Hyperion, 2011
ISBN: 9781423134718
Available: New hard back and multi-format digital
If anyone was likely to fall in with a cult of beauty-enhancing Donna Reeds it wouldn’t be Alexis. Even less so if it was led by an evil spirit, since Alexis has just started recovering from the trauma of last year, when her sister was possessed by a vengeful spirit and tried to kill the whole family. But as Alexis tries to help out her socially awkward sister, it is exactly what happens. Alexis ends up oath-sworn to Aralt, who has the power to make women “pretty”. How can she fight him? And why would she want to- when it means giving up a successful future?
From Bad to Cursed is an incredibly creepy book, and succeeds without apocalypses, blood drinking or sexual assaults. Alender’s style is incredibly readable, and it’s easy to find oneself a hundred pages in and hours later, still wanting more. This is a very good, very well-written book. However, Alexis is a very smug, condescending character even before she comes under evil influence. It’s hard to read a story in which a sister wishes her younger sister’s friends will find someone better, or blatantly admits that she wants to tear her sister down to put her in her place. And while Alexis has moments of confronting this behavior, it adds a painful element to the story even before the ancient tomes come out.
As a side note, while this is new material to today’s YA readers, older audiences will find the book to be a nicely written mashup of The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin and Caroline B. Cooney’s early 90s Cheerleader series. It is highly recommended as a fantastic horror read, but not all readers will be able to engage with Alexis, even though Alender’s prose is wonderful.
Contains: Violence, occultism