Bonechiller gives few chills but little else

Bonechiller by Graham Mcnamee

People have always had a fascination with stories of ghosts and the supernatural, a trend Canadian author Graham McNamee continues in his novel, Bonechiller. The story depicts a monster’s terrorizing of a young man, Danny, and his friends in a town set in the far edges of Canada. The book excels at bringing the horror and fright to life, as readers easily connect with Danny, but the story itself is too simplistic with little twists and turns in it.

The novel opens up with an unknown creature attacking Danny while he was returning home. After a few chilling discoveries with the help of a friend, Danny learns that he only has a little bit of time before he will be consumed by the monster, and there is little he can do about it. He is then on a race to solve the mystery of the demon before his time is up, and it comes for him.

The one quality of the book that truly stands out is its ability to bring the main character to life, transferring his fear to the reader. Each of his flaws and feelings bring more color to his character, making him more believable. Unfortunately, the novel is too simplistic for anybody looking for a book to make them think. This is more of a story for those who don’t want to think about what it is they are reading. Everything about the story is simple: the sentences, the other characters and especially the plot. The plot is a typical spooky story, with the main character eventually prevailing. Furthermore, the ending is a little ridiculous and seems to be a last minute addition to the story.

Overall, the story makes for a good ‘just-for-fun’ read. It doesn’t particularly fail at any aspect, but it isn’t too great at anything either. It give occasional goose bumps and Danny was enjoyable as a character; however, the plot is easily seen through, so don’t read this is if a master-piece is what’s needed. By Andy Yang <ayang@hilite.org>