Review by CJ

Page count:
311

Format:
Paperback

ISBN:
978-0-00-753822-5

Dan Crawford is a 16-year-old outcast who is thrilled to escape to a college preparation summer program in New Hampshire. Upon arriving he befriends the artistic Abby and Jordan whose tongue is as sharp as his wits are quick.

When the trio discover that their dorm for the summer used to be an asylum, they start exploring forbidden areas. It’s while exploring these areas that each of them awaken insanities of their own. Can they band together to solve the mysteries posed by the asylum or will they succumb to its madness?

Asylum is the first novel in the Asylum series.

The plot of Asylum was intriguing and the photographs throughout added a visual component to the story that enhanced the sense of foreboding.

While Asylum featured 16-year-olds as the primary characters, the writing feels like it is targeted at an audience at least a couple of years younger than the protagonists. I found most of the characters to be quite difficult to like but was this didn’t detract too much from the story of which they were a part.

Asylum would be a good starting point for pre-teens and young adults looking for a gateway into horror fiction. I wouldn’t recommend it for more seasoned horror fans. I enjoyed the story for what it was but did find it to be quite tame and at times predictable.

Rating: