School Library Journal Review
In his acknowledgements at the end of the book, Heuvelt discusses how he rewrote his original story (published in the Netherlands in 2013) while it was being translated into English. He changed the setting to a small town in the Hudson Valley and gave the work a completely new ending. Although he provided his characters with American names, he allowed them to retain their "Dutchness," which makes for a charming, quirky, and humorous cast. They seem amazingly well-adjusted considering the restrictions that govern their lives. But when a group of Internet and social media savvy high school seniors confront the reality of being trapped forever in Black Spring by a 17th-century witch's curse, town law is no obstacle to their determination to change the status quo. Unfortunately, well-intentioned, testosterone-fueled teen bravado can quickly turn ugly. The teens pursue a series of activities that awaken the witch's wrath, but it is the townsfolk's dehumanizing descent into fear that turns Heuvelt's charming, don't-turn-out-the-lights ghost story into a bona fide tale of horror. Teens will relate to the characters' dilemma and appreciate how decisions made in the grip of either fear or love can have disastrous consequences. VERDICT Definitely not for the faint of heart, Heuvelt's cinematic descriptions will appeal to horror movie fans and lovers of psychological thrillers.-Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Despite some emotional gut punches, Heuvelt's supernatural thriller fails to fully capitalize on its intriguing premise. The New York town of Black Springs appears perfectly normal to the outside world, but is, in fact, subject to a curse. Katherine van Wyler was sentenced to death for witchcraft in 1664 after resurrecting her dead son. She has haunted Black Springs for centuries, and her whispers create suicidal thoughts in the minds of those who hear them. Leaving the town for more than a short time is not an option for residents, who would be compelled to kill themselves if they did so. The phenomenon even attracted the attention of the federal government, which established the military academy at West Point to help cover it up. Town residents are governed by strict rules imposed by the government, and even their Internet use is monitored and censored. The restrictions chafe the younger generation, whose rebellion threatens the status quo. Heuvelt (The Ink Readers of Doi Saket) develops his characters enough to give their tragic lives resonance, but the story's resolution disappoints. Agent: Sally Harding, Cooke Agency. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Other than for the witch with her eyes and mouth stitched closed that haunts Black Spring, it is a normal, lovely Hudson Valley town. Katherine van Wyler, the Black Spring Witch, was tortured and hung for the possibility of practicing witchcraft in the 1600s. After her death, the townspeople started to see a figure in the hills around Black Spring, and some residents started committing murder or killing themselves. The history surrounding Katherine terrifies the present-day citizens. It does not help that she wanders around Black Spring and appears in homes, thus constantly reminding them of her presence, and that they cannot leave Black Spring, or they will contemplate suicide. The plot of the novel revolves around a group of young boys who, for their own reasons, are recording interactions with Katherine, testing her powers, and eventually torturing her. When the town discovers what the boys have been doing, the tentative peace of the town explodes. A great read for fans of the Blair Witch Project or The Crucible.--Whitmore, Emily Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
The Hudson Valley town of Black Spring, NY, has been cursed for hundreds of years. Katherine, burned as a witch in the 17th century, wanders the village with eyes and mouth sewn shut to keep her power controlled. The townspeople have found modern ways to deal with Katherine, using high-tech surveillance and smartphone apps to track her appearances. And if you move to Black Spring, you can't leave, nor can you talk to outsiders. The teenagers are growing restless with the limits placed on them by the spell, and that frustration leads to actions that could doom the entire community. VERDICT This Dutch horror novel was a huge hit in Europe and does clever things with the intersection of ancient evil and technology. The prose is rough in places, especially as the story gets up to speed, which could be owing to the translation. Yet once the teens start their experiments, the tension levels spike and remain high until the terrifying finish. [Previewed in "Editors' Spring Picks," LJ 2/15/16.-Ed.]-MM © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
