Supernatural: Bobby Singer’s Guide to Hunting by David Reed  ( Bookshop.org | Amazon.com )
It Books; Original edition, 2011
ISBN: 978-0062103376
Available: Paperback and digital

Editor’s note: This review was previously published in 2012 on a now-defunct version of our site.

I read a lot of serious, professional, technical books and articles for work, so when it is my vacation time I prefer to read books that don’t take themselves too seriously and are on a familiar topic. I’m looking for books that are candy for my brain.

While I was visiting friends I picked up a copy of Bobby Singer’s Guide to Hunting and started to read. I’m from Wisconsin, where the book is set, so seeing familiar places named as settings for this book in the first few pages gave me even more incentive to read. I quickly discovered that I was actually reading the journals of a desperate man who is trying to record everything he knows before his mind is wiped. Bobby hopes the process of writing down what has happened to him will help his sort out his reality. In essence, he is talking directly to you through his journal entries. His memories focus on some of his more powerful experiences, such as the demonic possession of his wife Karen; hunting down supernatural Ondine on a Trans-Pacific journey; and his eventual acceptance off the supernatural. The entries jump around in time as he flashes back to different points in his life: these memories often trigger his practical side, leading to entries that are more instructional with tips for hunting Angels and ghosts, as well as describing different types of demons classified by eye-color. As I am familiar with Native American Trickster folklore, I particularly enjoyed the entries about Bobby’s experience with Anansi who had retired and was playing bridge at the local retirement community.

Bobby Singer’s Guide to Hunting pokes fun at trends in popular fiction. I have noticed that the mystery section at my public library was filling up with what I describe as “craft-based” mysteries: books in which the protagonist not only is enthralled in a mystery but also finds time to share a recipe for apple turnovers or directions for a cable knit sweater that was mentioned in the story line. So when I discovered that this book also included a recipe for the readers I burst out laughing. I have also read a number of “how to survive a zombie apocalypse” style books as well watched various zombie movies and TV series so I found the tip sections humorous.

It wasn’t until I was already 70 pages into the book that my dear friend’s husband pointed out that the book I was reading was related to the TV show Supernatural. I have never seen the show so I don’t know how well the book supports the show’s themes, but I didn’t feel lost with the characters. Maybe the whole “I’m recording everything I know before my memory is gone” device allowed the author to present more background on the characters than normal. I have read books based on TV and movies I have seen before, and the author’s approach can vary. Some books, such as Chronicles of Riddick, are an SAT vocabulary rehash of the movie plot; some, like the CSI books, assume that you already know the characters’ back-story from the show; and others, like the Mr. Monk series, are written so you can see the connections and enjoy the story even if you aren’t an avid fan. This book fell into the last of these categories. I found it an easy and compelling read even though I wasn’t familiar with the related TV series. Highly recommended.