[Book Review] The Voice in the Mirror

[thebookishescape]

AUTHOR: Diane Hoh
RELEASED: January 1, 1995 by Scholastic Paperbacks
SERIES: Nightmare Hall (#29)
GENRE: Horror, Fiction, Mystery
AGE RANGE: Teen
RATINGS: ★★☆☆☆
SYNOPSIS: Salem U. is buzzing with holiday activities. Annie loves the holidays, until two of her friends have horrible accidents—and she may be next.

What Annie doesn't know is that one of her friends has a dark past. He has murdered a girl and now his mind is split in two. One part that of a student, the other that of a guilty killer.

He listens to "the voice in the mirror" that tells him that each new girl he meets is actually a reincarnation of the girl he killed, returning to expose him. The voice tells him he has no chance, unless he can eliminate the problem...permanently.





REVIEW: The Voice in the Mirror wasn't bad, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did before. This is the first time I've read this author. I would have loved it if I had been a child, but not as an adult. This series is probably not something I will follow.

The book revolves around a group of students who attempt to raise funds for a hospital's pediatric department when they are attacked, despite the book's supernatural elements with the voice in the mirror. As far as the book is concerned, the mirror is worthless.

The supernatural aspect of the story is centered around a mysterious voice that communicates with one of the characters through a mirror. The voice offers cryptic guidance and warnings, adding an eerie and suspenseful layer to the plot as the student struggles to decipher the intentions behind the voice. Despite this intriguing element, the execution felt lacking, as the supernatural themes didn't blend seamlessly with the rest of the narrative.

This is a story told from the perspective of Annie and Killer. Neither of them is exciting. The alternating viewpoints lack depth or development, leaving readers disengaged from their struggles.

This ending makes no sense at all. After Annie encounters the killer, nothing happens. Next, Annie is at a Christmas gala with her date, and she explains what happened to the killer. The lack of resolution and the abrupt scene shift leave readers bewildered, questioning the purpose of the supernatural elements introduced earlier. This disjointed narrative undermines the story's potential, making the climax feel anticlimactic and unsatisfying.

Overall, the story's potential is undermined by its disjointed narrative and lack of resolution, leaving readers questioning the purpose of its supernatural elements.

Would I recommend this series to others? You can find a better horror series than this one.