Saturday 3 June 2017

REVIEW; I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver #1), by Dan Wells

Rating: 

Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Supernatural

Recommend: Yes!

Book 1

NO SPOILERS!!! 

Summary:

John Cleaver is 15 and helps his mother in the morgue. With a penchant for serial killers, he feels alive when there is a monster active in his neighbourhood. He's aware he isn't like the other kids; he has a list of rules to make sure he doesn't let the monster within him to take over. But as the serial killer becomes more active, John can't help but hunt him, allowing his own demons to come to life. 

My Thoughts:

John: I think he is one of my favourite characters from any book. He was absolutely fascinating and the story is told from his POV and we get an insight into the mind and thought process of someone strongly resisting what he believes to be an internal demon. John is convinced it is his destiny to be a serial killer and so has a list of serious rules he sticks to in attempts to remain "normal" and not become the heinous monster he believes resides deep within. This includes not focusing on anyone doing anything for any length of time to avoid noticing any detail about them and prevent becoming obsessed. If someone makes him angry he will compliment them to remain positive. The main hook for me was definitely exploring John's psyche over the actual plot. 

Writing: This was written fantastically. The whole pacing of every snippet of information and plot twist worked so well. I've been in such a reading slump lately due to life events and this book hooked me in, I was back to sacrificing sleep to read. 

Story: The premise of this novel was brilliant. It was a thriller wrapped up in focusing on the internal battle of John as he yearns to solve the crime and work out who's responsible for the killings, while attempting to manage his own instincts. However, the big plot twist is the supernatural twist in this novel. I am undecided as to if it works or not. In one way, the supernatural theme ran deep enough to be able to wrap up the story well, but it sort of came out of nowhere at the same time. 

Overall:

I loved this so much. Would definitely recommend to anyone who lives a thriller but with a twist. The insight into a teenager's mind who is convinced he is destined to be a serial killer is enthralling and the overall story is brilliant. 


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