Boys in the Valley by Philip FracassiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Philip Fracassi's Boys in the Valley may have you considering the difference between "evil" and "EVIL" as you enter the the world of Peter and his fellow orphans in a remote Pennsylvania orphanage in the early 1900s. The boys are expected to do chores as part of their daily activities under the watchful eyes of the priests and Brother Johnson, a lay person with a violent past. Fracassi doesn't pull any punches when describing the conditions, discipline and punishment that the boys live under, but he also warmly conveys the friendships and relationships developed among the boys.
Life at the orphanage is difficult, with never enough food for growing boys, but it is predictable... until the night a group of riders approach and evil is unleashed within the orphanage's walls. The boys' friendships break down as sides are chosen amid horrendous violent acts. Some within the orphanage recognize what is happening, while others seem to willfully reject the possibility that evil has taken root.
This story grabbed me at the beginning and didn't let go until after I turned the final page. It's been described elsewhere as a melding of The Exorcist and Lord of the Flies, and that certainly seems accurate. It's a well paced tale, full of twists and turns, that will break your heart and lift your soul, and leave you guessing until the end about what the outcome will be.
Highly recommended for horror fans.
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