Review: Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Title: Asylum

Series: Asylum #1

Author: Madeleine Roux

Genre: YA, horror, mystery

Publication date: August 2013

Published by: HarperTeen

Source: Library book

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Synopsis:

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

My rating: ★★★★☆
The Good: This might be one of the first YA books I have read that had pictures in it, and I really liked it! Some of them were quite creepy! I also found the plot very interesting with all these grisly experiments that went on in the asylum... so much yes! Oh, and let's not forget about the fact that one of my favorite childhood shows was mentioned...

YES!

The Bad: First of all, Asylum wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be/would’ve liked it to be. It’s unfortunate, really. So if you don’t like scary books, this will probably not keep you up at night. I was very meh about the characters--I just didn’t connect with them and found them to be a bit unbelievable. And even though I liked the overall creepy plot, it was also predictable, which I don’t typically enjoy.

And the Dirty: Are you sick of my P!ATD references yet? Hehehe ;)


Overall, I really liked the story and setting of Asylum. I did find it a bit creepy, but you already know I would've preferred it to be straight up scary and horrifying. However, it was quite an enjoyable read besides the couple of downsides.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! :)