The Journal of Liv Theed by Jay Hollister is about a teenage girl who suffers from mental illness. She claims to see demons lurking in shadows. Liv is also attacked by Them in the night and often wakes up with scratches, burns, or puncture marks that she cannot explain. Her parents are always described as deeply in love with each other and genuinely care for her. They try every thing to help Liv to get well but fail miserably in the end.
The book blurs the line between reality and delusion. This leaves the reader guessing if Liv is ill or tormented by demons. As soon as you believe Liv a twist occurs and you are left doubting once more. Even on the last page I still was not convinced that I believed one way or another.
The book was very well written and normally I would applaud the author. My complaint in this instance is it did not fit the voice of Liv. The story was written from a first person perspective which I enjoyed. However, Liv is supposed to be a high school student who hates to read. Stylistically and technically speaking the voice of the writer came across as an educated thirty year old, and way above Liv’s level.
My only other complaint about this book was the long descriptions of scenery and rooms around Liv. They seemed overly complicated and unnecessary. It bogged down the reader overwhelming them with facts.
I was intrigued by this book and can’t wait to read the sequel. I am dying to know what is actually going on. He could take the book in two very different directions and it would be interesting to see where this goes. I am giving this book 4.5 stars because I almost quit reading after the first couple of pages and I found myself skimming through the descriptions. If you find your self in my situation stick with it. I promise it is worth the read. You’ll be guessing until the very end!
R. Tran Books 