Book: The Merciless
Author: Danielle Vega
Publisher: Razorbill
Publish Date: June 12th, 2014
Sofia Flores is the new girl, once again. She's used to it by now. Her mom works for the military, so they move around a lot. She knows a clique when she sees one. On her first day, she befriends the three most popular girls. She even laid eyes on what seems to be her next crush. Riley, the ringleader of the girls, claims that Brooklyn is possessed. Wanting to fit in, Sofia goes along with Riley, Alexis, and Grace on a journey she can never return from. The girls believe they can rid Brooklyn of the evil inside her. Riley's form of exorcism is closer to torture and revenge than anything. Riley is trying to get Brooklyn to confess to her sins--she killed and skinned a cat, she pushed a teacher to his death, she hooked up with Riley's ex-boyfriend. Sofia knows it's wrong, but she can't stop it. The "exorcism" is horrendous. It's graphic and gory.
This book was nothing like I expected. The description was so..misleading. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It started off almost innocent. The Merciless is such a proper title for something so sinister. Words cannot describe the twist of the book. I opened the book and expected it to be mild. Vega definitely went above and beyond with this story.
There is a resemblance to Mean Girls. Three popular girls ganging up on the single outcast girl. Regardless, this book was decently good. I used the word "misleading" because the way the book is headed, Vega makes you think that Riley is just a psycho with a burning need for revenge against Brooklyn. It makes you feel bad for Brooklyn, being stabbed and nailed to the ground. Riley pushes Alexis from a window, causing her death. Then it turns out that Riley was right--Brooklyn is possessed. She is evil. She moved Alexis' body into Riley's bed. It's a grotesque picture that Vega paints ever so vividly. She kills Grace. Brooklyn fillets her and hangs her from Sofia's garage.
After about one-third into this book, I realized how sinister it was. It...kept...getting...more...cynical. Sofia had sworn she had seen Brooklyn's eyes glow red, but she brushed it off. She sees it again when Brooklyn tells her the evil is in her as well.
Verdict: I would recommend this to readers that are not weak stomached. It is very graphic.
Rate: 4/5
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