// Content Warnings: death, violence, death of children //
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// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 3.5/5 Stars
Characters: 2/5 Stars
Writing: 4/5 Stars
Setting: 4/5 Stars
Plot: 3.5/5 Stars
Memorability: 3/5 Stars
// Quick Review //
Oliver Seneca presents an intriguing yet creepy story in Faces in a Window, where his characters must endure the cursed nature of St. Stephen’s Middle School. Along the way, they are met with horrors that will haunt your nightmares.
// Other Information //
Publisher: Hellbender Books
Page Count: 295 pages
Release Date: March 27, 2022
Series: None
Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Adult, Thriller, Science fiction, Horror, Supernatural, Apocalyptic, Post-apocalyptic
// Book Description (from Amazon) //
Every school has a secret.
After two beloved teachers pass away at St. Stephen’s Middle School, it’s up to Ian Evans & Michelle Thompson to fill their shoes.
But their eager anticipation soon turns to terror.
They are plagued with unexplainable nightmares and horrific visions: Students who aren’t really there; the school catching fire; scenes of their own deaths playing out before them.
Uncovering what it all means could cost them their jobs, or their lives. With each other’s determination to find the truth of the school’s past, and with the help of an old janitor, Ian and Michelle must risk it all to save more than just their souls.
// Review //
Faces in a Window starts off with a gripping scene, one that kept me reading and interested in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed how the reader was thrust into chaos by just starting to read the novel, it made for an entertaining beginning.
Throughout the novel, Seneca manages to keep tensions high, even in the most harmless of situations. I was constantly aching to know what would happen next and what terrors were just a page away.
While the novel is a tad cliche, I did enjoy the story. I was interested in the history of St. Stephen’s Middle School, where the novel takes place. However, I did feel that the pacing threw off the excellent plot and made the book feel very repetitive.
The story is split between Ian Evans and Michelle Thompson. I really wanted to care about their characters, but the lack of depth to them made me not attached to them. Similarly, I did not care about their relationship at all. The interactions between characters felt very unrealistic, and they lacked chemistry. From the moment Ian and Michelle met, I could tell they were going to be love interests for each other. Unfortunately, I felt like their romance happened far too early on in the novel for it to feel real, organic, and compelling.
Where Faces in a Window really excels is its setting. St. Stephen’s Middle School and its haunted nature was intriguing and kept me reading to find out what its history was.
The novel has a really classic horror movie feel to it, due to the inclusion of many tropes. I liked the nostalgic feeling this had, despite it being a newer novel. While some might call it outdated horror, I definitely enjoyed the older feeling it had.
Overall, Faces in a Window was promising but didn’t necessarily live up to expectations. It had some great aspects and potential, but its characters really fell flat, pulling me out of the story. The novel is perfect to read when you want some thrilling scares but don’t want to be deeply unsettled or disturbed.
Visit Oliver C. Seneca’s website.
Add Faces in a Window to your Goodreads shelf.
Maya's Reviews 