Marshall’s supernatural
story is based on an original premise: outside of the small community of Briar
Woods, a mysterious road is said to appear just once per year.
An evil road, rumoured
to have swallowed a young girl fifty years previously.
Of course the
locals are equally fascinated and bored with the myth of Lucy Gallows, the girl
who vanished. Any many have sought the deadly road.
This story
centres around Sara, whose sister Becca disappeared the previous year, after
having been determined to find the road and solve the mystery.
Sara has been
receiving strange messages, possibly through her strong connection with her
missing sister. So, on the day in which the road is supposed to appear, Sara
and eight friends seek the road for themselves, aware that there will be a
‘toll’ to pay for entering.
The story is
told in two points of view – with Sara as the narrator, recounting her
terrifying experiences along the road, and then with transcripts of
interviews with the teens who returned from the road and recovered footage from their phones collated by a couple of investigators. As the road messed
with Sara’s memory, I understand why this plot device was used.
Unfortunately,
that is the novel’s greatest weakness. The overall effect rendered the
narrative jarring and it took the reader out of the immediacy of the action.
Although it sometimes added to the tension, it mainly dissipated it.
Overall, there
are moments of intrigue and genuine suspense. I loved that the characters were
diverse. But sadly, there were too many characters and too many deaths. Instead
of being a thrilling page turner as intended, it was hard for the reader to
feel invested in the characters and their quest. And the ending was a let-down.
Title: Rules
for Vanishing
Author: Kate
Alice Marshall
Publisher:
Walker, $16.99
Publication
Date: 1 October, 2019
Format:
Paperback
ISBN: 9781406393149
For ages: 14+
Type: Young
Adult Fiction
