This is an unusual one, and I came to be reading it this weekend in an unusual way, so it's only fitting that my review will also be a bit out of the ordinary. This is what I would describe as an "incomplete book" in that the first installment doesn't have a complete story arch, and yet I still gave it five stars. If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you will know that this is very strange for me, as I usually start no higher than three stars for these types of novels. But Onyx Webb is different, and despite the fact that I was left hanging at the end of Episode 3, the well-written, interwoven, complex story portraying the unfortunate lives of several different characters completely held my interest from page one until the end of the first installment--and I will definitely be reading on.
The story starts when Onyx Webb is a little girl on the way to the World's Fair with her father in 1904. When Onyx goes missing, we are introduced to a serial killer, Obedience, whose description is creepy enough to keep you up at night if you dwell on it. I won't give anything away, but the events in Onyx's early life had me turning through the pages quickly to find out if she lives or not. After all, when we first meet Onyx in the prologue, it's made pretty clear that she is a ghost. I had to find out if it was Obedience that killed her!
But even though this portion of the book isn't particularly long, it is interrupted by the stories of two other characters. We travel to the mid-twentieth century with Juniper and her family, and we go to near present day with Koda. Their stories are also spell-binding, and while I was in a rush to get back to Onyx, I was also extremely captivated by the worlds of Juniper and Koda as well, particularly when we find out that Juniper has gone missing and Koda has seen a ghost. The way the book is woven together demands that you keep reading; once you are updated on one character, you have to continue reading to find out what is going on with the others. Also, the more you read, the more you realize these stories are all related somehow, though by the end of Episode 3, it's still not exactly clear how.
Not only are these main characters well-developed and interesting, so are the supporting characters in each of their stories. You can't help but be intrigued by Koda's best friend, Dane, or immediately dislike his ex-girlfriend Mika. Juniper's brother is the ideal older brother, and his search for his missing sister is heart wrenching. Even the backstory of Onyx's parents, which we get in flashbacks and stories told by her father, is well-thought out and raises many questions about who--or what--Onyx really is.
As a fan of historical fiction and horror, this book was a perfect balance of the two for me. It is so well-written that fans of literary fiction will appreciate its value as well. Even though I don't generally read mysteries because I become too emotionally invested in the characters and become too upset when something happens to them, I am certain readers who appreciate these types of novels will also enjoy this book. I read another review that said this book created a new genre, and while I'm not sure if I'd go quiet that far, I absolutely understand why it was stated--this book is certainly a genre crosser. Basically, if you like books, this one has something for you.
While I am certainly bothered by the abrupt ending with no resolution, as I said before, it didn't bother me like it usually does. I think one main reason for this is that I knew it going in. The authors make it abundantly clear that this story is told in installments and that there are currently twelve of them. I still adamantly say that all books sold as individual units should contain an entire story arch, and this one does not, but at least I knew that going in. Also, the story itself is so well-written, I didn't take any stars off of my Amazon review due to incompleteness. If the scale had been 1-10, I may have given it an 8, but when we only have 5 stars to play with, I can't see omitting any for this reason.
Now, let me explain how I came to be reading this book this weekend. About a month ago I was contacted by one of the authors asking me if she could gift me the book in exchange for a review. This is pretty common for book bloggers, though it hasn't happened to me too many times before. I didn't accept her gift though--I couldn't--because I already had Onyx Webb on my Kindle. I had already downloaded it! So technically I'm not obligated to make the canned statement that I was given this book in exchange for a fair review, although I would have been if I didn't already have it. The reason it has taken me so long to read it is because I was wading my way through Noble Cause. I started reading Onyx Webb Friday night and finished it Saturday, not because it's short but because I couldn't put it down.
If you like American Horror Story (the first few seasons when the storytelling was still excellent) or Stephen King, or Dean Koontz, you will like this book. I honestly think Onyx Webb would make a great television series or a movie. I believe it's currently on it's way to a cult following, and I can see why. The price of the first installment right now is $2.99 and you can purchase it right here. If it's a rainy Sunday where you live like it is here, and you have three or four hours, go get it now. You'll thank me--until you get to the end, and then you'll be mad at me because you know you're going to keep spending $4.99 for each of the remaining installments. Sorry! I promise I get no money for any of the books I recommend!
If you read it, please come back and leave a comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts! And don't forget to leave a review on Amazon. It's super important for the authors and other readers.
Now to figure out what to read next.... Oh, right, Onyx Webb Episodes 4, 5, and 6.
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