Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2024 *Starred Review* Andrew would rather spend time writing lurid, fantastical tales than anything else, save hanging out with his best friend, Thomas, who illustrates the stories with equally grotesque, vivid drawings. But upon his return to boarding school for senior year, Thomas is being evasive, leaving Andrew to the exacerbated anxious mechanisms of his mind. He spirals further as Thomas stops drawing and starts to return to their dorm late in the night covered in dirt and mysterious injuries. One night, Andrew follows Thomas to the off-limits woods that surround the and is stunned to find that Thomas has been battling his own drawings, come to life, so that they won’t attack the unsuspecting people in the school. Andrew joins the cause, forgoing reason and allowing his relationship with Thomas to turn as obsessive as his habits around food. But when the evils of the forest get closer to the school and begin emerging from Andrew as well, destroying the original creator of the monsters may be their only hope. Drews paints a gruesome narrative with visceral descriptions of monsters and the violence they enact while, with equal vigor, encapsulating the trauma of loss, disordered eating, bullying, and anxiety, all of which is counterbalanced by a gentle touch addressing asexual identity. A frustrating but fantastical read; prepare for the emotional roller coaster of plot twists, unreliable narration, and a divisive conclusion. Sure to please those interested in modern horror mixed with a touch of fairy tale. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.