What I’m Reading: The Devouring Gray By Christine Lynn Herman
I was a little late to the party when it came to The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman having picked it up at my local bookshop because of its comparisons to Stranger Things and Riverdale. But I’m glad I did.
The story follows Violet Saunders who moves to the small town, Four Paths – a place with dark secrets in the form of a beast that haunts the woods – trapped in in the Gray.
Violet faces all of the usual challenges of being the new girl in town. She struggles to find friends and soon discovers that the students who do take an interest in her have their own motives. They are children of the founding families and it’s their job to protect the town from the Gray – something they are failing dismally at.
When it is discovered that Violet is also descended from one of the town’s founders and has inherited deadly powers, she is called on to confront the Gray in a heart-stopping showdown.
There’s so much to love about this book. Violet has just the right amount of teenage snark and wit to engage the reader. Her tragic back story also endears her to you. The love-hate dynamics between the other characters offer interesting sub plots and add depth to the overall story.
The real star is the moody, dark setting of the town and the woods – the Gray feels terrifyingly real. I wasn’t 100% satisfied with how the book left off, and the lead in to Book 2 felt a little forced, but overall it’s a great read. And the pink-edged pages of the edition I have are gorgeous! 4 out of 5. 🌟
You can buy Devouring Gray in eBook form here or a print copy via Booktopia here.
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