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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious Satire or Far Fetched Fiction?, August 2, 2009
This review is from: Evil? (Paperback)
Stuart Bradley is an openly gay teenager who has been caught by his little brother "pleasuring" himself in the shower. Soon, the entire town of Ice Lake in rural Ontario finds out about it and becomes obsessed with the act, deeming it the worst sin of them all. To get the truth about what actually constitutes a sin, Stuart summons the demon Fon Pyre, who let's it slip that the new Biblical Studies teacher at Stuart's school is a actually a fallen angel who is controlling the minds of the townspeople, fueling their hatred of the sin he finds the most repugnant. It falls to Stuart to save his feeble-minded neighbors before their intense fanaticism tears a rift in the thin veil protecting the human world from the demon hoards waiting to attack on the other side. This is one of those rare reads that ends up being something entirely different than you thought it would be. The author likes to refer to his writing as Far Fetched Fiction...I call it wonderfully satirical and full of wicked humor! Trust me, you just might find yourself laughing out loud at this books bravely flamboyant and comical dialogue. The books protagonist, Stuart, is smart and sassy. A likable character whose sarcastic and self-deprecating voice keeps the plot lively. With vast array of diverse characters, from Stuarts church pastor who completely supports him to the self-serving demon Fon Pyre, we have here a well-rounded supporting cast. With a not-so-subtle stab at the over zealous, Christian right-wing extremist's contempt of homosexuality and "sexual sins", this book may not be for everybody. But if you enjoy a hilarious satire with all of the fun and none of the brooding, this book is just for you! I recommend for 9th grade and above.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
LOL and witty humor with the paranormal!, November 15, 2009
This review is from: Evil? (Paperback)
I admit, the cover is what made me check this book out at my local library. I then went on to read the back of the book and though this might be interesting. OMG! So not what you expect in a young adult novel! Stuart is an openly gay teenager in a school and town that is very Christian based. Even though the town is accepting of him being gay, they are horrified to find out he masturbates. GASP! Okay if you can handle that, then you can handle the rest. The author finds humor in expressing this aspect with lines that will having you laugh out loud! The author describes his writing style as Far Fetched Fiction and it is, but I have not laughed this much reading a book in awhile. Witty humor, fallen angels, and a wonderfully and devious little demon! What more could you ask for in a paranormal fiction book! I will say though that I found this to be for older teenagers. I wouldn't let my 14 year old read this without warning her of the story first. That is the only thing that kept me from giving this book the higher rating!
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, November 12, 2009
This review is from: Evil? (Paperback)
EVIL? caught my interest right away because of how original the summary sounded. A teen boy who is caught masturbating in the shower by his little brother is suddenly thrust into a horrific situation where the people of his town are out for his very life. This confuses Stuart, of course, as he doesn't feel he's done anything wrong. And after all, the town pretty much accepted his being gay, so what's the deal now? However, the priest believes that Stuart is innocent of wrongdoing and agrees to help him figure out what's going on. It isn't until Stuart confronts the demon, Fon Pyre - who he'd been summoning for awhile in order to get some of his questions about good and evil and heaven and hell answered - that Stuart learns the truth. Fon Pyre reveals to them that it's a fallen angel who has caused the town's madness. His quest to stop people from "spilling" has made the hatred overflow, but if it gets any worse, the demons are going to be able to crack through the thin barrier separating the two worlds and attack the people of the town. So why is an angel of all people so set on punishing Stuart and others like him? Is Fon Pyre a truly evil being, or can there be a fine line between good and evil? EVIL? is definitely a fun and amusing novel. It's a fast read that keeps you flipping the pages. I loved that Stuart seemed like a real person who had his own thoughts about things. However, that does't mean that he won't learn something in the overall scheme of things...after all, how could you not? I also liked that the paranormal aspect involved angels and demons but was very unique in its own right. It's nice to find something a bit different, a bit odd - it just works! I'd definitely recommend giving it a read. It might not be your thing, but then again, you just might like it. What's the harm in giving it a try? Reviewed by: Lauren Ashley
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