Horror Book Reviews: The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean

 

How far would you go to convince your friends that ghosts exist?

This week’s Horror Book Pick THE APPARITION PHASE by Will Maclean, shows just how far kids can go to play pranks on their classmates. 

The book, which was published in October 2020 was shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize. Published by Cornerstone Digital, the book sits on the bestsellers list for British and Irish Horror and Ghost Fiction. 

The book has received positive reviews from critics who have praised the author’s ability to write a spooky ghost story while also capturing the seventies era so impeccably. 

Readers found this book to be a good spooky fun, and genuinely frightening. They also found the book to be immersive and a well-written psychological horror. 

There were negative reviews pertaining to the book suddenly changing genres midway. Many were disappointed to find the book turning out to be more of a coming of age story than horror. They also found some scenes in the book, too repetitive. 

THE APPARITION PHASE Book Review based on Sample

The book is told in the first person and we meet Tim who tells us about his twin Abi and him being fascinated by ghosts. They know they are unlike other kids who are almost fourteen years old. 

They like looking at spooky photographs and love to read about legends and stuff. 

Eventually, Tim and Abi decide to make a chalk drawing of a ghost. They like it so much that not only does Abi make a poem to ‘bring it to life’, they also take a photograph of it with their new camera. 

Now all that is left is to prank one of their classmates into believing they took a real photo. They decide to prank timid Janice Tupp. Abi talks to her at school and shows her the photograph. 

Janice not only freaks out after seeing it, she also faints in class. This is not what the twins are intended and they fear a severe scolding, especially since Janice hurts herself as she falls. 

Abi gets weird after that and Tim fears their parents are going to find out and punish them. 

Abi decides to get Janice to their home so that she can see for herself that they had pranked her and hopefully she won’t complain to her mother. 

The story initially takes time to pick up. It starts off shakily and reads more like an informative guide. 

We are introduced to their characters and then informed of their fascination of ghosts. 

It is not until the second chapter that the book, reads like a book. The twins getting up to mischief, and them deciding to trick Janice, is something that seems plausible. Kids would do that, don’t you think?

The story does get interesting after Janice faints and you will find your curiosity deepen since the plot suggests that a harmless prank does set off a terrifying chain of events. 

This is one of those books that you would want to read to find out how it ends. 

To Read or Not to Read?

The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean is definitely a book I would like to continue reading. 

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