Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

“The shadows were not terrifying. They were the proof that light exists. The fire and brimstone were all a mirage. The clouds nothing but steam inside a bathroom. All he needed to do was wipe away the mirror. He didn't need a key. He was the key.”

When Christopher and his mother Kate move to small town Mill Grove, they are looking for a new, safe start. But when Christopher emerges from the nearby woods after a week, unharmed and with no memory of his time there, things start to change for him and for the town of Mill Grove.

This book was both beautiful and terrifying and I loved it. I actually think I’ll have to reread it just to grasp all the differing themes that were explored throughout. It had the same poetic simplicity in language as Perks of Being a Wallflower, but it’s undercurrent of horror was completely not what I was expecting.

Chbosky, in my opinion, outdid himself. This book kept me up at night with its depictions of misery and evil but also with its exploration of love. There is a heavy religious tone throughout the book, accompanied by a social commentary about the trauma’s and downfalls of society. This is all through the eyes of one little boy: Christopher Reese.

The overarching themes of innocence, hurt, forgiveness, pain and unconditional love are powerfully explored throughout this tale of a son and his mother just trying to make a life for themselves. The writing is intricate, simple and expressive. The characters are diverse, and the best part is that at the end of the book you find yourself realizing that the “villains” too, were just people. They had stories and traumas of their own that made them who they were, and yet you can’t find it in your heart to hate any of them. I think that’s what is beautiful about this book. It takes the worst, and somehow casts it in a completely different light. It’s full of humanity, compassion, imagination and magic, which perfectly balances the horror.

I loved it. It was the perfect start to the Halloween season as I started reading it in July but didn’t finish it till mid-August. I can’t give this book enough praise.

I am excited to see what comes next for Chbosky.

What’s Next: I’ll be reading and reviewing Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking. Stay tuned!