Title: The Hallow
Author: Jessica Verday
Pages: 513
 

I picked this book because of its cover and its connection to Sleepy Hallow. I love Sleepy Hallow when it was introduced in our English lit class, I even watched the movie. However the movie is really different from the original story.

I’m really happy that it’s available locally and much cheaper than I expected. Anyhow, to give you a general idea of what the book is all about, Abbey (short for Abigail) lives in Sleepy Hallow town and her best friend died from drowning. In the remorse pace of her life she met Caspian, a mysterious boy with pale blond hair with streak of black hovering his forehead. She is trying to cope on the lost of her friend and Caspian is helping her do that. But when she is trying to know the truth behind the death of her best friend she found out that Kristen is hiding something from her. And Caspian who help him also has secret of his own, made her doubt everything she believes in.

I find the beginning of the book quite dragging. It really took long to build up the story. I already past 100 pages and I still didn’t find it interesting. But I’m still holding on to the book because I feel that it has a potential and I’m so glad I stick around, it was a great book. I’m really happy that some YA authors really wanted to break out of the norms (uhmm vampires and fallen angels, yes those creatures) and I think Jessica Verday did a marvelous job in this book. Although I kept questioning some events happened in the book, I felt they’re unneeded, totally unnecessary. I think the plot can move along just fine without it, like the thanksgiving trip, moving around visiting relatives. They are, I guess, worth mentioning but among all her relatives, the important one is her Uncle who owns the ice cream shop, where it will play an important role (I meant place) in the second book. I did like Caspian too, I was shocked to find out who he really was. My stupid sister actually told me who he was before I find it out myself I was completely surprised. Normally, I don’t care about spoilers but this time I rather not know and read it myself. Anyway, there’s no crying over spilled milk, my sister is a know-it-all girl, like to blurt infos to people. Going back to the characters, as much as I like Caspian, I like the other guy (yes, I have tendency to like the other guy that’s why I adore love triangle) Ben, he is so sweet. But Abbey just shoved the poor guy. I pity Abbey at the same time blame her for whatever circumstances she’s in. She doesn’t have any friends besides Kristen. She is so much alone. Even though the cheerleaders are forcing themselves to be friendly with her (to the extent of asking guys to date her to prom, I don’t encounter snob girls do favor for others (charity isn’t exactly their greatest feature, if you know what I mean) that even if someone force them to) she just preferred to do things by herself, which is fine. I rather do things by myself too but she’s just hanging too much to Kristen. Life is an endless loop, things are bound to end, or change. And you know what’s weirder with this girl; she likes to roam around the cemetery and talking alone (mostly to the tombs), no wonder her parent’s wanted her to seek professional help. Let me get this straight I’m scared of coffins, funeral homes and cemetery so that’s why I find her amusement to necro stuff… strange. But that aside, I find the book refreshing and nice, like I said I did like Abbey but there are thing she does completely out of my sanity. Speaking of sanity, she is the first one (in my experience in reading YA) who doubted her sanity and ask for treatment. Why do I say its right thing to do, normally we don’t instantly accept things that beyond the norm and those in proper mind tried to think rationally. If someone told me they’re not human, I won’t believe it even if evidence might be present, I’ll try to figure it out logically, ‘coz that’s the most realistic reaction there is. So I guess, I did like her reaction, in psychologist’s (wannabe) point of view.

The ending is a cliffhanger and I decided to immediately jump in to the next installment.