The Mark (Supernatural Series Book 2)
The Mark
By Lee Mountford
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
The first chapter will hook you from moment one. It’s a really great idea to start a story in this way. It’s well written and easy to follow. Moves pretty quickly from start to finish. There are some slower parts but you have to get to know the characters somehow. The best part of the story are the ghost victims. There are some really creepy moments. My favorite being the lady that comes up the stairs Exorcist style.
The main character, Kristy I would not describe as a particularly strong character. Really she’s just one that is a regular, normal person with the baggage of a bad, abusive relationship that has sucked all the confidence from her. Eventually I knew she was going to get tired of being a doormat. Seems she’s not a real good judge of character however. I think she’s got the “intruder” peg wrong. He’s not evil, he’s just trying to survive. There is also an element of hypocrisy when it come to her attitude about what he has done. I mean really she does the same exact thing near the end. She can say that it’s for the greater good all she wants but ultimately the immediate benefit comes straight to her.
When you learn a little bit more about the guy (eventually known as Simon) I think you either feel sorry for him or you think he’s a sniveling little shit. It’s an interesting dilemma. As I said above I don’t see him as evil, he is also a victim after all. I’m not sure there are really that many people on the earth that would truly sacrifice themselves for strangers or, dare I say, even for those they know. Ultimately he was forced into what is happening to him through no fault of his own. His parents betrayed him, serving him on a silver platter to the cult elders so they could use him in their “experiments”. Then really every time he had to mark someone he lived the horror all over again. Lived with the mutilation, shame and guilt. Relive the things that were done to him as a child. It’s no wonder he is so messed up.
Now let’s talk about Amanda…why the hell would she lie to her friend about what she has seen when she knows Kristy is already worried that she’s losing her shit? She should have been honest with both Kristy and herself. It takes the spirit of one of the victim’s spider crawling up the stairs to get her to finally believe that something is not right. Makes my head hurt when characters categorically refuse to believe something to be true even when they see it with their own eyes, feel it crawling along their skin. It’s really bloody annoying and there always seems to be one in these kinds of stories.
Closing thoughts:
Over all it’s a pretty straightforward story. There are a few twists but nothing too crazy or out there. There are some bloody parts, especially near the final conflict, but nothing too terribly gory (for those of you who are not a fan, you got this). The last scene in the book is interesting both storyline wise and descriptively. If I told you what it was it would ruin the ending but let’s just say that I’ve never heard Hell described this way. It’s a very unique take. Heck I only wish we got to know about the entity and it’s victims a little bit more. I would also have liked to have had more on the cult and why they were conducting the experiments that they were. I mean this was no short term study. They were in it for the long haul so what was the motivation, the benefit? If it were simply for knowledge then what is it they planned to do with the knowledge gained? It’s the curiosity and what if’s that I like to dive into my little Ghoulies. Always thinking.
