Review Detail

Seventeen-year-old Mina wants to visit her deceased mother's hometown. So when an opportunity presents itself, she goes. Only Mina doesn't come back alone. An evil presence follows her. Mina tries to keep away from her friends, fearing she's putting their lives at risk. The only person who isn't affected is Jesse Talbot, the town loner. Together, they look into Mina's family's past to uncover the truth not only about what happened to her mother, but also about the evil surrounding her. What they find is a deadly family debt that must be satisfied.

What worked: Creepy paranormal with an Egyptian horror that demands its debts be paid in gruesome ways.

The whole premise of the children paying for the sins of their fathers is given a diverse twist. At first, readers don't know why former popular Mina shuns her friends and boyfriend. Little by little, the truth is revealed after a beloved teacher is possessed by an evil that seeks to destroy Mina.

The pacing at times is slow, and the dialogue feels forced. The parts that are gripping include the history behind the curse in El Agamy, Egypt, that include Mina's mother's family. The images of ghostly children in front of the decaying mansion are grisly. So are the shadows that overtake their victims. I couldn't help but think of the Japanese version of The Ring.

I wanted to know more about the curse. The ending is haunting in what Mina has to do to finally break the curse.

Unique twist on a paranormal entity that demands debts be paid for generations.