The Sacrifice
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- 10,99 €
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- 10,99 €
Publisher Description
An island oasis turns deadly when a terrifying legend threatens to kill off visitors one by one in this haunting novel from the highly acclaimed author of The Girl from the Well and the Bone Witch trilogy.
Pristine beaches, lush greenery, and perfect weather, the island of Kisapmata would be the vacation destination…if not for the curse. The Filipino locals speak of it in hushed voices and refuse to step foot on the island. They know the lives it has claimed. They won't be next.
A Hollywood film crew won't be dissuaded. Legend claims a Dreamer god sleeps, waiting to grant unimaginable powers in exchange for eight sacrifices. The producers are determined to document the evidence. And they convince Alon, a local teen, to be their guide.
Within minutes of their arrival, a giant sinkhole appears, revealing a giant balete tree with a mummified corpse entwined in its gnarled branches. And the crew start seeing strange visions. Alon knows they are falling victim to the island's curse. If Alon can't convince them to leave, there is no telling who will survive. Or how much the Dreamer god will destroy…
Creepy and suspenseful, The Sacrifice is perfect for readers looking for:
•Spooky, scary books for young adults
•Horror novels
•Ghost story books for teens
•East Asian folklore
Praise for The Girl from the Well
"Solidly scary and well worth the read."—Booklist
"Chupeco makes a powerful debut with this unsettling ghost story."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a harrowing horror novel by Chupeco (The Girl from the Well), nonbinary Filipino Alon Budhi, 18, guides an all-white American TV crew filming a documentary through Kisapmata, a purportedly cursed island off the coast of the Philippines. When the film crew arrives on the island, intending to make a show about the prophecy of Kisapmata's god Diwata, Alon is the only local who agrees to assist, doing so to make money and take care of their ill father. The crew—among whom are Leo Gries, who is investigating the death of his wife in a plane crash in the area four years ago, and his bisexual son Chase, a social media influencer with five million followers—believes that Diwata will grant immeasurable power to whomever provides him with eight sacrifices. As the crew begins filming, they're endangered by strange and terrifying happenings, such as a sudden sinkhole exposing a mummified corpse entwined in a balete tree's core. Though Chase and Alon's budding relationship reads as stilted and expository dialogue bogs down Chupeco's examination of colonization, the narrative's strength lies in chilling horror elements that coalesce into a bittersweet conclusion. Ages 14–up.
