Book Review: The Forbidden Game

This book was a birthday gift from KJ (thanks!). Way back in 2010, so it's time to review it.

It was originally published in 1994, (like most of her popular books, published during the 1990s and came back to life around 2010s) in three parts, The Hunter, The Chase, and The Kill. In 2010 all three was published as one, called The Forbidden Game trilogy, the one I have now.

Genre: Fantasy

Plot Summary: 
Part 1: About a girl, Jenny, who bought a game called the Forbidden Game as a gift for her boyfriend from a strange boy at the shop. After starting the game, Jenny and her friends found themselves actually inside the game, where the strange boy (Julian-The Shadow Man) told them that they have to face their worst nightmares if they want to escape from the game and return to the real world. It is also revealed that Julian is in love with Jenny, even though he doesn't really understand it himself.

Part 2: Jenny and her friends have to explain the disappearance of one of their friends, Summer in the first book. They also had to find the game back in order to know what happened to it and if the boys who stole it have let Julian out. Strange happenings start to occur, and at the last moment Julian appears and told Jenny if she wants to be free of her promise to him, she has to play another game with him, involving all the same friends in the first game.

Part 3: Jenny and her remaining friends visited Jenny's late grandfather's place where he lived before. As he was involved with the Shadow Men, they believed there could be a way leading to the Shadow World there so that they could save the friends caught by Julian. They successfully enter the World which was made to look like an amusement park, where surprises and twists are in store for them.

Opinion: I love this book. An enjoyable story plot, with good characters. There are no good or bad guys in the story. Julian isn't a bad guy, he's just a guy who loves Jenny in a very simple way. There is a very sad ending which was told in great style, and it reminds me a lot of a vivid dream I had before. So I was really connected to it (and cried, kinda). Like all L.J Smith's books, this one is a must to read, if you're a fan of fantasy.

Rating: 5 Stars