Review: Hidden Pictures

3 stars. Hmmmm hahahaha. This kept my attention - I read it in less than 24 hours; I'd definitely describe it as a crisply-written thriller - but it didn't blow me away at all. I'm kind of surprised, actually, about all the hype. 

Mallory Quinn is a young athlete in recovery who takes a job as a babysitter for a seemingly perfect, well-off family to watch their 5-year-old son, Teddy. She settles in and the summer is enjoyable - until Teddy starts presenting her with some mysterious drawings. Drawings that are way too advanced for a 5-year-old, depicting some very dark, mysterious images. Between a psychic neighbor, odd noises, and some strange behavior from Teddy's parents, Mallory begins to realize the genuine danger she faces, and resolves to get to the bottom of things and save Teddy if she can.

Regarding the controversy around the depiction of gender: I am fortunate enough to not be easily-triggered by this sort of thing. If you are sensitive to such issues, avoid. I could give the whole spiel - depiction does not equal endorsement, etc. and agonize over what is harmful and what is not... but there are folks far more informed and articulate than I who can speak on that, and I highly encourage you to seek them out. (I will say the references to Harry Potter made me extremely suspicious.)

So here's what I'd say: read it if you're in the mood for a compelling page turner with supernatural elements and a few twists. I would barely describe it as horror. I would even put a YA label on it - it gave me those vibes more than once. I think it kind of frustrated me that the first chapter was a real banger, and had me totally hooked before things kind of took a few... odd turns. 5-star opening chapter, 3 star book as a whole. I didn't totally find Mallory plausible, nor did I fully believe Ted's ultimate inclinations. Adrian was too good to be true... so yeah. 3 stars. 

Hidden Pictures on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads