While at the store Christine sees a WANT ad, "Volunteer film crew needed for documentary on haunted sites. Spend the night at Smith Grove Mental Hospital... if you dare!" Having been bored the entire summer, she jumps at the chance and becomes friends with Eddie, the director of the documentary. Anyway, that Saturday the two and their friends set up the shoot in the abandoned sanitarium, but what they don't know, and of course we do, is that Michael Myers is back!
The final chapter in the young adult HALLOWEEN book series, is in some ways superior to the first two books, but not in other ways. We'll start off with the cons. First off, the book takes place during summer vacation, and not on Halloween. What the hell is Michael doing out during the summer? He must want to get a tan! Also, Christine and Eddie, become good friends a little too easily to be believed. Before we know it, Christine, a great looking popular girl is falling head over heels for this Buddy Holly look-alike film nut! Hmm, wish I could get girls that easily. The continuity of the story from the series is once again, very poor. We find that the main reason why the kids are shooting this documentary is to catch a ghost on film of Dr. Blackwell, a crazy psychiatrist who performed many weird experiments on patients, including our boy Michael. I suggest you skip Chapter 16, because the beginning of it is just too stupid to be believed, and once you find out what really is going on, it's too hard to digest. A real downer. We also find out, that Smith's Grove is where Michael stays in between Halloweens, sleeping on a bed of newspaper. What is he a dog? C'mon! Also, Miss O'Rourke seems to rip off the HALLOWEEN 6 ending with the "beat Michael senseless and think he's dead" ending.
But don't be discouraged, there are some really good things in this book. For one, it is definitely the scariest book of the series. The tension is really well-written and the hospital setting is for the most part really well-used. It keeps you reading. We also get a really pissed off Michael in this book! We get death by electric shock therapy, decapitation by shovel, scalpels in the eyes, and much more. Michael ain't happy! We surprisingly get a few fun pop culture references to Star Trek, the X-Files, Fangoria, and more. And for the most part, the characters are pretty likable except for one, which you're supposed to hate.
While I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this young adult book series, I would suggest reading this one of the three books. We still get a growling Michael, but the book is pretty scary and well-written up until Chapter 16, despite the occasional screw up of the HALLOWEEN storyline. Michael is the closest to his character, there's good suspense, some great kills and the sanitarium is well described. If only the story didn't have to screw itself up in Chapter 16! |
