My third and final purchase from #IndieAugust 2019 was the supernatural YA novel, Pandora Reborn, by John Coon. I don’t come across too many YA novels that have written by male authors. So, it was refreshing to come across this one which also fit my call for paranormal stories. Pandora Reborn reminded me of a 90’s teen horror movie with its straightforward plot, sassy characters, and attention-grabbing pacing. Here is my review below.
Pandora Reborn plot summary
Ron Olson is having trouble adjusting to his new high school after his parents divorce and his mom moves he and his little brother, Eric, to Deer Falls. Deer Falls is an eerie town full of urban legends and with an overall creepy vibe. All Ron can think of, though, is keeping up his soccer skills, missing his dad, and resenting his mother, not only for moving them to this football-obsessed town, but also for being too preoccupied writing her latest novel to pay any attention to him.
Ron’s anger lands him in detention as he spars with the football star and ends up meeting a group of misfits who feel just as ostracized as he does. There’s Casey, the loaner conspiracy theorist, Christina, the town’s witch, Nick, the mouthy punk, and Cassandra, the mysterious new girl.
When Nick and his family go missing, the gang checks out his abandoned house. They are shocked to discover that his home is now the domain of an ancient witch who has been freed after 50 years. She was initially imprisoned by the town’s resident homeless man, Crazy Dean, who, as a teen, imprisoned her in a chest after she went on a killing spree at his high school.
When Ron’s classmates start to disappear or turn up dead, he and his friends carry out a plan to stop this ancient witch, put her back in her chest, and save the town from her dark magic.
Plot strengths
First off, I want to point out that this is probably the most polished indie book that I’ve read to date. The editing was nearly flawless, and that’s no easy feat in the self-publishing world. It really shows the care and attention that Coon gave to his book.
This is also apparent in his cover design. Though I read it on my Kindle, the online cover is really eye-catching, relevant, and creepy. Teen horror readers will have no trouble identifying it as their cup of tea.
The novel opens with Ron in mid-fight with the school’s star linebacker, Trevor, which instantly sets the energetic pacing of the entire book. It generally maintains this momentum while also painting a clear picture of this world without bogging down the plot with details. All of this is filtered through Ron’s prism of being the new kid in an unusual place with a very dark history.
The characters themselves are generally well-rounded. The witch isn’t evil without motivation. There’s more to Trevor than just being the antagonizing jock. Even our central hero is no boy scout.
Ron is impulsive, haughty, and bitter. So, he carries the story with cynicism and a self-absorbed air which initially leaves him blind to the events happening around him. Luckily, Coon balances this downer-attitude by switching perspectives to other characters throughout the story, feeding information to the reader to set not only the rules of this paranormal world but also the stakes that our heroes face.
Is it scary?
The short answer: not really. I don’t think that even a younger teen would be traumatized by the more intense sequences. But in saying that, I don’t think that Coon missed his mark here. It’s hard for horror to truly horrify a reader in print. I can’t think of many horror novels that truly scared me. And while there is death and some gore, it shouldn’t keep the average horror fan awake at night.
In terms of atmosphere and suspense, though, it is effective. Since the reader knows more than the characters, you end up with those classic “don’t go in there!” moments. That paired with the witch’s distinct look and the way she manipulates her surroundings sets the stakes high for our heroes. This is where the book really shines as a horror novel.
Story weaknesses
My biggest issue with the writing was the hit-or-miss dialogue choices, especially among the younger characters. Sometimes they sounded like kids. Other times, they delivered generic, unconvincing lines that have been overused in stories and never spoken in real life (example: No one says “that’s what I intend to find out” when someone asks what’s happening, but we hear characters say it in books and movies all the time. Just a pet peeve of mine).
There was also a lot of exposition, mostly in the narration, which would go off into a character, usually Ron, analyzing a spoken line or situation when they should have been in complete panic mode. These quick detours to explore a character’s back story or motivations were the only times the plot would slow but often at the wrong times.
Despite being the hero, Ron is not actually the hero of this story. He’s more like a character caught in the crossfire of this supernatural event. It’s Christina who really pulls her weight in the final battle, leaving Ron with little to do. I would have liked to have seen more of a teamwork dynamic in trying to restrain the evil witch. I also would have liked to have seen more of Christina’s back story since her powers alone make her the most interesting character to follow.
The message
Ultimately, I think that Pandora Reborn preaches a message of empathy awareness to its reader. Our teenage years are categorized as a self-absorbed era. I think there’s truth to that, at least in my experience. It results in a tunnel vision that causes teens to misread actions, disregard others’ feeling and experiences, and not see danger when it is lurking right behind them.
This character flaw is what has made teenagers prime targets for horror monsters and killers over the years. It also causes rifts in relationships with family and friends. Ron experiences both of these instances by focusing on his own problems instead of seeing the big picture. Failing to do this can turn you into either an evil witch or a helpless victim.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of Pandora Reborn here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
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