EEE! I love books like this. The strange tie in books you never hear about but which add a layer to another work, like a film. I had a similar experience with the Blair Witch books that came out. Books that created another layer of creep to an already scary story. Here we have the journals of a character discussed and briefly seen in the recent horror film and in these journals you find out why the things in Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark are so very frightful. The guide is as much the story of Algernon Blackwood’s descent into obsession and madness as it is a guide to dangerous fairies but as you get into the book you realize that these two tales are really one in the same. After being sold the remains of creature Blackwood cannot categorize or imagine he delves into the world of fairies and other creatures that lay hidden at the base of history. In the book we are given illustrations and examples of many of these dangerous fairies but woven into all of it is the story and obsession of the ‘toothbreakers’ or ‘tooth fairies’, one of which is the body he had found. But in his obsession with these things the tooth fairies begin to become aware of him and suddenly Blackwood has crossed a line that was not meant to be crossed.
A very fun, very scary little book, this was a quick, fun read and is a great stand alone book as well as a fun companion piece. There is also enough chills here to leave you with the lights on for a night or three.
Great read.
4.5 out of 5
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 