Title: The Curse
Author: Xenanique Clarke
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN-13: 978-1984518842
Pages: 384
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

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The Curse, by author Xenanique Clarke, begins in the most intriguing way such that readers cannot even attempt to put down the book once they start the first chapter. Even before going deeper into the book, I knew the story would be exciting and fun to read. The first thing which captivated me in this book is the first-person narration. I thoroughly enjoyed how the narrator, Zylan, explained the events, taking the reader through every storyline in the most pleasant way possible. The first chapter starts with an apparent raid from an intruder. The narrator tells of how they were catching up with her mother when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Petrified, the mother told the narrator to go wake up her father as they did not know what the intruder was up to. Reading this brought feelings of fright and suspense. As the narrator gave the story, I could literally feel a chill run down my spine as I read on to understand what this uninvited guest wanted. I even got a little teary as the narrator watched the mother bleed after she was attacked.

The other amazing thing about this book was the dating of events in the first chapter. The first story was dated August 14, 1468, and the second story in the chapter was dated September 20, 2011. It is amazing how the author fixed the dates and made the story flow! The story of Zylan is filled with action, suspense, adventure, mystery, and perplexing occurrences. Zylan Cain’s mind was a puzzle unto itself. It was filled with illusions and eccentric thoughts which made her an exciting character to read about. The plot twist where Zylan Cain was made to stay around Peter Pan, despite her initially believing that Peter Pan caused the demise of her parents was one of the highlights of the book. Here is a character who wants nothing to do with the others because she thinks Peter is not good, but circumstances force her to be around her parent’s alleged killer. Being around Peter Pan confused Zylan to the point of believing he was not her parent’s killer. So, who really killed Zylan’s parents? I must admit I did not see that coming. This was a good twist in the book as it catches readers off guard while making the story more interesting. I enjoyed the suspense in the book before the killer was revealed.

The Curse should be in everyone’s “to-be-read list” as it is both entertaining to read and has a thrilling plot. Imagine living on an island like Zylan lived on with your friends. The experience is both fun and extreme. I would sell my soul to experience just a fraction of what Zylan and her friends underwent and encountered. The author is good with words being able to capture, then maintain the reader’s interest throughout the book. The stories are very amusing and anyone, regardless of age, will enjoy reading The Curse.