Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero Review
Title: Meddling Kids
Author: Edgar Cantero
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Horror/Humor/Fantasy
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.
I heard about Meddling Kids the way I usually hear about the books I get at the library: Through Bustle! It was pitched as a book to help a reader deal with their Supernatural withdrawal, but what drew me to it, personally, was the gorgeous, creepy, colorful cover, and of course, the title! I mean, Meddling Kids is an obvious tongue-in-cheek joke for Scooby Doo, one of my favorite cartoons as a child. (I miss old school cartoons, but that's another story.) And one of my friends from the library insisted that I read it and tell her what I thought because she was dying to read it! And who am I, of all people, to turn down a friend's request? (You know who you are, friend!) Meddling Kids had me in stitches, alternately from laughter and fear. It is one of the most fun, hilarious, unique and creepy books of 2017!
In 1977, The Blyton Summer Detective Club solved their final case, cementing their local celebrity and outing a local fortune hunter in a dastardly money-making scheme; and he would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those darn meddling kids! In 1990, when the kids are all twenty-five, they reluctantly get back together to unearth the terrible, hidden history behind that same case. Nate is locked away in an insane asylum, literally haunted by the specter of another member of the club: their so-called leader, Peter, who committed suicide after hitting it big in Hollywood. Andy has returned home after a life spent on the run, Kerri barely making ends meet working as a waitress in New York. And last but certainly not least, Tim, the great great grandson of the Scooby Doo of the group, Sean. They are all broken after that traumatic night, some more visibly than others. When they dig deeper into the mystery, they discover that their childhood home is home to something else: dark forces that seek to conquer not just the town, but the world, and they are the only ones who can even hope to contain it...
I really, really liked this book! It was a crazy, grotesque, hilarious mash-up of Supernatural, Scooby Doo, and H.P. Lovecraft. It was unexpectedly funny, creepy, thought-provoking, and heartfelt. Most especially heartfelt. It was like the kids from Scooby Doo had grown up, and saw a lot of crazy stuff. Stuff that ended up really screwing them up. And then they had to go back and fix it all! I really loved the writing style; it was unlike anything I'd ever read before, and I think that was part of the reason I was so into it. (Plus, now that I think about it, nostalgia never hurts, either.) But more than that, even, I loved the characters, and I read this book in a day and a half. It was so weird and refreshing, even if the gore and creepiness got out of hand a little bit for my taste. It was a fun, wryly told story that echoed to some of the best childhood memories I have, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, humorous take on the horror genre. The bottom line: A fun homage to classic cartoons, and a lot of pop culture, Meddling Kids is a lovingly told story that had me in stitches--one of the best books of 2017! Next on deck: Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia!
Author: Edgar Cantero
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Horror/Humor/Fantasy
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.
I heard about Meddling Kids the way I usually hear about the books I get at the library: Through Bustle! It was pitched as a book to help a reader deal with their Supernatural withdrawal, but what drew me to it, personally, was the gorgeous, creepy, colorful cover, and of course, the title! I mean, Meddling Kids is an obvious tongue-in-cheek joke for Scooby Doo, one of my favorite cartoons as a child. (I miss old school cartoons, but that's another story.) And one of my friends from the library insisted that I read it and tell her what I thought because she was dying to read it! And who am I, of all people, to turn down a friend's request? (You know who you are, friend!) Meddling Kids had me in stitches, alternately from laughter and fear. It is one of the most fun, hilarious, unique and creepy books of 2017!
In 1977, The Blyton Summer Detective Club solved their final case, cementing their local celebrity and outing a local fortune hunter in a dastardly money-making scheme; and he would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those darn meddling kids! In 1990, when the kids are all twenty-five, they reluctantly get back together to unearth the terrible, hidden history behind that same case. Nate is locked away in an insane asylum, literally haunted by the specter of another member of the club: their so-called leader, Peter, who committed suicide after hitting it big in Hollywood. Andy has returned home after a life spent on the run, Kerri barely making ends meet working as a waitress in New York. And last but certainly not least, Tim, the great great grandson of the Scooby Doo of the group, Sean. They are all broken after that traumatic night, some more visibly than others. When they dig deeper into the mystery, they discover that their childhood home is home to something else: dark forces that seek to conquer not just the town, but the world, and they are the only ones who can even hope to contain it...
I really, really liked this book! It was a crazy, grotesque, hilarious mash-up of Supernatural, Scooby Doo, and H.P. Lovecraft. It was unexpectedly funny, creepy, thought-provoking, and heartfelt. Most especially heartfelt. It was like the kids from Scooby Doo had grown up, and saw a lot of crazy stuff. Stuff that ended up really screwing them up. And then they had to go back and fix it all! I really loved the writing style; it was unlike anything I'd ever read before, and I think that was part of the reason I was so into it. (Plus, now that I think about it, nostalgia never hurts, either.) But more than that, even, I loved the characters, and I read this book in a day and a half. It was so weird and refreshing, even if the gore and creepiness got out of hand a little bit for my taste. It was a fun, wryly told story that echoed to some of the best childhood memories I have, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, humorous take on the horror genre. The bottom line: A fun homage to classic cartoons, and a lot of pop culture, Meddling Kids is a lovingly told story that had me in stitches--one of the best books of 2017! Next on deck: Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia!
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