Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre
2014; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 68; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2014.0777
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Gothic Literature and Media Analysis
ResumoReviewed by: Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre Karen Coats Aguirre, Ann Mortal Danger. Feiwel, 2014 [384p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-250-02464-0 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-250-06426-4 $9.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 9-12 Bullied and humiliated, Edie is set to exit this life when Kian, a preternaturally attractive stranger, appears with an offer that is more appealing than jumping off a bridge. He and his people can grant her three favors, which, to Edie, mean revenge against her tormentors and make the cost—three favors in return—well worth paying. Soon, however, Edie sees that there is more to her bargain than Kian originally let on, and that both she and he are now pawns in a deadly game played by immortals and created from humanity’s worst nightmares. On the one hand, things have become much more bearable for Edie, who becomes beautiful, acquires friends, and enjoys an intense, reciprocated crush on Kian. On the other, her life has become a horror movie complete with specters only she can see, classmates dying of a flesh-eating disease, and, most devastating of all, the grisly murder of her mother. These things were not part of her bargain, and she is determined to find a way to stop the body count and regain control. Aguirre’s prose is uneven, but her premise successfully blends ancient archetypes with today’s urban legends and internet memes to craft a thrilling puzzle that prods the dark recesses of the imagination into a waking nightmare. Edie’s transition from suicidal mess to gutsy heroine is more expedient than believable, but her inner dialogue keeps readers on track with her persisting insecurities, ensuring that readers will be fully on board as she prepares to do battle in the promised sequel. [End Page 84] Copyright © 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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