Hi all!

Welcome back! In December, we read December Park by Ronald Malfi for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub! Spoilers ahead!

Quick Reminder: This month we are reading ‘Stolen Tongues’ by Felix Blackwell! 

Today I’m going to give a quick plot summary plus my overall star/scare-factor ratings. Then I will share the discussion topics and trivia questions. Please include all of your answers and opinions down below. I want to know exactly what you thought. I’ll also leave the answers to the trivia questions at the very bottom of the post. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

DECEMBER PARK BY RONALD MALFI – DECEMBER 2023

PLOT SUMMARY

In the fall of 1993, the quiet suburb of Harting Farms is shocked when children begin to vanish, and one is found dead near December Park – a great, sweeping expanse sunken below the streets and surrounded by vast woodlands. A place children believe is haunted. Newspapers call the abductor, the Piper, because he has come to lead children away. Angelo Mazzone and his friends discover a link to the dead girl and take up the search for the killer, vowing to stop the Piper’s reign of terror. Their teenage pledge becomes a journey of self-discovery and an odyssey into the darkness of their own hometown.

OVERALL STAR RATING

I gave December Park 2/5 stars. Unfortunately, it was a slog for me to get through. The pacing was really off. It took so long to get anywhere significant, that by the time we did, I didn’t care anymore. Furthermore, there were a lot of plot points that went nowhere. I can appreciate the coming-of-age story and the bond between the boys, but the execution fell flat in my opinion. I would’ve preferred more horror and monumental moments of tension. It’s a shame because his other novel, Black Mouth, was one of my favourite reads of 2023.

OVERALL SCARE-FACTOR RATING

I gave it a scare-factor of 1/5 stars. The novel leaned more toward the thriller genre, rather than horror. It wasn’t nearly as terrifying as I hoped it would be. A lot of the book was filled with mundane events, such as hanging with friends, going to work at a summer job and family discussions. There wasn’t enough terror dispersed throughout the story.

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1.) What theories did you have as to the identity of The Piper? Additionally, what did you think of the twist reveal?

Honestly, I suspected one of the policemen. I even considered at one point it could have been Angelo’s father. The reveal that it was his brother did not work for me. We could never have anticipated that, given we were spoon-fed information that he had died serving his country. I know that makes it more of a twist but by the same token, it also felt like a cop-out. It was also a very confusing and jarring reveal. It took me a while to realise what was happening, which took away from the impact.

2.) Why do you believe Adrian was so obsessed with the case and in particular, Courtney’s death? 

I don’t believe this plot point was fully explored. From the beginning, Adrian became very fixated on Courtney’s heart-shaped locket; desperate to discover what had happened to her. If I had to guess, it was because his mother was abused by his late father, giving him the drive to avenge another innocent female. What do you think?

3.) Do you agree that buildings soak up bad energy? Discuss. 

I’m on the fence with one. The logical part of me rejects the idea that a manmade structure could absorb bad energy. However, the spiritual part of me, understands why establishments can become haunted or feel off upon entering. It’s certainly worth considering both sides.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS

Easy: What was the name of the base?

Medium: What did Michael do to Nathan Keener’s car?

Hard: What was the name of The Piper’s first victim? 

I hope you enjoyed the book club discussion. As mentioned above, share all of your thoughts in the comments below! If you have any feedback/suggestions to improve the book club, please let me know. I look forward to talking to you all next month! Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo

TRIVIA ANSWERS: Easy: Echo Base. Medium: Poop In The Window. Hard: Jason Hughes.