Relic

Annie Kramer vows to have no regrets the summer before going off to college. She has no idea if she and her boyfriend Jack will be together in a few months, but she'll enjoy it while she can despite the fact that his ex Frankie will not leave them alone. To go with her newfound philosphy, she and her friends decide to have a boat party and explore the abandoned mines for some fun and mischief. Things go a little more serious than planned when Annie is attacked by a delirious man, the cops come by, and everyone gets lost in the mines. Everyone makes it out and leaves, chalking it up to disorientation, but the next day, a mummified man is discovered that wasn't there the night before. Something is seriously wrong and Annie and her friends need to find out what before it catches up to them.

Relic is a dark horror teen novel that goes darker than I thought it would venture. The book excels in its characters, the mythology of the creature, and the mystery. All of the characters are well rounded. Annie lost her mother and has to deal with her oppressive father cheating and self medicating with alcohol. Being a cop, he has high standards for her behavior, disapproves of Jack for basically racist reasons. All of this makes her rebellious behavior make sense especially on the cusp of leaving her childhood home. Her insecurity bothered me, especially when she blamed her own shortcomings on Frankie instead of working on seeing her own self worth. Frankie herself is a catty, jealous person who is also intelligent and discerning, able to keep a cool head in tough situations. She's obnoxious and obviously wants to get back with Jack, but everyone except Annie puts their personal drama aside when people start dying. This is especially refreshing because the romantic rival can be reduced to a flat character with no other motivation.

The monster released from the disorienting caves isn't a vampire or werewolf. It's called the Amanet, an ancient Wintu mythological creature come for revenge. The Amanet goes after those who disturbed its resting place, eating their organs and attempting to cover its tracks. It's only real weakness seems to be salt. The mythology should have been more fleshed out. Salt is a typical weakness of supernatural creatures, but why with this one? Why were the caves changing so drastically? I like the concept of a human housing the creature, but it's a bit too similar to both 90's Mummy movies and I Am Not a Serial Killer. The kills are surprisingly gruesome for a teen book and everything plays out very similar to a slasher film with a twist at the end. I found the book a little too steeped in horror tropes when it could have been something really special with the rarely seen creature.

Relic is a fast teen thriller that pushes the envelope with its violence and stays rooted in horror tropes. While the characters are engaging and the kills are well done, the book is missing quite a few elements I would have wanted, like a fleshed out mythology and aspects that are less typical to the genre. It was a fast and enjoyable read, but I don't see myself revisiting it.

My rating: 3/5