A Book Review - The Accident by Diane Hoh (Point Horror)

This was one of my childhood favourites. Reading it again, I'm not quite sure how to feel about it. 

I think I'd have liked it better if I'd read it under a different imprint, at a different time. It's not really a horror story, more of an urban fantasy, and as I'm reading these books in October (Halloween season!) horror and crazed killers are what I want. In addition, I came to this one off the back of Trick or Treat, so anything was bound to be a disappointment.

That said, it is a nice book. There's not a lot of suspense in it - I think any reader could have worked out early who the bad guy is - nor many chills, but it's nicely written with a very appealing heroine. Megan is shy and dreamy, so when she first sees a ghost in her mirror she thinks she's imagining things. After all, three of her friends were in a terrible accident that day and she's under a lot of stress. She's not dreaming, though - hanging out in her mirror is Juliet, a girl Megan's age who drowned in the lake. She begs Megan for a chance to take over her body for a week, so she can experience life again, and Megan - the soft-hearted sort - eventually agrees. But she spends the week worrying, because someone is attacking her friends and family, leaving taunting pictures for her as clues as to who will be next. And Juliet isn't acting like someone who'll be gone in a few days.

I didn't like the whole picture thing, it felt random and unnecessary to the plot. The reasons behind the attacks on Megan's family and friends were never explained to my satisfaction, particularly since none of them were killed and few of the "accidents" were serious. But the writing was good enough to keep my attention, and Megan is a fun heroine. Even if she did make the unspeakably stupid choice to swap places with a dead girl. (Don't. It never goes well.)

Verdict: Lighter than other Point Horror books, with a certain sweetness to it. Good for kids, or for anyone looking for something light and fun.