In the Mind of Revenge is the first book in Liv Hadden’s new series entitled The Shamed, and she’s definitely off to a good start. Don’t expect a typical hero and don’t expect anything less than brutal honesty. Through the eyes of the main character the reader gets caught up in a mass of emotional confusion, pain, and more importantly, revenge. Can it be justified? Or is it a one way ticket straight to hell?
Shame doesn’t blend in like the other kids. Instead, Shame is picked on by everyone except Cassie, the love of Shame’s life. The bullying and teasing from Shame’s peers is inspired by two main factors nobody can tell whether Shame is a boy or a girl, and Shame’s mother is forced to work the streets at night in order to provide for her child. One day the bullying goes too far and Shame gets beaten within an inch of his/her life.
After waking up two years later thanks to experimental surgery, Shame is focused on payback. Without thinking twice Shame gets the revenge he/she wanted and goes in search of Cassie, while fleeing from the police. Unfortunately the path to getting lost introduces Shame to other characters and not all of them are good.
I have to say that the first pages of the book have a “binding” effect. I was captivated from the opening line and after the first chapter ended I was hyped up and ready for more. The bitterness and anger from the main character is incredibly convincing and connecting with Shame happens instantaneously. Hadden couldn’t have started the book in a better way.
What amazed me the most was the authentic style Hadden used. The moments of rage Shame experiences, along with the confusion regarding his/her actions, and finally the love for his/her mother. You can feel these emotional moments every step of the way and this means the author has mastered her talent.
Some people live in a very twisted world and it doesn’t get more twisted than Shame’s ordeal. But the other characters who make their way into the story also crawl into the heart of the reader, such as Shadow and JB. There is even a little bit of humor and it doesn’t take away from the message the story presents. In fact, the tale remains haunting from start to finish.
One thing I found a little hard to swallow was the experimental surgery, and Shame’s ability to survive otherwise deadly situations. When Shame’s “superpowers” were introduced it was the only real time when the book felt fictional. Make no mistake; the author didn’t do anything wrong and the idea behind it suits the story, but it does reach a little far compared to reality in the beginning.
Nevertheless, Hadden writes with a terrific tone and a comfortable pace. There isn’t a moment when she isn’t deeply connected with her hero and creating sincerity comes very naturally to her. Overall it’s an incredible book with an ending that leaves you excited for the next one. All fans of horror should give this one a try, because it’s definitely something different and worth a lot of attention.
Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
