Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, Library Volunteer
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: When Night Film begins, investigative journalist Scott McGrath’s career is in shambles. In his eagerness to score an exclusive about legendary, reclusive filmmaker Stanislas Cordova, McGrath makes the mistake of quoting an ominous accusation from an unsubstantiated, untraceable source: “There’s something [Cordova] does to the children.” McGrath’s public repeating of this accusation against Cordova proves to be his undoing, and McGrath’s career unravels. But when Cordova’s daughter is found dead, McGrath is again drawn into digging into Cordova’s mysterious past.
My Review: “Everyone has a Cordova story, whether they like it or not. Maybe your next-door neighbor found one of his movies in an old box in her attic and never entered a dark room alone again. Or your boyfriend bragged he’d discovered a contraband copy of At Night All Birds Are Black on the Internet and after watching refused to speak of it, as if it were a horrific ordeal he’d barely survived.”
These are the opening words of Night Film, and they set the scene for the creepiness that follows. Pessl excels at using words to paint spooky scenes with a paranormal flair. Pessl cleverly supplements her frightening word pictures with visual materials that add to the intrigue, such as scans of McGrath’s research notes, screen shots of members-only websites about Cordova, news articles, and more. All-in-all, this was one creepy read, I was spooked enough that I considered not finishing the book. I did finish the book, however, and I am glad I did! Highly recommended if you like a scary read!
Three Words That Describe This Book: paranormal, investigative thriller
Give This a Try if You Like… Paranormal Witness, Sinister, or psychological thrillers
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!