Age range 14 to 18
From bestselling author Rin Chupeco comes a chilling new horror story! When a film crew arrives on a cursed island off the coast of the Philippines , a terrifying legend threatens to kill off their group one by one
Alon, a local teenager, watches a production crew of an American documentary-style reality show set up on Kisapmata (called the 'Godseye' by the Americans), an island off the coast of the Philippines rumoured to be cursed. Two producers offer to pay them to be the crew's tour guide since other locals have refused to set foot on the island.
Within minutes of their arrival, a sinkhole appears, revealing a mummified corpse entwined within a balete tree growing underground. Rattled, the showrunner explains to Alon the purpose of the show: to investigate the island's legend of a Dreamer god that supposedly grants believers unspeakable powers in exchange for eight sacrifices.
A mysterious journal they find on the island lends credit to the curse and poses a sinister riddle: He who sleeps in the mouth is He who sleeps in the eye. The first to eat, the second to seed, the third to wear, the fourth to birth, the fifth to serve, the sixth to lure, the seventh to consume, the last to wake. The roles of each seem to align with the known sacrifices.
As the crew falls victim to the island's curse one-by-one, Alon must figure out a way to stop the Dreamer before it destroys more than just the island.
'Rin Chupeco's newest story is as terrifying as it is riveting, and you will not put the book down until you know each character's fate' — Youth Services Book Review, starred review
'Chupeco creates an environment thick with mystery, full of haunting balete trees and eerie ghost sightings coupled with a legend that dates to Spanish colonization of the Philippines' — Kirkus Reviews
'Captures the creepiness of classic slow-burn horror movies.... this page-turner... is equal parts horror film and surreal fantasy' — Booklist
About the Author :
Despite uncanny resemblances to Japanese revenants, Rin Chupeco has always maintained their sense of humor. Raised in Manila, Philippines, they keep four pets- a dog, two birds, and a husband. They've been a technical writer and a travel blogger but now make things up for a living. They are the author of The Girl from the Well, The Suffering, The Bone Witch trilogy, and the A Hundred Names for Magic trilogy. Connect with Rin at rinchupeco.com.
Review :
"Chilling horror elements that coalesce into a bittersweet conclusion" -- Publishers Weekly
"Chupeco creates an environment thick with mystery, full of haunting balete trees and eerie ghost sightings coupled with a legend that dates to Spanish colonization of the Philippines" -- Kirkus Reviews
"Chupeco's world building is strong as always, and the island is a potent mix of beauty and danger, a tropical paradise that harbors horrors just below the surface... horror fans are likely to be swept into this deliciously gruesome tale of plant creatures and monsters that lurk within the most unexpected beings" -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Rin Chupeco's newest story is as terrifying as it is riveting, and you will not put the book down until you know each character's fate" -- Youth Services Book Review, STARRED Review
"This thriller captures the creepiness of classic slow-burn horror movies... Chupeco is a master" -- Booklist
