Tim Martin's Reviews > Girl of Nightmares

To me the very best kind of sequel is that story which is not simply just another story, but rather reveals more about the setting, the characters, or the underlying back story to the first book. Even more, a very good sequel might even change how the first book was perceived (in a positive way), adding not only depth but also changing perhaps some of the very premises the series is based upon, perhaps not only a revelation to the reader but to the characters in the story. I believe that _Girl of Nightmares_ is one of those books. Whether it is the history of the athame (ever wonder how it was made or who made it or if there were more out there?), the story of Gideon (what was he like as a younger fellow and how did he come to be involved in sending ghosts to the afterlife), or even the state of the relationship of Thomas and Carmel (will they staying in the “ghostbusting” business?), things are hardly static in this series!

There was a lot to like about _Girl of Nightmares_. The writing continued to be quite good; crisp, clean, with good pacing and enough description without being bogged down in it. Again, there was just enough humor and pop culture references to keep things light at times without detracting from the fact that this is a horror book. In fact, the horror element was if anything increased, with scarier ghosts, closer encounters (as in encounters that Cas or the others barely survived), and even a bit more gore (though not too much, it is not for the squeamish I would think). Though a “teen” or “young adult” book I would put some of the horror sequences up against anything in any other horror book. While Cas continued to be the sole protagonist I – as with the first book – did not feel lost or deprived of information from not having the point of view of other characters. Also lots of great twists and turns in the book, with many chapters ending in excellent surprises. Finally a new character is introduced fairly late in the book but the author did a good job of fleshing this individual out and making this person integral to the story.

Oh, what was it about? In a nutshell, Cas is haunted by nightmares of Anna being tortured in the afterlife, of her calling out to him. Though some time has passed since the events of the first novel, Cas and his friends have not been able to rescue or even meaningfully speak to Anna since her sacrifice at the end of the first novel. His friends and family urge him to move on but Cas simply can’t, haunted by not only his love for Anna but also by her appearances, which not only grow in number but become increasingly more vivid. His quest to find answers attracts the not entirely welcome attention of those who created the athame, with Cas, Thomas, and Carmel having to journey to England and Scotland during the course of events.

I have few complaints though I do have some. I wish some of the climactic scenes at the end of the book just had a touch more description. Not saying it is bad writing by any means, as the style of describing these events fits in the style Cas narrates the book, but as a reader sometimes I wanted a tad more. Anna is hardly present in the book and if you liked her character you might be disappointed, though this may be more me missing the character than any real complaint about the book given its plot. I did think that the final fate of Anna could have used a few more pages. It was over so very quick, just a few paragraphs; I really felt it should have been discussed over several pages and is probably my biggest complaint about the novel.

Overall a good book and a fast read, one I really enjoyed. If the author writes any other books involving Cas and the others I would definitely read them.