The Devouring - Simon Holt - Book Review

"When dark creeps in and eats the light

Bury your fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winter's blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the life they stole,
Your body's here but not your soul..."

Pages: 231

Published: 2008

Date Finished: 3^rd February

Rating; 5 Stars

I’m not a fan of horror, I find it to be outlandish and highly over exaggerated, but from the moment I picked up The Devouring, I knew I’d find what I loved both about young adult fiction and paranormally effected experiences. Having my own experiences made this work of fiction realistic to me and I found myself ‘devouring’ this novel, unwilling to cast my mind from it.

Every character has a purpose, a unique personality and is defined by their willingness to believe or not, while I disliked some characters it wasn’t because they weren’t relatable, but because Simon created them to be shunned. My heart went out to Regina and Aaron and I grew more attached to them as the story progressed.

There were a lot of elements that I enjoyed about The Devouring, but my favourite part had to be the psychological affect the vours had over the characters and how these creatures reacted to humans and vice versa. Simon has really created not only a world, but monsters that have believable components that make you question – is there anything more powerful than fear and an open mind?

What I loved most about the novel is that it is a refreshing change from the enemy being some snarky, bitch from hell and more about the survival of family and friends and what lengths one would do to protect the people they loved. I saw Henry as my own brother and felt that connection Regina had.

Simons writing style was abundant in eccentric descriptions and grotesque visions. His language was smooth and each scene transition flowed into the next, inviting me closer into the frighteningly, realistic world of fiction he has created. There are not many authors who can scare me, but Simon knows how to write horror – whether playing it down or digging deeper into my darkest fears. For some readers the overuse of metaphors was a deterrent from the story, for me it only helped to build a better image in my mind.

The Devouring is one novel I highly recommend reading, not just if you are a fan of Y.A, but if you like great in depth character development and an entrancing plot that keeps you wanting for more. I was content with the ending , and cannot wait to pick up the second book in the series. Regina’s journey is one I want to continue with.