Book Review: Jackal by Erin E. Adams
Shelly's Book Corner received a review copy from PRH Audio, Random House and voluntarily provided an honest review. This does not affect the opinion of the book or the content of the review.
This book does contain sensitive topics that may be hard for some readers.
Jackal Length: 10 hours and 30 minutes Published by PRH Audio, Random House on October 04, 2022
Genres: African American, Horror, Mystery
TropesFormat: Audiobook, eArc
Source: PRH Audio, Random House
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A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .
It’s watching.
Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.
It’s taking.
As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.
It’s your turn.
With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.
My thoughts:
Jackal started off strong and then it lost me. There was a lot going on at times and then nothing at all. The book did take on an unexpected angle towards the end and I’m not really sure what the author was trying to do. This book does discuss social themes, but I did have a hard time relating to the main character. Liz struggled with white acceptance as being one of the few Black people in this town. I grew up in a diverse area so that was never an issue for me so her struggles aren’t mine if that makes sense. I did end up switching over to the audiobook and the narrator did such a great job and that’s how I was able to finish.