Kelly
Written on Dec 12, 2014
Eren is a dark, yet magical story of fairytales come to life. Oli is out of his depth. Whisked away suddenly to spend the summer at his mother's childhood home, along with the Uncle and Aunt he's never met. His father is expected to join them shortly, but it soon becomes apparent that he may not be coming. Oli is kept in the dark and expected to begin a new life, with new friends and a new family unit with no explanation as to why. But rather than upset his mother, he takes the new move in his stride and tries to assimilate into the small country town.
But no one understands, until Eren. He feeds on stories and emotions, using words to trap his prey. In this case, Oli.
'There is no end,' he says. He swoops down and his wings darken my sky. 'No end, Oli. Tales go on and on. They come from before you were born, and they echo on after you leave.'
It's not clear if Eren is real or a figment of Oli's imagination, just that the boy who was desperate for companionship is now trapped within Eren's claws. Incredibly dark and delicious, especially for a middle grade title. It's complex, and first time author Simon P. Clark has imagined a magical realism world where readers can fully immerse themselves. I was lured into the storyline from the very first page and by the final page, feeling as trapped within Eren's grasp just as Oli felt. But the ending let me down sadly, I needed solid answers. But in true story form, it did indeed have no ending.
The dark, passionate illustrations are sprinkled throughout the pages, adding to mystery of who and what Eren is. Reminiscent of a Tim Burton retelling, Eren will appeal to readers looking for a quirky and imaginative read that will reel you in and keep you captivated.
