The Monsters We Made / Peyton June / Book Review
THE MONSTERS WE MADE
Claire's done something crazy: she contact paranormal vloggers. You know, those annoying couple-y ones who travel all over "investigating"? Worse, she did it anonymously. With edited footage. And now they're coming to investigate her small town of Scarberry.
To be fair, she did it for her family. The ranch is kept afloat by tourists, those believers (or non-believers) seeking to learn more about the legendary alien cryptid, Old Lucky, who supposedly made contact right in her backyard sixty years ago. But interest in the cryptid has waned in the years since the sighting, and so a girl has to do what she has to do.
When Lenny and her boyfriend Evan arrive on Old Lucky's doorstep, Lenny's the only one who is excited. She's had a picture of the Scarberry lights in her bedroom since she was a kid. Sure, the clip someone sent them anonymously was a little... fishy. But she believes. Even when Evan leaves her behind to investigate a different, far-less-likely-to-be-a-hoax tip. Because she believes in Scarberry. She believes in Old Lucky. And she's going to bring these secrets to light.
To be fair, she did it for her family. The ranch is kept afloat by tourists, those believers (or non-believers) seeking to learn more about the legendary alien cryptid, Old Lucky, who supposedly made contact right in her backyard sixty years ago. But interest in the cryptid has waned in the years since the sighting, and so a girl has to do what she has to do.
When Lenny and her boyfriend Evan arrive on Old Lucky's doorstep, Lenny's the only one who is excited. She's had a picture of the Scarberry lights in her bedroom since she was a kid. Sure, the clip someone sent them anonymously was a little... fishy. But she believes. Even when Evan leaves her behind to investigate a different, far-less-likely-to-be-a-hoax tip. Because she believes in Scarberry. She believes in Old Lucky. And she's going to bring these secrets to light.
THOUGHTS
This book was really fun! It's the type of book to really get immersed in (and the kind that will also inspire you to give up your job, buy an RV, and travel around the country as a "vlogger," even if that is in actuality a really, really bad idea). It's a good time. It has great twists. And it does everything is promises.
This book was really fun! It's the type of book to really get immersed in (and the kind that will also inspire you to give up your job, buy an RV, and travel around the country as a "vlogger," even if that is in actuality a really, really bad idea). It's a good time. It has great twists. And it does everything is promises.
PROS
| Key Concept | You know what I love? A fun concept done really well. And this is a fun concept. We've got former hobby-vloggers turned semi-pro out on their first real American road trip. We've got a tourist trap employee trying to keep the family business alive. We've got small town shenanigans, believers and unbelievers. We've got lore. We've got government agencies. We've got radioactivity, and we've got something that transcends human understanding. All of it's done well, and, well, what's not to love? |
| Breakup Blues | Lenny might arrive in this small town with her co-creator boyfriend in tow, but he doesn't stick around. They're already on the outs at the start of the book, so this isn't much of a spoiler. And I love how, in the aftermath of this breakup, this book really takes a careful and nuanced look at what went wrong -- and how this relationship was holding Lenny back, even if she didn't see it herself. We love to see women thriving, even if the breakup blues don't feel so great in the moment. Sometimes you have to let go to really get a chance to live your best life, and that's a good message in a YA book, promoting introspection instead of unhappy complacency in what used to work. |
| Cryptid Crazies | This is a small town that revolves (at least in part) around some cryptid lore, which makes for the perfect cast of wacky characters, locals and tourists alike. And you know what? There's a reason these weirdos are drawn to this town. There are strange things happening in Scarberry, though what they are is a little... unclear. In the best way possible. If you're looking for straightforward aliens, you won't get that. If you want a more Bigfoot-style cryptid, that also isn't really the case. And if you want concrete answers, the hows and the whys, don't expect that here. You'll get just enough to be satisfied while leaving a lot of the (inhuman) mysterious of Scarberry a little... murky. Sometimes you can have your cake after you've eaten it, too. |
CONS
| As much as I loved the way Peyton June explores the relationship Lenny had with Evan (and why this breakup is best for her even if it wasn't quite her desire in the moment it happened), I did feel bad for Evan. He really gets the short end of the stick when it comes to the breakup, because we don't get to see him in a good light. Like, at all. Like (and this will be a SPOILER, so watch out), to the point that he leaves their small creative team to join with some mega-capitalist gimmicky hacks (which is just... not a good look, you know?). Did he have to be this bad for Lenny to end up in a better place? I don't think so, and I don't think he deserved it. Lol. | Character Conflict |
| There's another character issue that I've got with this book, Evan aside, and that's Claire's aunt. She's set up to play a pivotal role. Or to be a pivotal hindrance. Or to at least do something. And she ultimately doesn't do much of anything. And you know what? I didn't like that. She had so much potential, the potential to really elevate this book to a perfect 10/10, and the fact that it didn't quite pull together to stick that landing here really did hurt my reading experience. So much potential and so much... nothing. | Not Enough |
| It's a trope, okay? A lesbian relationship is 4-hours of walking and talking in the park, renting a U-Haul the next day, and moving in together by the end of the week. Things move fast, right? That's what the Internet says, and boy, do things move fast here! There might be a bit of trauma-bonding helping it along, sure, but we got to calling each other "girlfriend" way too quickly for a book with such a small timeframe, okay? It's funny as a joke, not as a plot development. | U-Haul GFs |
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9/10
Fans of the weird and creepy small town in Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power will love the claustrophobic mysteries of Scarberry. Those who liked sinking into the unknown of Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation will like this answers-without-answers plotline.
|
Details
|
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own. |
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment