If you grew up in the 90’s, you read at least one R.L. Stine novel – from either the hugely successful Goosebumps series or (for the slightly older crowd) the Fear Street series. Children and teens everywhere loved the creepy fun contained within these books and my library was stocked full of R.L. Stine fare.
Then, suddenly, the books stopped coming out. Although people instantly remember the joy of reading these books, no one really questioned why one of the most prolific authors of the 90’s was no longer on bookstore shelves. Other authors have stepped up to make young adult horror novels, but none have truly captured the feeling of creepy amusement parks (One Day at HorrorLand or the Fear Street: Fear Park trilogy) or killer piano lessons (Piano Lessons Can be Murder) quite like Stine. Now one has to scour eBay, yard sales, and used bookstores in hopes of finding worn copies of their childhood favorites.
Finally in 2014 R.L. Stine revisited Fear Street to create a story for a new generation of teens (and adults now well into their twenties who loved R.L. Stine in their youth) to enjoy. Party Games was released in September 2014 and there was no way I could go without owning this gem.
Her friends warn her not to go to Brendan Fear’s birthday party at his family’s estate on mysterious Fear Island. But Rachel Martin has a crush on Brendan and is excited to be invited. Brendan has a lot of party games planned. But one game no one planned intrudes on his party—the game of murder. As the guests start dying one by one, Rachel realizes to her horror that she and the other teenagers are trapped on the tiny island with someone who may want to kill them all. How to escape this deadly game? Rachel doesn’t know whom she can trust. She should have realized that nothing is as it seems… on Fear Island.
In short, yes. This book encapsulated all the atmosphere, twists, and turns of the original series. Aside from the question of why the Fear family hasn’t been run out of town because of all the murders/”accidents”/drama from many of the previous novels, the story is fun and you can’t help but be drawn into the detailed descriptions and action.
I will admit that this book is a little tame to the grittier, sexier young adult novels of late, but I personally like that. It is about escapism and a fantasy where life is about finding sweet teenage love as opposed to quickies, the harsh realities of life, and hard partying. Sure, one can strain to predict the twists and reveals from chapter to chapter and find the familiar formula from all Stine’s works, but if you understand the point of the novels, you can enjoy the book for what it is: just a fun read.
I would rate this book 4/5 stars in relation to the previous Fear Street series books. Although the book is a little tame and the characters not as flushed out as they could be, it is a great quick read with an intriguing adventure. I look forward to the new Fear Street series and hope that the future releases will be even better!
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