The Children on the Hill
I’m such a huge fan of Jennifer McMahon and how unique, brilliant and twisted her stories are. The Children on the Hill is an excellent modern take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Synopsis: 1978: at her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when she home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.
Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl.
Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they catalogue all kinds of monsters and dream up ways to defeat them. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything together: ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.
2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.
What appealed to you the most in this story?
I love how the dual timeline in this story helped build suspense and tell a deeper story. However, I was mainly drawn to the past timeline. I was captivated as I followed the characters (Iris, Vi, and Eric) as children. Just imagine being a child with a grandmother who is the director of the psychiatric hospital right next to your home. Then, imagine her bringing home a little girl with massive physical scars who doesn’t have any memories. From there the children become sleuths as they try to find out what is really going on at the hospital. As they begin to uncover more and more the story becomes darker, creepier, and more suspenseful.
Was this a thriller and/or mystery?
Both! I was pulled into this psychological thriller from the beginning as definitely was on the edge of my seat several times. The children in the story are what really made this a thriller. They were so very real, and I found myself attached to them from the first chapter, so of course anything that could possibly endanger them had me holding my breath and wanting to jump into the pages of this story to protect them. Needless to say, the tension and fear I felt while reading was very real.
How was the pace?
Holy smokes this was a fast read. The story is the perfect blend of slow build and suspense. When I sat down with this book, I had read the first half in a flash, and I couldn’t wait to see if my theories were correct. So, of course I flew through the rest of the story. I was able to guess some of the ending correctly, but there was a twist I didn’t see coming!
Do you recommend this book?
If you are looking for a fast read that makes you question who the real monsters are, then pick up this haunting page-turner!
Thank you, Gallery/Scout Press, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
