FlumeAward – The Devouring Discussion page for The Devouring.
I read this a while ago – the cover is appealing and I love horror. This is definitely for horror fans. There is a lot of fantasy violence, scary images, and gore. I liked that the main character is a girl who has to face her fears, and that she takes care of her little brother. The book definitely leaves you knowing there will be a sequel.
Katie Spofford, Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, NH
Simon Holt created a new kind of horror story with the introduction of Vours. Reggie’s younger brother’s soul is taken away and replaced by a vour – a cold, cruel entity. She believes it happened because of an old journal she discovered and read to him. The journal was written by a woman who witnessed the slow destruction of her brother by the vours. For teens looking for horror this might work, though its axe wielding scenes were few. With just 13 titles this one could go, unless we are trying for something for everyone. Sharon Taylor, Weeks Public Library, Greenland, NH
A truly creepy story -I’m glad I only read it alone, and not alone at night! Even though I knew some of the characters who would be involved at the end, there were a few surprises. I appreciated the strength of the characters -nobody stood back and waited to be rescued. Reggie, the main character, is tough and protective of her brother, when she could be just another whiny teenager. She has a tough life; her mother left them, her dad can’t cope, and she’s now responsible for her younger brother. She does do her share of whining, but there’s more to her. I also appreciated the intelligent relationships between Reggie and her friend Aaron, as well as between her and her boss, Eben.
I’m anxious to read the rest of the series, although this first volume could stand alone, and, in the days before rampant series and trilogies took over the publishing world, it would have.
The language in the beginning made me think that this really should be for older teens, but it seemed to disappear and the plot thickened, so really it’s the scary factor that could possibly make it a book for older teens. Definitely boy and girl appeal here.
I also enjoyed how, though it was set in a fictitious town in Mass., the landmarks that were mentioned were familiar, and there were no dated references, so this series won’t age too quickly.
-Kirsten, Lane Memorial Library, Hampton
-A quick read but very exciting and "horrifying". Loved the analogy of conquering your fears and the strong female character. Some language. Very visual, very engrossing- could also be used in an English class for teaching descriptive writing. A little bit of the Harry Potter mold- the Vours are like the Boggarts, but the fear angle is well thought out and the tension of whether Reggie will save her brother Henry is palpable. I also want to read the next one in the series. It’s the first, so it can stand by itself. This would be a good book for kids who won’t go for a "thick" book – it’s 231 pages and can be read quickly. I would recommend this for the list. -Beth Strauss, Pelham High School