Customer Reviews

Goosebumps HorrorLand #4: The Scream of the Haunted Mask

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It all began with the first "The Haunted Mask", quite possibly the best entry in the original Goosebumps series. It's a story of innocence, torment, grotesque evil, and love. A classic Goosebumps book and a MUST read.

This book, "The Scream of the Haunted Mask", does a respectable job as a sequel, although it is very different. Here, Stine switches to first-person point of view. He raises the scares and thrills early on, and even supplies some gruesome details and disturbing scenes that deviate from the comfort zone of his earlier works. Oddly enough, the story isn't always about the mask, either. But he captures the mood and scenic details well (such as the creepy farm where Carly Beth works), allowing the reader to feel the story in a way that I haven't seen in Stine's books in a good while.

There are plenty of surprise revelations and twists that give the book a lot of energy, and in some parts I was caught in a little dread. It was a shock that at age 22, a Goosebumps book had my pulse racing a bit! It's a comfort to know that Stine can still surprise and scare his readers. Some parts are kind of creepy and unsettling, such as when Carly Beth revisits the shopkeeper, or when she hears the ominous sounds coming out from the farmlands...

Another nice treat is that Stine includes some really human moments. I won't spoil it for you, but there is another symbol of love, and it's a touching moment. Carly Beth remains smart, caring, and we feel for her.

As for complaints? The story ignores the events of "The Haunted Mask II" and apparently the very end of the original. Carly Beth and Sabrina could've been fleshed out somewhat more to have a greater sense of their emotions. Lost is the gloominess and subtlety of the original, as a fast pace and thrills galore are necessary to entertain today's young readers.

Overall, this was a fufilling read. Expect a different formula and tone from the original. But if you like "The Haunted Mask", you should check it out. Not bad!

Reviewed by Billy Burgess
Carly Beth can't forget the horror she went through in "The Haunted Mask" and "The Haunted Mask II." She hid the Halloween mask in the basement, hoping it would stay dormant.
Carly and her best friend Sabrina volunteer at the Tumbledown Farms, an after-school program. One of the other students tells them the ghost story of the farm. Many years ago, a stable boy mysteriously died in the barn. He now haunts the barn looking for his haunted mask.
Someone wants the haunted mask back and will do anything to get it.
The second story picks up in "Horrorland" from the previous book. Carly Beth and Sabrina have won a free trip to the theme park. While at a magic show, they meet Billy and Matt. During the show Billy's sister, Sheena, reappears.
While Billy, Sheena and Matt search for the missing Britney and Molly, Carly and Sabrina explore a mask shop. All of the masks look like real faces!
This installment in the series is a little more scarier than the previous ones. I would recommend reading the first two haunted mask books before this one.

THIS WAS A GIFT TO MY GRANDSON, JAKE. HE LOVES THE GOOSEBUMPS SERIES. HE DID CALLED ME AND TOLD ME HE LOVED THE BOOK, SO I GUESS I WILL RATE IT A PERFECT 5 STARS.