The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

The Hallowed Ones

The Hallowed Ones * The Outside

Publish Date: September 25th, 2012
Format Reviewed: eBook
Series: The Hallowed Ones
Author: Laura Bickle
Author’s Goodreads
My Review on Goodreads

Introduction

Katie is a Plain girl and excited to enjoy her forthcoming Rumspringa with her childhood friend Elijah. Her life carries on and aside from her occasionally not being the most obedient girl and how she's pretty sure she's expected to marry Elijah. Everything is fine. Then, a disaster from the Outside, the English, comes in. It's obvious that major events are happening in the world beyond their gate, but her Elders ignore it. Then, their people go missing. An Outsider, a young man, is injured and left to die, but Katie doesn't listen to the decree that God should decide his fate. During all of this, the evil is coming in, and Katie has to figure something out before the whole community is slaughtered in the night.

Story

Ok, listen. Amish fiction, but with vampires.

YAAAASS!

This would make a great film. Even a B movie would be so much fun.

Tell me you are not intrigued!

The beginning of the story is mostly the day-to-day of Amish life, and I honestly forgot that something (the inciting incident) was going to happen to bring the story into a dystopia. I could have kept reading about Katie and her life uninterrupted and been fascinated. But, things do happen, and it is because Katie is not the perfect Amish daughter that things actually get rolling.  

Truthfully, I don't know how true to the Amish community the book is. I'm very interested in the topic but I lack it in-depth knowledge. I admit that the book could be blatantly lying. In the context of this book, I like how the "behind the doors" interactions of families doesn't always perfectly align with what they preach. It seems that they are bringing in more love and affection, so I enjoyed the family unit that they had.  

Insta-love

Yes but it's the end of the world, basically. It's not another week in high school. In my book, the relationship gets a pass. The woman in question actively goes to this relationship of her own accord and builds it up. 

Setting/Essay Topics

It reminds me of the anime Shiki. Both use the horror of isolation from other towns/people. When the people you know are reanimating and luring you out, how do you fight back? How do you get a town to finally admit that there is something paranormally wrong and you have to do something about it? The technology/science of today vs traditional/religious myths. 

Shiki!

Shiki!

Final Verdict

I greatly enjoyed this book. The Hexenmeister, the two English characters, Elijah, and Katie were great characters. Even Katie's mom and sister occupy the softer parts of my heart. I have no qualms with the way it was written; it is written in first-person POV with a serviceable writing style. So if you're interested in vampires in a slightly different setting, I highly recommend this. I hope I was able to intrigue someone to read this, as I happened to come across this by chance.