Title: My Best Friend’s Exorcism
Author: Grady Hendrix
ISBN: 9781594748622
No. of Pages: 336
Genre: Horror
Origins: Quirk Books
Release Date: 17 May 2016
Synopsis:
“Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act . . . different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?”
My Thoughts: Many a parent of a teenager has wondered whether their child has become possessed by a devil. After all, teenagers are so completely different from the children they used to be. The rapid mood swings alone are enough to make you wonder just what in the world is happening in their brains. In My Best Friend’s Exorcism, Grady Hendrix takes this frequent parental lamentation and rolls with it. The result is a hilarious and biting look at high school female friendships that is akin to Buffy Summers and her supernatural-filled high school experiences.
There is not much else to say about My Best Friend’s Exorcism because there is not such a large leap in believing that anyone could be capable of some of the actions Gretchen takes. After all, teen girls are mean and spiteful and jealous and willing to do almost anything out of spite or just because they feel like it. At the same time, it might be odd to imagine anyone finding possession funny and yet Mr. Hendrix does so. However, a true description of My Best Friend’s Exorcism is that it is a black comedy. The fact of the matter is that Gretchen’s antics have devastating consequences for others, and that is not funny. Yet, the way Mr. Hendrix portrays the events as they are happening is not only creepy, as befits any flirtation with devils and demons, but also highly amusing. Besides, when dealing with teenagers, sometimes all you can do is laugh.
BOTTOM LINE: Quirky, entertaining. In other words, the type of book I adore.
