The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero
Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Assistant
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Slipstream
Suggested Age: Adults and Teens
What is the book about?: A young man, known only as A, has inherited a mansion from a second cousin twice removed. A didn’t even know he had a second cousin. But he and his companion, a mute teenager named Niamh travel to America anyway to take possession of both the house and A’s cousin’s considerable fortune. The circumstances of A’s cousin’s death are bizarre. He committed suicide by jumping out of a window – the exact same window his father had also jumped out of, and died. A and Niamh explore the house and the town of Point Bless, Virginia and find more than a little weirdness. Is the house haunted? What’s with the labyrinth out back? What’s behind that creepy door in the basement? And what exactly goes on during the yearly midwinter party held at the house? A and Niamh find the answers to these questions and a lot more – but that’s just the beginning of the story.
My review: This is a story told in scraps and pieces. You find out information little by little through A’s diary entries, his letters to Aunt Liza, audio and video recording transcripts, telephone bills, Niamh’s notebook, and other random documentation, including ciphered puzzles. The Supernatural Enhancements begins as a ghost story and then turns into a million other different things, including a bizarre global and subconscious scavenger hunt. I enjoyed this book a lot and related to both A and Niamh. My only complaint is that the book ended on a pensive note. Throughout, we learn the story of A’s second cousin twice removed but I feel like that needs a separate novel unto itself. I also want a novel about Aunt Liza. This book was weird and wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mind bender – a haunted mind bender.
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!