Review: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul G. Tremblay

Fifteen years ago: The Barretts were your typical suburban family. John, the father, has been out of work for over a year, his wife assuming the role as breadwinner for the family.  Fifteen year old Marjorie and eight year old Merry were aware of the rising tension in their home.  Yet this isn't what caused the dramatic shift in the tone of their home.  Marjorie was beginning to act strangely, blaming voices in her head for her change in behavior. The first to notice this was Merry. Though their difference in age spanned several years, their relationship was close.  They had a tradition of creating stories with one another, a habit Merry grew fond of. It was during one of these storytelling sessions that Merry noticed a stark difference in Marjorie's behavior.

As the strange behavior intensified, the girls' parents grew leery of the increasing therapist bills. John, formerly a very religious man, turns to his faith for help.  It doesn't take the visiting priest long to confirm the Barretts' worst nightmare: Marjorie is the victim of possession.

Despite this confirmation, medical bill continue to loom.  To cover the ever-growing expenses, the Barretts invite a film crew into their home, agreeing to participate the filming of a documentary on their..."situation." Rather than healing, however, the family is befallen with a horrific tragedy, all caught on tape.

Fast forward to present time. A writer interviews Merry with plans to write a book about the family's tragedy. In doing so, Merry reveals secrets she's kept hidden for nearly two decades, unleashing memories that contradict the story told on television.

I’m a connoisseur of horror novels and movies. Typically, I can read/watch anything and it doesn’t faze me. However, the one book/movie that continues to terrify me is The Exorcist. Absolutely chilling.  Therefore, when those very same feelings reemerged while reading A Head Full of Ghosts, I was equal-parts thrilled and terrified.

Tremblay excels at creating tension and terror.  As I got to a particularly terrifying scene, I was conflicted with my feelings of fear and excitement. The turning of a page was the only thing that stopped me from being absolutely, unabashedly, so terrified that I genuinely had chills.

Sure, there are some cliche scenes that are quite close to what is relayed in other horror novels and movies (these are actually pointed out in blog entries interspersed in the novel), yet Tremblay added a fresh, new approach, making the experience even more terrifying.

Tremblay covers it all in this truly intense read: the conflict between science and religion, family dynamics and how they are affected by stressful situations. Yet what captured my attention the most was how he used the relationship between the sisters to polarize the terror that was raging around them. Having sisters myself, I understand…no one knows you like your sister.

Additionally, Tremblay doesn’t expect readers to believe everything he’s written. He encourages, almost demands, readers to question everything. Is Marjorie truly a victim of possession? Or is it a case of severe psychological illness that caused her to behave this way.  By the end, I was questioning everything I’d read, uncertain what to believe.

Though I can continue to spout my raves about this novel, I do have a complaint.  Interspersed between the chapters are blog entries written by an individually wholly obsessed with what happened in the Barrett home. While I understand the intent to add dimension to the novel, an outside viewpoint of what transpired, the entries actually took away from the flow rather than add to the intensity.  All this said, this one minor issue can easily be overlooked, balanced out by the truly remarkable writing.

No doubts about it, this is a book you’ll want to read curled up in bed, with all the lights on. A truly terrifying read, not because of the horror implications, but also the idea that something more sinister than a demon can be at play.  Highly, highly recommended.