This is the latest novel from Mindy McGinnis, an author of multiple novels ranging from historical to fantasy, contemporary to gothic thrillers. Mindy is a ninth-generation farmer and attributes much of her character to growing up on an Ohio farm, learning the value of physical labour, and the harshness of the natural world early in life. Much of her writing reflects small-town living and aspects of rural poverty.
Sixteen-year-old Neely sees monsters, and they don’t always follow her rules. There’s a little girl under her bed, a man in her closet, and the disembodied voice that shadows her every move, and the voices are becoming louder. With a history of mental illness in her family and the suicide of her older brother heavy on her mind, Neely takes a job as a tour guide in the one place her monsters can’t follow—the caverns. There, she meets Mila. Mila is everything Neely isn’t: beautiful, strong, and confident. As the two become closer, Neely’s innocent crush grows into something more.
When a midnight staff party exposes Neely to drugs, she follows Mila’s lead, only to have her hallucinations escalate. When Mila goes missing the next day and is then found brutally murdered in the caverns, Neely has to admit that her memories of that night are vague at best. With her monsters now out in the open and her grip on reality slipping, Neely must figure out who killed Mila and face the possibility that it might have been her.
This is an intense and suspenseful YA novel. This book includes some serious subjects, including mental health, suicide, and sexual abuse, and will definitely be triggering for some readers or listeners. Mindy McGinnis is widely known for her intriguing young adult thrillers, and this is no exception. The story takes a little while to take off, but once it does, it becomes very captivating, and the characters’ lives become more entwined. Neely’s constant struggle to keep her delusions from taking control over her life is both disturbing and engrossing to listen to. Her conversations with her imagined friends and dead people are definitely frightening, but she often responds to them with a hint of sarcasm and dark humour that also makes them quite humourous. By the end of the novel, Neely’s evolution is quite remarkable, and she’s clearly depicted as a survivor whose life is finally heading in a better direction.
The writing in this book is of very high quality, with interesting characters, a well-paced story, and many different plot points. The caves are a very unique setting for the story to take place. Neely’s connection to them is quite profound, as this is the one place her imagined friends cannot enter. The descriptions of the caves themselves are very interesting and informative, especially during the scenes when tours are being given to visitors.
Narrator Brittany Pressley delivers an award-worthy performance in this audiobook. Her portrayal of Neely, especially during the many delusional episodes that she experiences, is extremely authentic and spellbinding. In fact, the amount of emotional energy and acting talent that Pressley demonstrates from start to finish in this book is quite astounding. Pressley’s narration of the different character voices is also impressive, giving the audiobook the feel of a full-cast narration.
Overall, this is an intense and captivating novel. It may be classified as YA, but with all of its mature and triggering subject matter, it may be more easily digested by older audiences. It should also be noted that this is definitely a story that you need to stick with until the end to fully appreciate its value. The ending does include a few unexpected surprises which will likely please readers and listeners. If all of this sounds interesting and you’re looking for your next captivating listen, don’t hesitate to give this one a try!