My Best Friend’s Exorcism

I’ll be honest, I bought this book solely because of the cover! Seriously, this is the single greatest cover in the history of paperbacks! It reminds me of walking through those quirky old independent video stores back in the ’80s and ’90s and discovering some crappy, wonderful hidden VHS gem.
The cover is appropriate because the novel takes place in the 1980s. While it does deal with satanic possession, it’s really about the normal ups-and-downs of teenage friendship. While I’m a middle-aged man, I felt a great connection with and sympathy for these two teenage, female protagonists. There are a few stock characters, but they seem reminiscent of the stock characters you find in ’80s horror movies (the arrogant rich girl, the brainy girl, the jock with only one thing on his mind, etc.). Indeed, these characters only highlight the two girls at the center of the story.
While this story is mostly dramatic horror, there are a few moments of real, shudder-inducing horror. I highly recommend “My Best Friend’s Exorcism.”

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM. Nostalgia? Horror? Comedy? A little bit of all of those things would be the fair summary. The first chunk of the book details how our main character Abby becomes friends with Gretchen, and their personal history is peppered with a number of pop culture references that instantly make the characters relatable to anyone over thirty years old. For younger readers, some of these references may be alienating, like how the girls dressed up like Madonna and sang “Like a Virgin” in the mirror (though honestly, teen girls have done this for decades now–if not Madonna, then Britney Spears or Selena Gomez to younger readers–and that Hendrix taps into shows an awareness of how pop culture obsession becomes a rite of passage). These references certainly place the book in its time and place when there was a growing public fright of devil worship and eighties’ debauchery. The possession affecting Gretchen starts in subtle ways that become more obvious as the book goes on, but through it all, where the reader is able to plow forward through all the challenges is through Abby’s care for Gretchen. You want not only for the girls to live but for their friendship to continue as well. It’s a fast-paced read that is one part John Hughes and one part Robert Bloch. My only quibble is that Hendrix’s writing, while enjoyable and interesting, feels like the story’s being told from a distance where the reader learns everything about the characters as if someone else is telling them, almost a clinical kind of narration. It makes it a bit hard to fully immerse in the story, but it is still a great read.

Recommended for: young adult and older readers, people who grew up during the 1980s, horror-comedy fans, fans of unusual friendship stories

I enjoy reading horror novels and watching horror films and I’m always looking for something new. Having grown up in the 80s I can appreciate the vibe and feel of a good homage. Unfortunately, this doesn’t deliver much on any level. It wasn’t terrible, just not particularly well-written, interesting, dramatic, or funny. It tried to include so many elements that it just came off as a weak pastiche. Boring, one dimensional high school cliques? Check. Less clever than the author thinks chapter titles referring to 80s songs? Check. Myriad passing references to pop culture, TV, movies and the like? Check. Tension between kids from different social backgrounds? Check. It all ended up being like an after school special. If you need an 80s fix, just watch the original Ghostbusters.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS: My Best Friend’s Excorsim by Grady Hendrix

Friendship
1980s Paranormal
Spooky
Satanic Panic
No Romance
TW eating disorder

Everything changes in a single night although it takes a few days for Abby to truly realize this. After her friend Gretchen disappears for a few hours, she returns and is acting like a whole other person. As Gretchen changes, she pushes Abby away who loses all her friends in the process but won’t stop until she figures out what’s up. Even if that means performing an Excorsim.

Look this book is great. I mean that. I really enjoyed it and if I had the time, I would’ve read it in a single sitting. My main complaint is the start is buried beneath a lot of 80’s references. Get past that and you’re in the clear.

‘Demons are ideas made flesh,’ Brother Lemon said. ‘Bad ideas. The one inside your friend is discord, anger, and rage. He is the bringer of storms with a smile like lightning, brother of owls and giver of nightborn intelligence. He is the cleaving that can never be healed.'”

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix is the story of Abby and Gretchen, best friends since elementary school who decide one night to experiment with LSD. Abby doesn’t trip but Gretchen does experience something, running out into the woods and getting lost until morning. When found, the friendship begins to change as Gretchen becomes less stable…and eventually more malevolent as she begins turning everyone against Abby.

The novel takes place in Charleston, SC, beginning in 1982 but mostly during the fall of 1988. Because it is a period piece, Hendrix does his best to remind you that you’re in the 80’s. The only thing I have against the book is that Hendrix is very heavy handed in constantly reminding the reader, “IT’S THE 80’S, GET IT?” For instance, Gretchen’s dad isn’t just described as holding a book but holding The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy. Also, all the chapter headings are the titles of 80’s billboard hits: We Got the Beat, Like a Prayer, New Sensation, etc. There’s probably about one 80’s pop culture reference every 2-3 pages.

Still, the point of the novel is to reproduce the style and plot of a typical 80’s B-movie horror (PG-13/R-rated), and that it does well. The book cover is even designed to look like a well-worn VHS box from the video store. So, check this out for a light read.

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