A while back after I’d finished with an R.L. Stine Fear Street book, I’d stumbled upon a page advertising The Forbidden Game Trilogy by L.J. Smith. Now normally I wouldn’t think much of stuff like this. I’d close the book and move on. But a single line caught my eye: If he wins, she’s his forever more…
Ok, so I am THE biggest sucker for stuff like that, ever. Bad guy wants a girl and they have to play some freaky game to beat him? Otherwise he wins and he wins her? OH how I am intrigued! I don’t much care that it’s a young adult novel. I mean, heck, I’m already reading 57 Fear Street books – what’s three more random books going to hurt me? Besides, I figured they would make for an awesome change.
Hot diggity dog, was I right.
Jenny Thornton was just trying to find a hiding place from two guys that were following after her in a not-so-good part of town. She hadn’t meant to stumble into a shop that sold games, even if that’s what she’d planned on buying in the first place. A game that she and all her friends could play and have fun with at her boyfriend Tom’s birthday party. And she certainly hadn’t expected to find a boy with frosty white hair and icicle-in-the-heart shocking blue eyes. It’s from him she gets the Game. She doesn’t even know what’s in it, and is just as startled as her friends when they open it to find they must put together a Victorian house – like a dollhouse. There are items they can put in it, and little paper people represent them. The instructions clearly state that the Game can be hazardous to your life – so you have to swear you understand that the Game is real and you understand what you’re getting yourself into. That’s all just a bunch of rubbish though.
At least, it would be if they didn’t suddenly find themselves in the Game. If they didn’t have to actually face all their worst nightmares, and possibly die doing so. And there’s a catch – they only have until dawn to escape. If they lose, they’ll be stuck there forever, and the Shadow Man wins and Jenny is his until the end of time.
Oooh scary! Actually this might make a pretty good movie too. It’s a bit on the weird side, but I think that is what made it so good. Some of the nightmares Jenny’s friends have aren’t anything you’d ever expect, but they can get pretty frightening just the same. I read this 228 page book all in one sitting. I was gripped, I tell you, gripped! I was up until 2:30am or so. The sheer creativity is great and the description was a great amount – not overdone, but clear enough that I had the whole book playing out in my head as I read. It was great. So much fun. I can’t remember the last time I read a book so bizarre. Has anyone ever seen that weird movie, Labyrinth? Think along the lines of that, only way better. Or maybe crazy carnival fantasy. It’ll make your eyes bug out as you read and your stomach tighten up at certain points. Who’ll make it out? What’s the next nightmare? Why is the Shadow Man so centered on winning Jenny?
You have to like the M.C. Escher-ness of things to enjoy this book. If the idea of bizarre nightmares in rooms doesn’t appeal to you, then this book probably won’t impress you. I like a bit of the insane – who am I kidding, I am a bit insane – so I thought it was grand. Sure, the characters aren’t going to get very far into being 3D, but that doesn’t matter much because you’re busy hoping that they’ll get out alive just the same. Besides, this is all for the entertainment, and considering what the characters are going through, you do care about what happens to them. There isn’t enough time to get into major development, so if you’re looking for War and Peace in here, you’ve got the wrong book. Of course, I don’t know why you’d be looking for that in a young adult book anyway…
I don’t have any problems with this book. The uniqueness kept me mesmerized, and just where the Shadow Man lives is very unique in itself. I’m not talking about the parallel dimension thing – I’m talking about which one and out of how many. Confused yet? Read the book. *cue evil laughter*. And I have to add that the cover by David Jarvis is great simply because I think he did a perfect job of capturing Julian’s face. Who’s Julian? Why you’ll have to read to find that out too. *cue more evil laughter*
“Nicole, what is up with that Bottom Line?” I fear the dark. Or at least whatever is lurking in the dark. Suffice to say that I’d probably find myself in a pitch black room, and God knows what would be grabbing at me. That creepy girl from The Ring. One of those facehuggers from Aliens. Who knows. I have a very active imagination and I shudder to even think of what might come out of it.
I can’t wait to crack open the second book…
NT
I’ve finally figured out what my new Evanescence CD is great for!
Perfect Song for This Book: Evanescence’s The Open Door, “Sweet Sacrifice”
The Forbidden Game Trilogy
The Chase
The Kill
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