Review: The Messengers by Edward Hogan

The Messengers by Edward Hogan 
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: May 12, 2015
Book Format: ARC
# of Pages: 224
Synopsis:  If you could see the future, would you have the guts to change it? A new psychological thriller from the author of Daylight Saving.

Fifteen-year-old Frances is sent to her aunt’s house for the summer to escape difficulties at home. Soon she meets Peter, a man unlike anyone she has ever known. Peter is a messenger—but his messages never bring good news. Peter believes that Frances is a messenger, too. In a compelling page-turner as complex as it is chilling, the author of Daylight Saving poses the provocative question: If you could change the future, where would you start?


 My Review:

I received The Messengers by Edward Hogan from the publisher and this is my honest review.

First, let me start of by saying The Messengers has an incredible premise that I fell in love with. The book is about a teenager named Frances who moves in with her aunt, uncle, and cousin after things fall apart at home. Soon after moving in, she meets a mysterious young man in his late 20’s by the name of Peter. With his help she starts to learn about the abilities she did not know she had.

Ever since Frances was a young girl she had black outs that lead to her drawing pictures that were only clear to her. To everyone else what she drew were just shapes and nothing more. When Frances meets Peter she discovers that her drawings are messages just like his, and the two become close while Peter teaches her how to use this ability.

This book was a short and quick read which I loved. It was on a topic that I had never seen done before which I thought was interesting and refreshing. While reading I did not get too close to any of the characters with the exception of Frances, her brother, and Peter. Both of their families were merely introduced but nothing more. As of now I am not sure how I feel about that. Part of me is okay because getting too close to characters and then having a small book end is rough. But the other part of me wishes I got to know them as well as I knew Frances.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the language used. The author writes in the English language because he is from England so it was amusing to hear things like, “bloody hell” and or “bugger off.” I have only read a few books that use these types of sayings and I have liked everyone of them and this book was no different. I think it is just a nice change to deter from my normal language to a one not so common to me.

I am having a hard time reminiscing about the end of the book for the sole reason that it was difficult. The ending killed me, because I was so closed to both of the main characters and I just had a hard time dealing with it. On the other hand though the end was indeed well written and why it happened the way it did was clear, and I had no problem understanding why Hogan did what he did there. I may not have liked it but I did understand. Overall, the book was really very good, and I would recommend it to anyone.