My Best Friend’s Exorcism (Book)
Abby and Gretchen are such good friends, even the devil couldn’t separate them- but he sure tried. After Gretchen gets lost in the woods during a sleep over, Abby realizes she is no longer the same girl she befriended, and things seriously begin to go wrong. Will Abby do whatever it takes to get her friend back?
I was walking through Barnes and Noble a couple months ago, following my one-year old around in the store. My hope was to make Barnes and Noble an exciting place for him to come, where he sometimes got books as a treat. As someone who loves being there, I really needed more reasons to come. While steering him through the different sections of the store, I successfully steered him to the horror section, hoping to take a quick glance for anything new. I stumbled upon Grady Hendrix’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism, as it caught me eye because of the cover. It resembled a corny horror VHS from back in the day, and I was immediately intrigued. The blurb on the back cover gave me all I needed to be hooked:
Set in the 80’s
Two Best friends going through hardships
An exorcism
Religious body builders
Say less, Barnes and Noble. Say less.
The book is about two best friend’s, Abby and Gretchen, surviving the turmoil of young adulthood while attending a prestigious private school. Though Gretchen comes from money and Abby does not, they share a love for each other that only kids can understand. While staying at a beach house with two other friends, the group decides to try acid (peer pressure and all). Though the effects never quite set in, Gretchen runs to the dock of the house and jumps into the water, not realizing the tide has pulled the water out. The girls search for Gretchen, not finding her until the morning- cold, naked, and acting very strange. As Gretchen’s actions and personality begin to change over the weeks following, Abby realizes that Gretchen did not come back from that trip alone, and there is only one way to get her friend back.
An exorcism.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism was a fun read full of nostalgia and several great moments of suspense. Hendrix did well with the setting of the novel, giving the reader plenty to reminisce on. The bond between Abby and Gretchen was also believable, something many of us have experienced in our lives (How many of us haven’t wondered what are friends would do for us?). There is also plenty of vivid imagery and details of Gretchen’s diabolical actions when possessed, including the effects of a protein shake on one of the friends (it’s definitely not a protein shake, btw).
What I wasn’t too big of a fan on was the build up to the exorcism. The story was good, but the exorcism seemed to happen rather quickly when compared to the rest of the book. I get it, it’s one scene of the whole story, why draw it out? My counter to you would be to use an example like The Exorcism - half the fucken movie is the exorcism! The book’s exorcism was a bit too short-lived in my opinion and I would have loved to see more. The ending of the book is also not bad, but I wish there would have been more ripples and questions left unanswered as the novel ends. It is wrapped up nicely- maybe just a little too nicely for my liking.
Rating: Overall, I would give the book 8 out of 10 possessed kids. It’s a fun read with plenty to enjoy, but the ending is a bit lacking for my taste.
If you are looking for a good movie to check out, you can’t beat the OG: The Exorcism. It’s a classic movie that has shaped so much of the horror world, including this book. Don’t sleep on that movie if you haven’t watched it. You can also check out The Ritual, a movie about four friends backpacking through the mountains- only to be captured by an ancient cult worshiping a terrifying beast. It also makes you question how far you would go for a friend.
For books, definitely check out Legion by William Peter Blatty. It is the continuation of The Exorcist book and follows the detective from the first book, as he attempts to stop a chain of terrible murders. Murders all resembling the work of a serial killer- a serial killer he knows is dead. You can also check out The Final Girl Support Group, Hendrix’s novel delving into the question of “What happens after the ‘Final Girl’ escapes the horror she has faced?” How does she deal with the trauma and loss that she has faced? Welp, you start a support group with similar girls to discuss what you have been through, and in this case- what seems to be starting again.
So tell me: how far would you go to save your best friend? Are you willing to be covered in green bile for them? Do you speak latin?
Let me know in the comments!
Until next time…
-M