The Devouring

The Devouring was exactly what I expected it to be. Mind-numbingly and deliciously sinister horror wrapped up in a fantastically driven plot! (Hmm...that was a lot of adjectives, but apropos!) Thank you Simon Holt, you have my utter devotion.

Reggie discovers a journal about the Vours, but she thinks that it's all a story. If it's a story it can't hurt her right? Wrong. From the moment Reggie first found the journal I knew that I was in for a wild ride! As a big horror fan, I probably read more into plots than a lot of other people when it comes to these types of books. I want to be scared yes, but I want to be scared for a reason. I need to feel invested!

When the synopsis says that Reggie enters a living nightmare, I tell you friends, they really aren't lying. There are portions of the book that made me shiver and sigh audibly. When the words that you are reading on the page sneak into your head and present vivid pictures, you know that the writing is done well. When those words are horrifying, well let's just say Simon Holt accomplished this so well that I had a hard time reading this book after dark.

Reggie is a wonderful protagonist in this story. Like all of my favorite female main characters, she is spunky and smart. My favorite parts about her were her willingness to take on the responsibilities that were unfairly handed to her and her big family-centered heart. She reminded me a lot of myself in these two areas. Capable of turning into superwoman to protect her family if the need arises! Paired with wiry and nervous Aaron, they were the perfect pair to follow through this story.

Did I mention that Reggie has a passion for books and works in a book store? Yup, we could be friends.

Reader reviewed by Lia

The Devouring starts out with 15-year old Reggie, a horror buff, reading a scary story to her little brother, Henry, out of an old diary. She dismisses the diary, which talks about the Vours, creatures that feed on your fear and take over your body, as the ranting of an insane woman. But when Henry starts acting strange, commiting cruel acts, Reggie has overcome her own fears to save her brother. With the help of her best friend Aaron and Eben Reggie delves deeper into the Vours to bring her brother back.

This was such a great book. I couldn't put it down at all. My only complaint is that it ended too soon. I loved reading this creepy tale, the Vours were the perfect horror creatures. I loved Reggie, Aaron and Eben! I was rooting for all of them while frantically turning the pages. This is a book best read on one of those cold, wintry nights.

Reader reviewed by Nikki (sng2098)

OH MY Gosh!

I haven't read a book this good in a LONG time! The Devouring was sooooo amazing. It had the right amount of suspense and horror and it kinda creeps you out. I had to have it finished in one day!

Regie finds an old journal in the bookstore that she works at, in it are some strange creature called "Vours".  She soon learns that Vours arn't a fictional creature they are a nightmare come true!

Reader reviewed by Sara

Title: The Devouring
Author: Simon Holt
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date Published: 2008
Genre: Young Adult
Main Themes: Possession, Nightmares, Family, Friendship/Love
Pages: 231
Plot:
From book jacket: The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of winter solstice.

This isn't how the horror ended for us - this is how it began.

When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musing of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act stragely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyong a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to lie.

To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour he own fears before they devour her?"

I thought this was a good book, but I didn't really find it all that scary. The concept of Vours was really interesting - and freaky I suppose, but none of the scenes themselves really scared me. So I suppose this is a horror novel in the way that if you think that something like this could happen to you, you have a really good reason to be freaked out!

Otherwise, there really isn't all that much to say - I feel kind of lame, actually. I thought the writing was solid and the world well imagined. I'd recommend it, but I didn't love it. There was just something missing for me. I will read the next book, Soulstice, I'm kind of more interested the sequel just because I think things will really start getting interesting. Now Reggie knows more about the Vours and can focus on kicking their butts by the masses. So basically, read it, but get it from the library if you can.

Ratings (out of 10):
Plot: 9
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 6
Originality: 10
Total: 45/50 (A-)

Reader reviewed by laughingcorpse

(blurb)
15-year-old Reggie doesnt know who penned the mysterious journal about the Vours, wicked creatures that inhabit childrens bodies on Sorry Night, the darkness of the winter solstice. Once inside a human, the Vour assumes the victims personality, banishing their soul to a dark netherworld called a fearscape. Frightening, but thought to be only the musings of an anonymous lunatic... until a midnight game awakens an ancient evil.
After playing with the journals incantations on Sorry Night, Reggie and her best friend Aaron discover the story of the Vours is all too real. When a demonic force consumes Reggies little brother, Henry, she must race to save him. Slowly, she uncovers the truth: Vours have existed since the dawn of mankind, feeding on humanitys fright. Reggie acquires the ability to enter victims fearscapes, psychic prisons sculpted from pure terror. Once inside, she must empower victims to conquer their fear and destroy the Vours that have enslaved them.
Together with a small band of believers, Reggie wages war against an enemy she cannot touch or reason with, creatures powerful enough to enslave human bodies and steal souls without detection. The Vours gorge themselves on human fearfeeding their guile, their cruelty, and their power. A cataclysm called The Devouring approaches, and only Reggie Halloway can stop it.

(Review)
Phew that was long, but now for the review. after just finishing the book Undone this book had a lot to live up to. And did it ever, it surpassed by wildest dreams for a book. this girl Regina/Reggie is the main squeeze of the story and from the cover art, kinda cute too. But that is off the subject. On Sorry Night the Vours can get you, and this a just what happens to Reggies little brother Henry. If this book is anything but good, then it would be scary, so it's creepy in sooo many ways. Yup, Creepy and disturbing pretty much cover it. People have said not to read this at night for it will surely give you nightmares, well it didn't give me nightmares. But be warned; sometimes seeing a little kid act the way Henry does will get you freaked. Also keep in mind for when your reading this late into the evening that Vours hate the cold, light will pull them to you. :-)

This story isn't in first person, but on the Prologue it is in first person, because your reading it out of someones journal. But for someone that likes to read only first person POV books, this on wouldn't have worked any other way. The point-i think-is that we don't know what is coming and we don't know what Reggie is fearing at a certain moment, so if we were in first person we would know these things and not be surprised. Some of the fears are cliche' but the characters point this out throughout the story and I found that to be kind of funny. Reggie also has a best friend named Aaron, who is afraid of drowning. This dude is awesome and I related to him alot, except i don't fear drowning. Eben is a kindly old man who runs a local book that Reggie works at, but this man has something to hide, what it is? I don't know yet. I really hope that Simon Holt will write another book on the Vours, cause this was just too good. But remember-

"When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury yours fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winters blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours.
No one will see it, the life they stole,
Your bodys here but not your soul&

Buy this book, or the Vours won't be the only things you will be afraid of...

Reader reviewed by stephanie

Vours are evil, demonic beings who inhabit human beings on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice. When Reggie first read about this in a mysterious old journal that she had found while she was working, she assumes that they were just stories written by an anonymous lunatic. However, when her little brother, Henry, starts to act strangely, right after hearing about the Vours and right after Sorry Night, it soon became disgustingly clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwomans imaginations. Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life. To save everyone she loves, she must learn to conquer her fears. With the help of her horror-obsessed hobby and her best friend, she must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. With Henry, her cute little brother, trying to destroy her and incite hallucinations beyond her imaginations, can she devour her own fears before the Vours devour hers? Who are the poor souls who are possessed by the Vours? Who she can rely on for help and most importantly, can she survive?
This book was extremely creepy and gave me nightmares for a few days. However, despite the scariness, I highly encourage everyone to read this book because: IT. IS. SO. GOOD.