BOOK REVIEW – Jennifer Strange BY CAT SCULLY

Stylish and gory YA demonfest supernatural debut​

If you are after a fast-paced, gory, and very stylish YA horror novel then look no further than Cat Scully’s excellent debut splash Jennifer Strange. All too often Ginger Nuts of Horror struggles to find genuine YA horror to review, be rest assured this monster and demon-soaked romp is the real deal which moves at an incredibly fast and very silky lick. The novel is also part comic, with catchy illustrations opening the story, with additional drawings at various key points along the way. It is not a graphic novel and is being referred to as an ‘illustrated novel’, however, it is more of a traditional novel than anything else.
 
Be careful who you give it to, the cool packaging might look cartoony, but it is considerably bloodier than you might think. Bracken MacLeod has said: “The first time I started this novel, my reaction was, "THIS is a YA book?!" HELL yeah, it is. But it ain't just kids' stuff.” I would agree with Bracken, but also, there are plenty of kids out there who will take the numerous creatures and kills in their stride. It depends on how prudish they (or their parents) are, personally, I found it relatively harmless and I suspect most kids will take it the same way.
 
Jennifer Strange starts swinging and does not relent for a moment with the entire plot spread over a few days after Jennifer arrives in Savannah to stay with her estranger elder sister Liz, whom she has hardly spoken to since their mother died a few years earlier. Savannah is beautifully portrayed as a city where there are a lot of ghosts and helped in creating a funky Buffy: The Vampire Slayer style vibe. There was an early scene where a demon killed several school kids and it was blamed on a gas leak; that sort of coverup happened in Summerdale High all the time!  
 
Is there a dash of Buffy in Jennifer? More ‘no’ that ‘yes’ but give her time! Instead of slaying vampires Jennifer is a conduit for ghosts and demons. This means that the undead can attempt to inhabit her body and take over her physical form and effectively possess her. Bearing in mind that Savannah is regarded as one of the most haunted places in America, Jennifer really is in the wrong city and on the first day of school there are deaths connected to a demon manifestation connected to her weird gift. The plot does not hold back on either the violence or death, with a swiftly mounting body count as Jennifer begins to investigate a supernatural mystery. Much of the violence does have a stylised bubble-gum, almost comic book, feel to it which complement the expressive drawings perfectly.
 
Written with a first-person narrative, Jennifer was a cool lead character, who is presented in an accessible and down to earth manner which young teens will have fun connecting with. She is neither a superhero or ultra-cool and is just coming to terms with her new power and the reader has fun following her initial baby steps into the realms of the supernatural. I also loved her vulnerability; highlighted with her nerves when she attends school for the first time, head down, scared to draw attention to herself.
 
Jennifer Strange is not a deep book and nor does it pretend to be. The characters are sketchily drawn with limited back stories, with its strength lying in its pace, action sequences and snappy dialogue. It lacks the intense inner reflection, conflict, and maturity which you might find in other YA fiction, for example, an Amy Lukavics novel. However, that should not be taken as a criticism, as this is a light and frothy read which provides easy-going entertainment. I was delighted to hear that Lukavics was also a fan of Jennifer Strange, providing the following lovely quote: “A mysterious, dark, and perfectly bone-chilling tale of self-discovery and seizing your destiny, Jennifer Strange is a tremendous addition to Young Adult horror”.
 
I really enjoyed the supernatural world which Cat Scully develops and the colourful range of demons and other beings which pop up, here is an excerpt when they make an early appearance in the story:
 
“My cellphone shook in my hand as the bright camera light flickered when it found Bloody Mouth. He held a student up by the base of his neck and brought the guy’s face crashing down into the black hardtop of one of the tall desks. Bloody Mouth smashed, and smashed, and smashed until the guy’s face had turned to putty.”
 
Other highlights included the rekindling of the family relationship between Cat and her sister Liz, and the developing of her own supernatural powers and the mystery behind the term ‘Sparrow’ which the demons continually refer to her as. The handwritten diary flashbacks written by her father which provide insights into where the power originates was another clever development. There was a lot to enjoy in this very fine debut.
 
Jennifer Strange is great fun and a colourful read for young teenagers not quite ready to tackle adult horror novels. Even younger kids, who are not too bothered about swearing and violence, will find much to get their teeth into. The creatures are relentless in their quest to get to Jennifer and it was incredibly easy to be sucked along on this rollercoaster journey. There is a serious lack of this gory type of horror for kids on the market and I am sure if the book is targeted at the correct audience it could be lapped up. I have a feeling the story of Jennifer Strange is not yet over and I will certainly be returning for more.
 
Tony Jones

Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange is the Sparrow, cursed with the ability to give ghosts and demonic spirits a body-a flesh and blood anchor in the mortal world-with the touch of her hand. When a ghost attacks her high school and awakens her powers, her father dumps her unceremoniously in the care of her estranged older sister Liz, leaving only his journal as an explanation.

Drawn to the power of the Sparrow, the supernatural creatures preying on Savannah, Georgia will do anything to receive Jennifer's powerful gift. The sisters must learn to trust each other again and uncover the truth about their family history by deciphering their father's journal...because if they can't, Jennifer's uncontrolled power will rip apart the veil that separates the living from the dead.

A fast-paced and splattery romp, fans of Supernatural, Buffy, and Evil Dead will enjoy JENNIFER STRANGE - the first illustrated novel in a trilogy of stylish queer young adult horror books with big scares for readers not quite ready for adult horror.

Cat Scully's illustrations bring the ghosts and demons of her fictional world to eerie and beautiful life, harkening back to the style of SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK and Ransom Riggs' MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN.

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