Book Recommendation: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding

I am a huge fan of creepy. Books, movies, decaying abandoned houses. So when The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken became available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. This book is the whole package of eerie while still having the humor middle grade readers love.

Goodreads

“I would say it’s a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness .”
Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history-that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper’s great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made-and then broke-a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn’t exactly the forgiving type. The fiend has reawakened with one purpose–to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts to trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his afterlife without a side of eternal servitude, thanks. But with the help of his long-lost uncle, Barnabas, and his daughter, Nell, a witch-in-training, it seems like Prosper has at least a fighting chance of ridding himself of Alastor before the demon escapes and wreaks havoc on his family.
Little does Prosper know, the malefactor’s control over his body grows stronger with each passing night and there’s a lot Alastor isn’t telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Can you ever fully right a wrong, ever truly escape your history? Or will Prosper and Alastor be doomed to repeat it? (NetGalley)

We meet Prosper on the first page and that’s where I fell in love with his voice.  He’s not the best student or the most popular, but he has a personality you can’t help but root for. Especially when we’re introduced to an ominous stranger who spies on Prosper, an angry and sadistic grandmother, a basement he’s forced into, and a ritual that involves a knife. (We haven’t even gotten to the haunted house yet!)

The fantastic characters don’t stop with Prosper. All are well-developed and have such strong motivations, it is easy to cheer them on, including the demon, Alastor, trying to possess him. It’s because of the strength of the characters that we don’t see the plot twists, and at one point, you have no idea who is good or evil.

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is not just a tale to send chills down your spine or give you goosebumps. It’s not just about a boy who may or may not escape (no spoilers!) a centuries old pact with a demon. This story is about an underdog who puts others first and learns his own self worth.

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is now available! You can find it at AmazonBarnes and Noble, and IndiBound. And don’t forget to check out author Alexandra Bracken’s website here.

HALLI GOMEZ teaches martial arts and writes for children and young adults because those voices flow through her brain. She enjoys family, outdoors, reading, and is addicted to superhero movies. You can find her on Twitter.

3 thoughts on “Book Recommendation: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding

  1. Terrific Thriller, especially if you like heroic stories or are a fan of fantasy, creepiness isn’t the subject being careful with solution so you own solution isn’t messed up all the sudden is the theme in the two books of this kid. Alastor’s problems are similar to Shrek’s. It’s a tale of two characters solving a problem together but thinking of it differently, so it’s not really close to a spooky tale. The sequel’s even funner than the first book.

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