Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Preposterous and completely unexpected, this novel is not for the faint of heart. That being said, I loved it and did not want it to end, pun intended! Told like it's unfolding in real time, the plot of this story had me on the edge of my seat.

Seven-year-old Wen is vacationing at a remote cabin in New Hampshire with her parents, Eric and Andrew. While they are relaxing on the back deck, Wen is in the front yard catching grasshoppers. A stranger approaches on foot, who by all appearances seems unthreatening and friendly. But then he tells Wen that she must go tell her dads to let him and his three approaching companions inside. They need to discuss something extremely important. In fact, the future of the world depends on it. The man tells Wen that she and her dad must make some tough and terrible choices; he and his companions need the family's help to save the world.

The family is given an impossible choice: sacrifice one of their own or the whole world comes to an end. Excellent character development and chilling details keep this narrative from becoming hokey. Reminiscent of Stephen King, Tremblay skillfully makes the suspension of disbelief easy and welcome.

Make no mistake, this one falls into the horror genre. Truly bizarre yet compelling, this novel was unprecedented for yours truly. I loved this strange story and I'm a new fan of Paul Tremblay.