Review: Asylum

Asylum by Madeleine Roux
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Actually kind of impressed with this Young Adult horror story.

Creepy cover ✔
Horrible history ✔
Mysterious happenings ✔
Creepy AF location ✔
Terrifying photos ✔

The photos definitely make this book a hundred times creepier, even if most didn't really match the story. I think the shudder effect comes from knowing that people and places like this did actually exist once upon a time.

For any horror aficionado, haunted asylums aren't really anything new. They arise constantly in books, films, tv shows ... you name it. It's an endless source of fear, possibly because it also forces us to consider what kind of depravity humankind has been responsible for in the past. Those poor departed souls.

So it's not a particularly original idea, but there's a reason it's been done on numerous occasions. It's a totally creepy premise.

Fun fact: the place I stayed during my first year of uni was actually once an asylum.
Not so fun fact: Absolutely zero haunting shenanigans for the entire year I was there. Like, one day I came home from classes and the gas had been left on in the kitchen but I'm pretty sure that was incompetent roomies rather than vengeful spirits.

But I digress.

One of my favourite songs (aptly titled 'Ghost'), includes the lyrics: We're not afraid of what we know, more what we don't. I think that explains why so many people are fascinated (and easily terrified) by ghosts. Departed souls. Spirits. NO ONE KNOWS. It's a lot harder to stand and fight something that may or may not be there. The best horror stories are the ones where you're not entirely sure what the horror is. Not knowing is part of the fear.

I had a few theories in my head reading this, but I was still scratching it by the end. I think that's a lot to do with this being a series: it leads to unanswered questions. I think that's what stopped it from packing a nice hard punch at the end. It kinda tapers out in a weird way and nothing is properly resolved.

I liked the characters, but I wasn't too fond of the coincidences. They felt false to me, like the story was trying to hard to link things. I did really appreciate Jordan as a non-conforming character, but I was also thrown by his lack of characterisation. The book kinda tells you he doesn't fit a standard mold but then doesn't give you much more about him? I suspect his personality will come more into play in the sequel. Abby was okay, I liked her just fine, but she was a bit naive for my liking. Dan ... I mean, forgive me for saying so, but the guy seems like a total nut job. I'm definitely keen to see his insanity progress in the next book. (Wait, what?)

I guess I really liked the premise and this book scores major points for the creepy factor, but the story itself felt a bit weak to me. Like all the gimmicky stuff came first and then the author was like, 'oh, wait, I guess I kinda need a twisted story to go with this ...' I enjoyed it, and it has some great creepy moments and ideas, but the story is a bit ehhhh. Also weird. Rubbish ending.

Hoping the sequel amps up the creepiness and brings a stronger story. I'll definitely be reading it. There's got to be something way more sinister lurking underneath this lil horror story.

*rubs hands together in anticipation*

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