The House On The Corner

“Things are changing” she said now, seriously. “Nobody notices, but I do. Things are being forgotten. Even children are forgetting sooner and sooner.” I looked up, not really knowing what she was talking about.

Book: The House On The Corner by Michael Rains, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2012

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure, allegory?

Target Audience: Boys 11-13?

Subjects: Salvation?

Summary: Chester only intended to go on a quick errand. Drop something off and come home again. Simple. Except he never made it back home again. First came the time at his uncle’s house with his uncle’s strange friends. One exaggerated comment and he’s drug into a web of secrecy and high risk. Then came the visit to the house on the corner where Agent B delivers the terrible news that “they” are coming. A quick phone call allows Chester the opportunity to go with these people for a month’s vacation. In the midst of saltine raids at the stores, helping mix chemicals and checking the time at a particular house daily, Chester learns about the Eternal Flame and The What and the Brain Snatchers.

Notes: I think this is supposed to be an allegory about spiritual warfare and satan’s attempts to take over the world while Christians fight against it through faith in Christ. However, I could be wrong. This is honestly the most confusing book I’ve ever read. Nothing is explained. A clue on a bubblegum wrapper, chemicals in a toothpaste bottle poured down pipes, raids on stores to collect all crackers, checking the time on your watch while at a particular location every day, hurried evacuations at the announcing of strange signals, a garden club and many more random elements are tossed together to make this story. If it is an allegory, it is for adults who are deep thinkers, not children. The main character is a young boy so that would appear to be the target audience, but isn’t necessarily. I think there’s a lesson in here about the battle between good and evil but it’s hard to sort through the nonsense to find it.

Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

2 Timothy 4:3 – For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.