Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan
Miranda
Publisher: Walker
Children’s
Publication Date: February
5, 2013
Genres: YA,
Suspense, Psychological
Thriller
Reviewed by: Angie
Edwards
My rating: 3/5
SUMMARY
Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't
remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so
she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it
all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start,
Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or
anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then,
one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she
must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove
her innocence-to herself and others.
In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.
In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.
REVIEW
Well,
well, well. This was at least something a little different. Part mystery, part
suspense, and part psychological thriller, I was captivated yet thoroughly
confused by this story. So much so, I still can’t figure out whether I loved it
or hated it. I feel rather “meh” about it, actually. In the end, everything makes
sense once you get the complete picture, but to get to that point you first
have to survive a somewhat tiresome journey with a very exasperating
protagonist who tends to run from the merest mention of confrontation.
The
main thing I did enjoy about Hysteria
is that it is loaded with mystery and suspense. You don’t know why Mallory
killed Brian. This is only revealed near the end when everything comes
together. The author did a magnificent job keeping the reader guessing as to
whether Mallory is being haunted or whether she’s just plain crazy. To
complicate matters even more, add in three evil girls, a psychotic boy, a
stalker, Mallory’s parents’ fear of her, and everyone at her new prep school
keeping their distance from her, and you have a hotbed of creepiness and
tension to see you through to the end of the book.
It
seems I’ve read quite a lot of books since the start of this year in which the
characters and I struggle to form a connection. With that said, Hysteria is no exception. Mallory was
such a depressing character I felt as though I was swathed in a dark cloud of
doom while reading her story. On the bright side, that gloominess added to the
atmosphere in the book. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel anything for any of the
characters, but what stood out for me was the close bond between Mallory and
her best friend, Colleen. They have a friendship I envy, and that friendship is
their saving grace for both of them when push literally comes to shove. I also
felt good about how things turned out for Mallory and her mother when she
needed her most.
There’s
a little romance, but nothing to write home about. Of course, I was grateful
that the romance formed only a miniscule part of the story.
Apart
from it being an entirely confusing read, my other issue with Hysteria is that it builds up the
anticipation to the point where you’re starting to lose patience; and once all
the plot points starts forming the larger picture, the big reveal is rather
anticlimactic and that was hugely disappointing for me because after all that
build-up, I expected something spectacular.
Thankfully
this is a stand-alone and not the first in a series. It would’ve been a
disaster if the author chose to drag it out even more. If you’re new to
mysteries and thrillers, this might be a book you’ll enjoy. The writing is good
and the suspense is riveting. Though Hysteria
ended up disappointing me with its mediocre big reveal, it is still a book I’d
recommend to readers of the YA genre, and I’ll certainly read more of Megan
Miranda’s books.
PURCHASE LINKS
ABOUT the AUTHOR
Megan is a scientist
- turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not
nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina,
where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by
day, and writes by night.
Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.
Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.
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