In the beginning of June, I spent a lot of time at my local library. One day, while looking through the YA section, I came across a book titled The Call. The back-cover-blurb gave away just enough of the plot to hook me and compell me to check it out.
I ended up reading it in two sittings. So, suffice it to say, I enjoyed it.
The Review
Wow. This book was INCREDIBLE. I literally couldn’t put it down.
This book is not for the faint of heart, since the content is both disturbing and mature, but I’d still recommend for older YA audiences.
Just make sure you read the trigger warnings first! There are a ton of body horror/injury/deformation descriptions in this book. If you are sensitive to that, please don’t read this book.
If you like The Hunger Games, disturbing fae, boarding school stories, forbidden romance, and otherworldly cat-and-mouse games, you’ll love The Call.
Content Warnings
Ableism, abortion (implied), blood, body horror, bullying, cannibalism, child abuse, child death, confinement, cursing, death, excremenet, fire/fire injury, gore, gun violence, grief, injury/injury detail, LGBT characters (there are references to homosexual dating, kissing, and desires), medical trauma, murder, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, pregnancy, self-harm, sexual assault (a male character attempts to rape a female character. It is a traumatic scene, but not overly graphic. It is mentioned that the male character forcibly kisses her and pushes himself against her. He also touches her boobs), sexual content (some kissing), suicide, suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, torture, violence, and vomit.
What I Loved
Nessa. She was a beautiful protagonist in so many ways. One of my favorite things about Nessa is that she refuses to stop fighting or give up or simply lay down and die. She has a disability and a disadvantage, but she absolutely flat out refuses to let it stop her from living. I also love that she felt relatable as a teenager who has fears and worries and heartache that doesn’t feel fake or cheap.
The disability representation. I haven’t read enough books with good disability representation, but this one blew me away. I think what made it so powerful to me was that it served more than just ticking a representation box; it serves as the primary source of suspense and tension for the external plot. The story revolves around the question: Will Nessa be able to survive the Call when she can’t run as fast as everyone else? So, her disability works on multiple levels, and I think that’s really important when it comes to inclusion and diversity. It has to do more than just tick a box—it has to be meaningful to the story and the characters.
The entire premise of the story. I picked this book up on a whim at my local library with only a vague idea of what it was about (I knew exactly what you can find below in the About the Book section). But, it was so much more than everything I hoped it would be. It was gripping, thrilling, suspenseful (I swear it’s a masterclass in suspense), and just an excellent YA story about fighting to live, young love, and friendship.
What I Didn’t Love
The LGBT themes. I have nothing against LGBT characters, it’s just not my particular cup of tea. That being said, I did appreciate that Aoife was more than just a lesbian. Her character may have initially started as that, but her personality and existence serves so much more than just a diversity or representation box (this is especially noteworthy in the sequel, but I actually didn’t really like the sequel that much).
Favorite Quotes
“This is the spirit of the Call itself. Deadly and inevitable and imminent.”
“Listen,” he says, “we don’t need the Sidhe to teach us evil. We were the ones who put them in the Grey Land, remember?”
She says, “I’m going to live. And nobody’s going to stop me.” She believes every word of it.
Listen to my playlist for The Call!
My Rating
About the Book
You have three minutes to save your life . . .
THREE MINUTES
You wake up alone in a horrible land. A horn sounds. The Call has begun.
TWO MINUTES
The Sidhe are close. They’re the most beautiful and terrible people you’ve ever seen. And they’ve seen you.
ONE MINUTE
Nessa will be Called soon. No one thinks she has any chance to survive. But she’s determined to prove them wrong.
TIME’S UP
Could you survive the Call?
A genre-changing blend of fantasy, horror, and folkore, The Call won’t ever leave your mind from the moment you choose to answer it.
About the Author
Irish writer Peadar Ó Guilín is the author of the YA novel, The Call, inspired by the beautiful northwest of Ireland where he grew up. The Invasion, a sequel to The Call and the end of the duology, was published in March 2018.
In September 2007, Peadar published his first novel, The Inferior, which the Times Educational Supplement called “a stark, dark tale, written with great energy and confidence and some arresting reflections on human nature.” Foreign editors liked it too, and over the following year it was translated into eight languages, including Japanese and Korean.
His fantasy and SF short stories have appeared in numerous venues, including Black Gate magazine and an anthology celebrating the best of the iconic Weird Tales.
Let’s Talk!
Have you read The Call? Have I convinced you to give it a shot? What’s your favorite YA thriller? Is body horror a yes or a hard pass for you? Let’s talk all things thriller and suspense in the comments below!
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