R L Stine - Beach Party

Well, here is my first actual “Point Horror” review. For any of my reviews, I'm not really going to go through the story explaining it all. What happens and who says what and why. I'm just going to comment and respond. You can read the book if you want to know exactly what happens!

“Beach Party” is one of the Point Horrors I read in my early 20s. I think a visit back to your childhood is essential every so often! Although, I never read this at the “correct” age, so maybe a childhood revisit is bit of a misnomer in this case. Then again, so is the title of the book. No real “Beach Party” takes place! Karen and Ann Marie are planning a summer of beach parties but they never happen.

I suppose this is a kind of half sister book to “Beach House” as they both have beach in the title and are by R L Stine. Or is that too far fetched a link?!

I have to admit, that as an adult, I had a hard time finding the horror initially in this book. The horror is stereotypical. The bad guys are the bikers around Venice Beach. Bikes, black and leather equal bad here. Mind you, in the summer temperatures of California, you would probably need a screw loose to be wearing black leathers! It reminds me of the good old Aussie soap “Home and Away” where all the weird male characters would wear lots of black and usually leather and their colouring would often be dark hair and pale complexion, tending to the gothic. You just knew trouble was afoot!

Thinking about it a bit more, it is a valid horror. I remember being a child and seeing gangs of older children standing on street corners was pretty scary and intimidating. There always were the intimidating groups wearing subversive clothing. In the 50s, it was the mods and rockers. In the 1990s when this book was written, it was bikers. In the noughties, it's hoodies. If you were in the proper age group, being whisked off on a bike at fast speeds probably is terrifying. Now at my ripe age of 31, I'd love something odd like that to happen! I have rather a penchant for long haired bikers.

The book takes a long time to get to the action and when it does arrive it is all wrapped up very quickly. You have the leading up events – Karen nearly drowning, jellyfish in Karen's bed – but the top notch horror action comes close to the end. Along the way, there are many decoys and sub plots – Renee who is dating Jerry and is threatened by Karen. Ann Marie who has changed since moving to New York and could have carried out the tricks on Karen. Vince, one of the bad boys who has a reputation and probably would kill for a joke. Ooooooooooooooh!

Gradually each are eliminated from suspicion and the actual culprit turns out to be the one you thought was a good guy all along – our Jerry. “Poor crazy Jerry.” I'm kind of baffled – if Jerry had been showing odd signs all along, why did his parents not get him help? Surely he would have exhibited the double Todd/Jerry personality and sister denial way before killing Renee? Oops, spoiler!

The characterization is a bit thin on the ground but I don't think this detracts from the story. It isn't really about the characters, apart from Jerry who does have the strongest characterization. Karen is probably your typical American teenager – wants to be on the beach all summer and par-tay! Renee is the jealous girlfriend. Jerry is the bad boy that you feel a strange attraction to even though you know it's probably not a good idea. Ann Marie – well, what can I say about Ann Marie? I suppose she is the girl who moved away and changed in the meantime. She really does seem to be outside the story for the most part and not much more than a method to get the story going and a pal for Karen.

Being English, “Beach Party” is actually a reasonably interesting look at being a teenager in Los Angeles and actually, being a US teenager. The characters drive – in the UK, although you can start driving at 17, you don't learn in school like you do in the USA. Well, maybe driver's ed has crossed the pond by now like proms. When I was at school you had discos not proms!

Diners feature heavily and therefore eating out. As a teenager here, it would be a burger van in the town centre or McDonalds on Saturday when shopping with your mates. We didn't really use cafes and/or restaurants. There certainly wasn't designated hangouts based on which school you went to. Again, maybe this has changed since I was a teenager. Or maybe it was just where I grew up.

In many ways, it's hard to know what to say about “Beach Party”. In 10 years, it's probably not one of the Point Horrors I'll remember immediately, but it's not one of the worst. The story is plausible, unlike many Point Horror plots which are impossible or border on the barking mad.

All questions are answered and the story is wrapped up well. Apart from why did no-one do anything about Jerry's mental health previously? Could this whole situation have been avoided with proper medical and psychological care? Maybe this is the unintended horror of the story: that without the proper care and support after an incident we could end up like poor crazy Jerry. And maybe in the USA where healthcare is primarily private, perhaps this sort of horror is more plausible to an American.

Caroline B Cooney - Flight 116 Is Down

As I mentioned previously in my post, the first “Point Horror” book I am going to look at is “Flight 116 Is Down” by Caroline B Cooney who is one of the more prolific Point writers. Admittedly, “Flight 116” is not a Point Horror, but it is in the Point canon and being Cabin Crew myself, I was intrigued by this book.

And it was well worth it! A very engrossing and realistic read with interesting characters like Heidi: who feels trapped, Darienne: who cares for no-one but herself and Patrick, a young man who is waiting to prove himself.

Bizarrely, the plane crash whilst trapping many people in the wreckage frees many of our characters from their mundane routines or emotional difficulties. Patrick even acknowledges it by realizing that he wished for this to happen. Of course, none of the characters wanted a plane crash to happen, but they all wished for Something To Happen. Patrick's father backs this up later, realistically adding that because they are all Ambulance volunteers, if something does occur, there is a strong desire to Be There!

Heidi was freed from her exile because she found a purpose for a short while. The plane came in and Heidi was let out.

Patrick was freed as he finally had a chance to show he was also capable of dealing with an emergency and put his EMT skills to the test.

Daniel wished for something to happen to prevent his having to attend his father's wedding and actually considers a plane crash a useful diversion.

Ty was bored at the party and wished for some action.

Accuracy and Realism

The responses of the passengers after impact are realistic suggesting that Cooney has researched her book well. People may often say pointless things and do apparently pointless and useless things after a traumatic event. Post impact we can see both positive and negative responses to a crisis.

The reactions of the airport staff and the bewilderment of the waiting families when no information comes through is also accurate. Cooney doesn't spend an awful lot of time on this part of the story but what is written suffices to convey the agonising wait and shock of people in New York.

It is questionable over Patrick being an EMT at seventeen years of age. Brief research doesn't hold a definitive answer but it is a point of consideration. Patrick is later pushed away from the crash site as more experienced EMTs come on the scene. This is possibly an example of poor resource management, because even though Patrick is seventeen, he is an EMT and has valuable skills to offer.

Foreshadowing

Cooney uses a lot of foreshadowing and imagery to describe the plane crash before the event happens.

Early on, on page 34 we have examples of the environment to show us the plane crash . “Sharp, stabbing stems” of the trees, “misshapen circle” of the moon and the trees clanking in the wind are all suggestive of metal and the misshapen circle of the moon clearly represents what the circle of the aircraft fuselage will become after impact.

The wind attacks Heidi and Tally's legs and rips them with the cold and this represents what the plane will do to the environment when it lands.

Tally also has a feeling that something will happen as she remains close to Heidi with a need to protect her.

A macabre piece of foreshadowing comes with Teddies' bear which shows how Teddie will be post impact. We are told that the bear can be squashed into small spaces and when released his arms and legs spring out. Post crash, Teddie herself is found wedged in a small space, and her leg does spring out, as the broken bone protrudes through the skin.

Page 63 describes the former peacocks at Heidi's place as having “dying wails” and people would rush to the woods thinking a child was injured. Flight 116 crashes in the wood and the sound of people injured and dying mimic the idea of peacock “dying wail” calls.

Unanswered Questions

By the end of “Flight 116”, there are a few unanswered questions and the most interesting and debatable is probably the question of: does Heidi join the Ambulance? Obviously I, hope she does and hopefully you do too, but looking through the book, there are clues as to her future, albeit ambiguous.

Heidi's Future

Early in the book, Patrick's father states that the rich, upper class backgrounds are generally rescued, rather than being rescuers and that volunteers from this section of society are non-existent. Heidi's background would appear to be of this type, so historically Heidi would not volunteer.

From what Heidi's father says on the 'phone after the crash, we get an idea that Heidi may have been brought up to pride beauty and appearances over actions. There are mentions of slim ankles which would add weight to the appearance theory and possibly also that maybe Heidi's parents plans are for her to marry well, over a good career.

However, Heidi herself does help and tells her father that she felt useful during the emergency which would suggest that Heidi has got the bug for this type of work.

Heidi's relationship with reality up close also appear to have changed. Early in the book, we are told how she found the sheep “disgustingly close” which suggests at that time, a closeted reality. Sheep are alright but not too close. This potentially isn't a good sign as the crash is going to be up close and personal and not at all closeted. To be credit, Heidi does deal with the situation including the stark reality of body bags in the barn. Naturally, she probably isn't happy with this, but she does deal with the very real reality of Flight 116s' crash.

In “Flight 116”, Heidi has a particular dislike for two of the dogs – namely Winnie and Clemmie. At first, this seems like a pointless piece of characterization and almost completely heartless as Heidi believes Winnie and Clemmie to have worthless lives. However, this does hold a clue to Heidi's nature. She dislikes Winnie and Clemmie because they are “yippy” yet Heidi loves Tally-Ho because of her sensibility and usefulness. Looking at these three dogs as possible futures for Heidi – Winnie and Clemmie representing beauty and appearance and Tally representing practical and useful skills, we can see that Heidi prides usefulness over appearance and beauty and possibly considers a life based on appearance to be worthless.

Heidi and Patrick

There is also the unanswered question over Heidi and Patrick's relationship. We cannot know for sure, but it would be a fitting ending to the book for the couple to be together. It is interesting to consider how this will impact on Heidi's decision to join the Ambulance and vice versa.

Darienne – Does She Ever Get Her Just Desserts?

Again, this will always remain and unanswered question and it can be reasonably assumed that Darienne never changes. Throughout the book, she remains self centered, judgemental and superior. Although it is a documented fact that post-crisis people may focus on pointless things in this case blood on the antique rugs in Heidi's house, but given Darienne is constantly in her superior mode ie: judging the cardiologist' salary, planning to sue the airline for loss of her watch and never once showing the slightest piece of compassion for other – not allowing the fire fighters to use the phone – this behaviour is probably Darienne through and through.

At the beginning, the plane crash is a bizarre piece of wish fulfilment for many characters in the book, Darienne is one who does not get her wish fulfilled. She just wanted to get to London on time!

And In Conclusion...

“Flight 116” is a well written and well researched book. Cooney does not shy away from the realistic details, yet does not go into excessive gore for shock factor. There are questions as to the accuracy of the legal age to be an EMT, but the accuracy in the rest of “Flight 116” suggests thorough research.

The characters are well thought out and although leaving unanswered questions is unsatisfactory, there are clues and suggestions as to the main characters future.

Foreshadowing is well used here and builds the drama. The crash is well described and brought in. The suddenness and not knowing what has happened is realistic. The book rapidly changes from scene setting and character development to one of action. Rescue and survival.

Although not at all in the Point Horror canon, I am glad I read this book and is one of the best books Caroline B Cooney has produced!

Just a little teaser...

The first of my eBay purchases have arrived :) The first book isn't actually going to be a Point Horror, however it is in the Point series and I think it deserves a mention all the same.

The first review will be on Caroline B Cooney's "Flight 116 Is Down". Check back in about a week as I have a busy schedule at work!

In The Beginning....

Well, here I am :) It's funny how when things in your adult life aren't going ticketyboo that you find yourself turning back to a simpler time. And that's what's brought me to this blog.

That and being inspired by:

http://rsvpordie.blogspot.com/

I read Point Horror as a child. My English teacher Mrs McGhee gave out these Puffin leaflets and we could buy books from them and for some reason I got Point Horror from them. I am pretty sure it was "The Waitress" by Sinclair Smith or it might have been "Beach House" by RL Stine. Those were pretty much the first two I read either way.

The funny thing is, is that at the time I didn't find Point Horror all that scary or actually, all that good! I'm English and you cannot deny that the Point Horror books are undeniably American and naturally the girls live very different lives.

I think it's changing now, but when I was at school, we didn't have cheerleaders, proms, prom queens, wore uniform and no make up or go to the mall or have a desginated school hangout. So, I think the characters and lives never meant anything to me at all and so were not scary because they couldn't happen to me in the way that they did in the books.

I think I've come on a few years now until when I was about 18. I read a couple more, possibly "Funhouse" and "The Train" by Diane Hoh. I also began to reread Enid Blyton again around this age. But no, they still didn't scare me but as a link to my childhood, they were back in my psyche!

And so, fast forward until I'm about 24 and somehow I have managed to acquire a collection of about 50 Point Horrors from second hand shops. I am pretty sure that I have read the vast majority of Point Horrors now, but I know I haven't read "The Fever" at the very least and I don't think I've read "The Waitress" or "Beach House" since I was the "proper" Point Horror age.

So, as I said at the start, you go back to a simpler time when things aren't ticketyboo as an adult. And being inspired by RSVP or die, I am going to make in my mission to reread the Point Horrors and the Point Horror Unleashed and blog my thoughts.

How this will be done will be random aka whatever I can get my hands on first. I have three, 3 in 1 books on the way from eBay so that's my starter of nine.