Penpal

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach

This non-linear novel follows the story of an unnamed narrator who learns the secrets of his dark past.

The protagonist believed he lived a normal life, just like any other child, but when he begins to put the pieces together of his mysterious childhood, he wishes he can forget what he learned. It all started with an innocent kindergarten activity—releasing a balloon with a note.

If you’re into reading creepy and disturbing stories then Penpal is for you. It’s an easy and quick read that will allow the reader to use their imagination and detective skills while expanding their curiosity. The protagonist is an extremely likable character and as a reader, you’ll only want to help him make sense of what happened. There were certain nights where I had to put the book down because of its overwhelming eeriness, but even when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I had to make sure to restrain my curious and impatient eyes from skimming future pages. It had me internally screaming, “I need to know!”

The first half of the book is much scarier than the second half. There were certain sections in Penpal that had me dosing off, but most of it was intriguing and captivating. Auerbach knows how to effectively spook the reader, but some of the story was a little unrealistic. Knowing that it was a fiction novel, I kept wishing it was a true story so it seemed more practical. With that being said, I really did love the book. I mean I did finish it in three days so it obviously did something right. Definitely looking forward to reading more from Auerbach.

If you don’t feel like purchasing the book, you can read a shorter version on HERE.

7.5/10

Get Out

Get Out – Director Jordan Peele

When an interracial couple decides to take their realtionship to the next level, things get a bit uncomfortable.

Chris and Rose have been dating for a few months, so Rose decides that it’s time Chris meets her family. At first Chris is a little nervous about meeting his white girlfriend’s family, but Rose assures him that her family doesn’t care about the color of his skin. When he first arrives at their estate, things seems to be running smoothly and better than he expected, but after having an odd encounter with Rose’s mother, things take a turn for the worse.

This satirical thriller will be sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. The storyline is genius and relevant, while the dialogue is witty and eerie. The film seems to be more of a comedy than a horror, but that’s what makes it so scary. “Get Out” has an excellent way of making the viewer feel uncomfortable about societies cultural appropriation. The cinematography is clean, sharp, and satisfying. The film’s score is definitely one of my favorites. American composer, Michael Abels, is what holds the film together the whole way through. Included in the score, there’s some blues, folk, rap, and traditional African chant. The cast was great and genuinely captured the films flow. The relationship between Chris and his best friend Rod was perfect and refreshing—they had the audience cheering from beginning to end.

Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved the film, but it was way too predictable for me. Twenty minutes in, I already knew exactly what was going to happen and how it was going to end. I only wish that they kept the concept more on the subtle side and harder to predict. Nothing makes me love a film more than its twists and turns, but unfortunately, “Get Out” didn’t have any of that. Aside from its predictability, I loved everything else about it. It seems to be a modern-day version of “The Skeleton Key” meshed with the satire from “The Visit”.

This is 100% a must watch.

8/10