Whisper of Crows

What a fantastically weird, and creepy ass book. How's that for a beginning sentence?

Whisper of Crows - Jameson Hesse

Kanaan James is a disturbed teenage boy obsessed with his childhood friend Abigail Caulfield. A horrible car accident leaves Abigail stricken with amnesia and Kanaan, desperate for her attention, convinces her they are soul mates, running from the law. In the midst of a passionate love affair, while hiding in an old abandoned house deep in the woods, Kanaan is forced to test the boundaries of his own humanity.

Can I just say that reading this right before bed was an absolutely terrible decision? Because the first three chapters are creepy, bizarre, scary and tragic all rolled into one. You will have some bizarre dreams and you will be a little hesitant to pick it up again. 

But do pick it up again because you won't be disappointed. 

This entire story was all over the damn place but it almost has to be because Kanaan is a really messed up kid. He starts off being anally raped with a stick, and his stepfather rapes him and yeah. It's a really twisted story about this kid who is abused in pretty much every way and it makes you wonder how the hell is he NOT a nut job? Then the love of his life, who doesn't know she's the love of his life, dies but not really- turns out she just has amnesia, but then she really does die and it's just like, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE??? 

I was literally on edge for the entire duration of this book because I didn't know what the hell was going to happen next. Would Kanaan just go completely nuts? What the hell is up with Abigail? Why is he surrounded by so many pedophiles and most importantly- what kind of ending is this? Do they die? You just leave me hanging on a cliff here. I also felt like maybe this is a little like the movie Inception where it's a dream inside of a dream. Maybe none of it was real or maybe only part of it was. I read one of the quotes listed in the beginning of the book and it kind of sums up the entire story: 

"Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein

Does that make sense? It's kind of fucked up if you really think about it. 

And my god- the whole father or stepfather thing? WHAT?! 

I feel like if this were a movie it would make you leave that theater thoroughly scared and confused. I think you should read this just to give me your take on it. OH, but what else was intriguing was the concept of when you make one really bad decision, is it really just a fast skid into the depths of evil? Is redemption even really possible when you've gone down the wrong path far enough? And is what happens to Kanaan in the end karma or just another tick of bad things that happen to a person? I don't know. I still don't know three days after reading it. I feel like I have to re-read this to get my brain to fully wrap around it. This book sticks with you. 

Check out Jameson's website HERE as well. And then read the book and tell me if you are absolutely as creeped out by it as I am, in the best way possible.