The Evil Moon

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Weak writing, but it hooks readers who like gore.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this fast-paced supernatural thriller is notable mostly for the gore and violence.

  • The main character attacks his boss, steals money, breaks into a house, beats up his best friend, and steals a car.
  • Several grisly scenes of death by car accident, a cat scratching out a boy's eyes, a man choking on a mouse, a boy frightened to death. Intentionally frightening scenes of horror provide much of the book's appeal.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

First Chris and Matt steal the Cataluna off the used-car lot. They can't control it and, as it speeds off the highway, they jump and are killed by a truck. Later, Bryan loses his job and his chance of earning money to buy the Cataluna. He becomes so obsessed with the car that he begins stealing money.

Meanwhile, flashbacks to New England in 1698 tell how Catherine is ostracized by her town. She seeks refuge from a strange woman in the woods, who tells Catherine that she is her mother and that both are shape shifters. Catherine is caught and hanged, but she changes to a mouse and jumps down the throat of the village elder to choke him.

Back in 1995, Bryan finds that his friend Alan has bought the Cataluna. He beats Alan up and steals it, but after a wild ride, he screams himself to death.


Is it any good?

 

R. L. Stine's writing wouldn't get him out of ninth-grade English; his sentences are choppy and often incomplete, and the story has no depth or characterizations. But young reluctant readers who enjoy gruesome supernatural thrillers love it. This kind of book fills the bill for large numbers of kids who don't like to read.

It requires little effort to understand what's going on, though the time switches make it marginally more challenging than most of Stine's books. Everything stays on the surface. The story moves quickly, keeping readers' interest high and not wasting any time on such traditional aspects of storytelling as descriptions (except for the gore), characters, or emotional depth. The grisly plot appeals to many young readers: It's purely pulp fiction, meant for entertainment only.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the evil car's historical roots. Parents could encourage kids to try some historical fiction as an alternative.


This review was written by Monica Wyatt
Author:R. L. Stine
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Horror
Publisher:Simon Pulse
Publication date:August 1, 1995
Number of pages:151
Paperback price:$3.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):12 - 14

This review was written by Monica Wyatt
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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