Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

When I heard Dean mention this was his favorite of all the books he had written, I thought he might be stretching it a bit. I was wrong. This book combines elements of some of his best books like "Odd Thomas", "Fear Nothing", and "Tick Tock" into one amazing story that will completely blow you away with the ending. The plot twists he threw into one of the last chapters had me turning pages back to see where the clues had been right in my face but I had been missing them the whole time. Addison Goodheart is an outsider who must hide his appearance from everyone lest he be brutally attacked and killed by those repulsed by his face. During a night excursion into the library he meets Gwyneth, a girl who cannot stand to be touched. Together, this couple must face the most terrifying night of their lives and possibly see the end of the world by dawn. It is a tragic love story, as Addison must stay wrapped up in a ski mask and hoodie so she can never see him no matter how he feels about her, and as they begin to grow closer there is this aching sadness as you know he can never hold her as he longs to because of her phobia. And yet, somehow, their story grows deeper by the moment. In the end, we are taken from this tragic story into a place of hope. Everything is not tied up nicely in a bow, but the story is satisfying. Though I would love to see a sequel, I doubt Dean ever tries to write one as the story feels complete as it is and it's hard to imagine a way to continue Addison's adventures. The only thing I really disliked about the story was the jarring way Dean would write one chapter in the present, and the next in Addison's past. It seemed like every important plot point somehow demanded a flashback to explain why it was significant. It grew tiresome by mid-story and I was beginning to think this was a bust, but by the last third of the book it all became clear and when the final moments started unraveling there was no time to stop and flashback anymore. Do not give up on this book. Dean Koontz has been my favorite author for years and while he's had a few missteps in recent years I would have to say this book has surpassed anything in the past decade. If you were looking for a novel that perfectly captured the essence of Dean's stories and why we love them, this is the one to choose.