My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Maybe one day, when I am a withered old lady and my arthritic fingers can barely manage the strength to open the large font GoodReads app on my Cricket wireless phone, there will be a half star option and I will be able to accurately rate my latest literary conquest. Until then, I am stuck awarding 4 stars to a book that really deserves a 3.5, possibly a 3.75, but let’s be serious, a quarter star rating system will never come to fruition in my lifetime.

One thing this book has going for it is the fact that I devoured it. I ate this up with more vigor than one of the main characters when she eagerly consumed enough tapeworm eggs to produce a 23 foot monster tapeworm (honestly – this was a fantastically eerie scene AND a great diet tip). I don’t know if this was a case of being overly excited for my quarterly exorcism storyline, or if this book was just that intriguing, but I finished it in less than 5 days. Yes, it’s essentially a YA bubblegum “horror” novel and sure, I sorta feel like a weirdo reading about the misadventures of a bunch of teenagers as a 31 yr old woman, but every now and then a nice easy read is good for the soul.

Speaking of souls, apparently in the 1980s innocent mortal souls being possessed by the devil and his wingmen was all the rage. Pop up exorcists were everywhere, including your local private school auditorium in the form of a Jesus loving troupe of muscle head men who preach the good word of our lord and savior Jesus Christ by day, and by night avenge the Devil himself. The “exorcist”, as he was annoyingly referred, was of the most perplexing characters I have ever encountered. I am not sure if I was supposed to take him seriously, with his borderline steroided-up molester in sheep’s clothing routine, or if he was just a campy representation of the paranoid mentality that had the masses believing there was a Satan worshipping teen in every homeroom.

Either way, I could have done without him and the final exorcism scene for that matter. That whole mess really killed the book for me, and is the sole (or SOUL) reason this book doesn’t deserve a higher rating. I am all for shameless nostalgia and I have no issue with the endless 80’s pop culture references, but asking the reader to believe that the unholy demon was finally chased away by a 16 yr old girl calling out to Phil Collins, E.T. and the Go Go’s was a bit much. I was hoping that we would get at least one epic exorcism scene that could elevate this teenybopper plotline, but we didn’t, and it’s unfortunate.

Having said that, I will now completely contradict myself (insert my husband rolling his eyes in annoyance .. “Typical, Nicole..”) and say that I am perfectly fine with the author’s sentiment that some friendships are in fact more powerful than one of Hell’s top demons. If you catch me on the right day, I can enjoy a sappy ode to female friendship that proves it can stand the test of time, and even Satan himself. It’s also good to know that if I ever fall victim to possession myself, all I need is a best friend with a shit ton of 1980’s pop culture knowledge. Note to self, attend more trivia nights….




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