I have a little sister.  I also work with kids, so I have plenty of children in my life I care deeply about.  There is nothing I hate more than a pedophile.  Nothing I detest more than anybody who hurts children for any reason.  This book features some sadistic monsters.  Truly the worst of the worst of humanity.  But I have to hand it to Jon Athan for writing it.  He’s not one to turn a blind eye to how sick individuals can be.

Andrew is a grieving father who wants nothing more than to bring his little girl home safe.  He descends down a deep, dark rabbit hole into a sort of vigilante insanity state.  But the whole time, he just wants his children to be safe.  ALL the children of the world to be safe.  It’s truly an unjust and rough awakening when a parent must face the fact that there are demons out there masquerading as humans.  Ones who would dare hurt the innocent.

In my mind, all those people are irredeemable.

Prior to reading this, I always argued the most graphic book I’d ever read was “The Girl Next Door.”  That is no longer the case.  This makes TGND look like Cocomelon.  Okay maybe not, but… you get what I’m trying to say.

The gore kind of did distract a bit from the storyline, and I could’ve done without some of the scenes.  But hey- I signed up for this.  And It wasn’t easy to read.  I didn’t have “fun” reading these graphic torture scenes, but I was never bored, either.

I was shocked.  As I should’ve been.

I can see a lot of promise in Jon Athan’s writing, but at times found the dialogue a bit unnatural.  Then again, what is natural about these disgusting people?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.

My heart breaks for the children out there who have suffered, for their families, for the world.  That’s why this was an important book for me.  We need to protect our kids.  After reading his afterword, I can confirm I know Jon Athan feels the same.

Read at your own discretion please.