Hello all Fear Street lurvers, and Happy Halloween! And what a treat we have this Halloween, what with R. L.'s NEW Fear Street book. Y'all can probably imagine the joy this book has brought to us at Shadyside headquarters. R. L., you are amazing. Please don't ever stop again, we love every last cheesy, terrifying word.
Let’s get right into it. That’s what you’re here for, right?
A recap on the first new Fear Street book since … I should know this. Luckily Wikipedia does all the work for
me and he hasn’t published a Fear Street since 2005. The good news? Guys, this
book is good. It will not disappoint. I felt like it had everything I can hope
for in a Fear Street book, and then some.
The bad news? There isn’t any. Everything is wonderful.
I’m going to put a little spoiler alert up here, which I
normally don’t do because we assume everyone already read the Fear Streets when
they were twelve. But this, Party Games,
this is new. Maybe some of you are like A. M. and I and pre-ordered your copy,
but maybe you didn’t and haven’t actually read this yet. But there are spoilers
here – this is a recap, not a review. Also, sorry for the length. I got excited.
Part One
Party Games takes place in the present. There’s all kinds of
awesome things you find in 2014, like Facebook, and texting, and Netflix.
Obviously every teen has a cell phone, so I can’t wait to find all the creative
ways to get around this problem – most things that happen in horror books or
movies could have been easily prevented by some solid communications, so we’ll
see how this plays out. I’d actually love to see R. L. use technology as part
of the horror sometime – idk, like ghost cyber bullying? That would be cool.
I really felt like this book was setting up Shadyside as it
is today. There was a lot of time spent introducing people, some who played zero
part in the plot whatsoever. I’m hoping that this is the “cast” of characters
who’s going to be in each of the novels – I loved it when a character you
already knew from an older book turned up in a new one, even if it’s just a
cameo. It doesn’t have to be Seniors styles, but I like to keep up with who’s
going out with who.
There is a Fear at Shadyside High – I think that might be
the biggest deal of all here. Other than in the Seniors books, I don’t think a
Fear had ever gone to Shadyside, and I like it. It means that the creepy Fear
family is going to have a much more active role in the hauntings of the town.
Our fearless main character of this inaugural book is
Rachel. She is poor, but newly poor, and pretty. In the world of Shadyside,
being poor and ugly is usually a death sentence, but I think things balance out
and she’ll be okay. Her father used to be a director of an investment company,
but now is a shift manager at Walmart. I’m assuming due to the recession? I
like the realistic tone here. Rachel’s mom is recovering from a bad bout of
Lyme disease, which seems like a really random disease to have.
So Rachel is picking up the slack by working at the popular
burger joint all the kids hang out at, Lefty’s. She works hard and is often
sweaty and covered in grease, things that can be a real drag when you’re trying
to make it in high school.
She is in love with Brendan Fear, who is smart, handsome and
popular. I also like that the Fear kid isn’t some scary goth – that fits in way
too much with what we’d expect. Brendan is super into video games and there are
rumours he’s already working to program his own games.
His father is Oliver Fear, an investment banker and
billionaire, and it looks like he runs the town with money and power. He built
an enormous stone mansion on Fear Street for all the towns people to be in awe
of.
Rachel is working a busy shift when Brendan enters the
burger joint, along with some of the who’s who in Shadyside High: Kerry, a
jock, and his girlfriend Patti, a beautiful girl who looks like a doll, who Rachel knows from
childhood. Rounding out their little group is Eric, a joker, who’s always
flirting with Rachel.
As he leaves, Brendan invites Rachel to his 18th
birthday party, an all-night thing at his family’s estate on Fear Island.
In walks Amy, Rachel’s best friend, who warns Rachel not to
go to the party, because she’s heard wild things happen there. Rachel’s pretty
much like, are you kidding, the man of my dreams wants to do wild things, I’m
there. Amy is introduced: chubby and redheaded, all bad signs when it comes to
survival. But she doesn’t really play a significant part in the book at all, so
I’m hoping she’s being introduced for later.
It comes out that Rachel has a boyfriend – sort of. Mac’s
the good looking bad boy who transferred to Shadyside High last year for
fighting issues. She’s been trying to ditch Mac for awhile, which means she
changed her FB profile from “In a relationship” to “It’s complicated.” A sure
sign things are over! But she’s not being a bitch, actually she’s scared of him
because he has a bad temper and can be controlling and possessive, she’s not
sure he won’t get violent with her. Oh yes, the Fear Street abusive
relationship. It did not take long for that to get in there. However, I feel
that R. L. is much more sensitive about the subject matter now. As opposed to
making Rachel horny, Mac’s possessiveness makes her wonder if he’s a psycho.
Literally, one of the chapters is charmingly called “Is Mac A Psycho?” It made
me laugh. But she does find a dead rat in her bed and suspects that Mac put in
there, so clearly she needs to be away from this boy.
Rachel goes to a high school basketball game, where she
flirts with Eric, then is accosted by Mac outside, who warns her not to go to
Brendan’s party. She breaks up with him unequivocably, which is pretty awesome.
Props to her for using her words.
Part Two
All the invitees to the party hop aboard a catamaran, which
will take them to Fear Island. She sits with Patti, Kerry and Eric. There are
some other kids aboard, some from her high school, but she’s surprised at what
a small crowd it is and wonders why Brendan invited her. Mac hides in the
bushes and watches them leave, like a great big stalker.
They sail by the Fear House that’s been built on the island,
basically a three-storey mansion of evil. I love it when people refer to their
“little cottage by the lake” when they know it’s eighteen times the size of
your house. They have to hike through the woods to get to the house from the
lake, and are led by guides Antonio and Miguel.
The pilot of the boat, Randy (aside: isn’t it the captain of
the boat? Or is that just me, I know nothing about boats), slips off the dock
and falls into the lake, hitting his head on the way in. Randy doesn’t come up,
only a big pool of blood. The two guides say they’ll take care of it and the
kids are hustled along the path towards the house. Already there’s an ominous
atmosphere of tension and dread. Good. Oh, and conveeeeniently, there’s no cell
reception on Fear Island. Of course there isn’t.
The staff does a poor job of pretending all is well, looking
shifty and harassed, while they show the kids to their rooms where they can
freshen up. Rachel shares with two other girls, April and Geena. As they talk,
the discover that each of them found roadkill in their beds – wonder if it’s a
warning.
They meet with everyone in the ballroom, lit entirely by candles.
If they knew the Fear’s history, they probably wouldn’t have been so keen to
light everything by fire!
Brendan is at the centre of the room, welcoming them. He
tells them Randy is fine and they need to start partying. There’s beer – he
mentions 18 is legal in their state, is that true? I thought all of the states
was a 21 age minimum (ridiculous, by the way). He has two cousins there, Kenny
and Morton. Also, there is way more food there than people, which makes Rachel
wonder what’s going on.
Anyway, Brendan says he wants to party like his ancestors.
This should be a flashing red light. They didn’t party in a safe way at all.
But apparently he just means old-fashioned games.
Rachel gets a beer (ooh, naughty) and Brendan comes over to
talk with her. Rachel’s a bit of a flirt, and she pours it on for Brendan, who
eats it up. Awww, young love. She’s flying pretty high, but excuses herself to
the bathroom. There, she hears someone screaming for help, a young man that
sounds an awful lot like Randy. When she tries to find him, her way is politely
but firmly blocked my two servants, who shoo her away.
When she returns, the games have begun. They’ll play a
scavenger hunt, looking for a list of creepy items hidden throughout the
mansion. Brendan warns the attic is haunted. Delia, one of the girls, wants to
go to the attic with Eric – Delia might be related to Suki, who undoubtedly
would have a near-adult child by now. I hope Delia is the new Suki of Fear
Street!
They are assigned partners, and Rachel is matched up with
Brendan – he had the servants hide everything, so he could still play.
Before they leave, some of the girls accuse Brendan of the
roadkill in bed, to scare them. Brendan goes white and shares one of his
family’s secret ghost stories: his great-aunt Victoria had one love in life,
taxidermy. She would stuff everything. She used to hide dead animals in
unwanted guests’ beds, which is just so charming. She eventually stuffed
herself, right there in the house.
Another Fear family story is passed around: about a hundred
years ago, the Fear family hunted down all of their servants on this very
island, for sport, and left their bodies in a hidden mass grave.
No need to worry about that, though. Brendan and Rachel set
out, and he takes her to a hidden elevator. Their advantage falls short when it
breaks down and everything goes dark. Brendan uses this time to make out with
Rachel – he had actually turned off the elevator himself. Rachel is loving this
party.
The couple get separated on the third floor, where Rachel is
attacked by bats. She finally finds Brendan … hanging from the rafters.
Underneath his body is a note:
ANYONE FOR A GAME OF HANGMAN?
Brendan comes running at Rachel’s scream. The hanged body is
a mannequin, dressed in Brendan’s clothes. They think it’s a sick joke, until
they hear another scream.
They find everyone freaking out in a bedroom, standing over
Patti’s broken body, her limbs all contorted. Her note says:
TWISTER, ANYONE?
Only it’s not a joke, Patti is really dead.
Part Three
Everyone wants to get the hell off the island and call the
police. As they are all freaking out, the lights go out, leading to more
freaking out. Brendan leads them to a cabinet where the flashlights are kept,
but they’ve disappeared. The lights come back on and they begin to suspect
they’re being toyed with.
Brendan remembers there’s a security camera. They go check
it out and see two masked men enter with hunting rifles a few hours earlier.
Time to get out of there. They make a run for the boat, only
to see the catamaran leaving the dock, full of all the servants. They are left
behind, alone with the hunters who seem keen on killing them off one by one. A
crash is heard from behind the house.
A storm has blown in and no one can concentrate in the wind
and rain. Rachel suggests they go back to the house. They can be hunted
anywhere, but at least they’ll have shelter there. I’m not sure if I’m down
with the logic, but okay. They go back, and discover Kerry is missing. They
search around the back of the house, where there’s a construction area where
work is being done on the house. Underneath a slab of concrete that’s been
pushed over, is Kerry’s crushed lifeless body.
I WAS NEVER ANY GOOD AT JENGA
Everyone agrees the whole thing is sick (good consensus).
Brendan tries to comfort Rachel, but she runs out to get some air. She stumbles
into the library and discovers she’s not alone. A woman is there, all grey,
surrounded by mist and animal parts. She’s sewing up her own side – it’s
Victoria Fear!
Rachel freaks, gets everyone to come back to the library,
which they find empty. Rachel looks completely insane. She runs away again,
embarrassed and scared. Brendan finds her, kisses her and tells her no one will
hurt her.
More screaming. Eric has been found strangled, dangling off
a ladder.
CHUTES AND LADDERS ISN’T ALWAYS A BABY GAME
Rachel backs away, is grabbed from behind. It’s Mac, telling
her she has to go with him, but Brendan interrupts and Mac flees.
Brendan gathers everyone in a theatre room to calm down. He
pulls the curtains up to show the pile of their friends’ bodies. And the bodies
start to move. Everyone screams, then gets angry/relieved as they realized it
was all an elaborate plank. Brendan is killing himself laughing. He planned
everything; calls the game Total Panic. A girl in heavy grey makeup comes in –
the ghost of Victoria Fear was actually his cousin Karen. Rachel wonders if
Brendan pretended liking her as well.
The two men in masks and rifles come in. Brendan tells them
they’re late, but when they don’t respond he realizes something is wrong –
they’re not the hired actors.
Part Four
One of the men looks familiar to Rachel. They start to rough
up the kids, rounding them up and locking them in the basement, except for
Brendan and Rachel. One of the guys has been laid off by Oliver Fear and wants
to hold his kid for ransom.
They go to tie up Rachel and Brendan, but Mac busts in and
tells them to give it up. Mac is shot. In the chaos, Rachel and Brendan make a
run for it, heading to the elevator, then shimmying out a window down a tree to
freedom. They run for Mac’s canoe at the docks but lose each other in the
woods. Rachel hears a gunshot and hears the men saying they got the boy.
She runs blindly and falls into a pit of human bones.
Instead of freaking out, she decides she’s going to survive. She piles up the
bones and uses them to climb out of the pit. I like how strong and resourceful
Rachel is, I’m a fan of this character. She makes a break for the lake, but
doesn’t find the canoe. Hearing the men coming up behind her, she hides in the
lake under the dock. The men don’t find her, but she hears a familiar voice
calling her – Mac! He faked being shot to give them a chance to escape. He says
he’ll take her to the canoe.
Only to lead her back to the men, who have Brendan alive but
tied up. One of the men is Mac’s father! At first Mac wanted to protect Rachel,
but now apparently he wants to protect his father. There’s a lot of confusion
and the other man wants to kill Rachel, they get into a fight and in the mix,
Rachel’s ponytail is cut off, which, as it turns out, is the only fatality in
the book.
Just then, two cops show up, guns pointed. The armed men
give up pretty quickly and are handcuffed. Brendan is pretty bossy with the
cops, ordering them around. Once they’ve all hussled away and they are safe,
Brendan turns to Rachel, smiling. He confesses those weren’t real cops, but
more actors he hired, as scared as anyone there, but it worked to convince the
inept kidnappers.
He’s laughing and Rachel kisses him, telling him,
accurately, that he’s crazy.
A week later, Rachel is still upset by the events but is
trying to get back into her life. She’s starting to see Brendan, and is really
happy when her older sister Beth comes home from college to spend time with
her.
At the end of the book, Brendan takes Rachel back to the
Fear House to get her jacket she left behind. She walks into the library to see
the real Victoria Fear wearing her jacket, skull face grinning at her as she
sews up animals.
Brendan laughs at her for believing in the ghost stories …
This book was such a great set up for the series. Lots of
interesting characters (I did not go into all of them here, I hope I’ll get a
chance to in later books). This used so many themes from the original Fear
Streets: maybe paranormal stuff going around, a lot of poverty-induced anger,
not to mention bringing the Fear family right into the mix here. I give Party Games 10 out of 10 hacked off
ponytails. I am really excited to see what R. L. has for us next. Great to have
you back!
