, Connie suddenly finds it her job to protect her school from this unknown predator. After all...nobody ever said freshman year was easy.

This story is told as letter from Connie to her friend Amanda (originally released by Candlemark & Gleam as a serial story). Because of this, the novel has a much more conversational, friendly feel than a typical book, and that definitely worked for this story. The reader almost takes the place of Amanda as one of Connie's good friends, and through Connie's asides and recollections the reader learns more about her. Connie has a strong personality, by turns funny and insightful, and she makes for a great narrator. I enjoyed the different dynamics in this book - there was an emphasis on family and friendships rather than romance, which was refreshing. Also, the mystery and requisite building clues kept the plot from becoming stagnant.

However, there were a few elements of the mystery that were a bit predictable. While the original premise and the "mysterious evil" were certainly not traditional, the descriptions left something to be desired. I felt as though Connie didn't truly understand everything, even in the end, and therefore the final revelation and explanation wasn't as full as it could have been. Despite this, though, the book was still enjoyable.

Overall, Hickey of the Beast is a fast, entertaining read, and one with a new and interesting premise. I will look forward to reading more from this author!

Rating: 3 stars