candide

Judge A Book By Its Cover

Book Reviews and Synopses

Candide

Voltaire

Voltaire. Candide. Bantam Books. New York, NY. 1959.

Candide may not look it, but its contents are that of a horror book. Voltaire is an author to be reckoned with, for he is quite masterful at spinning stories. Candide follows the story of a family of three, who have decided to go camping over the summer. Candide is sure to give you goosebumps with each chilling chapter, bringing you closer to uncovering the family’s offender.

The family, a mother, a father, and a daughter, rent a cabin in the mountains, isolating themselves from the modern and materialistic world. They bring with them a week’s worth of necessities. Little do they know what waits in store for them...

On their drive to the campsite, they encounter a hobo. They pay him no mind and drive on, but suddenly he is in front of the car. The father slams on the brakes, forcing the other passengers to be harshly thrown forward. The father rolls down his window and shouts a few curses. The hobo ignores him and walks to the side of the car, where the daughter resides. He presses his face up to the glass of the car and says, “Do not go, for he will find you there. He will know you. He will remember you, and he will never forget. He. Never. Forgets.” The little girl sits there, paralyzed in fear. The father comes to his senses, hits the gas, and propels the car forward, away from the lunatic.

When the family finally gets to the cabin and finishes unpacking their things, the uneasiness slips from their minds. They forget about the old man’s ravings, and settle into the calming atmosphere of nature. That night they make a fire, roasting frankfurters and marshmallows over the open flames. The smell is intoxicating, and they feast like kings. Afterwards, they turn in for some shut-eye, wrapping themselves in the blankets they brought. The girl has a hard time getting to bed. After tossing and turning, she gets up to get herself a glass of warm milk. On her way to the kitchen, she hears scraping sounds coming from outside the cabin. She shrugs it off, telling herself it’s just a hungry animal.

A couple days later, the family goes hiking. On the trail, the daughter gets separated from her parents. Scared, she tries to make her way back to the cabin on her own. She comes across a clearing with a large oak tree in the center. Walking to the oak tree, she notices a letter stapled on it. She rips the letter off the tree and reads it. It says, “Always watching, no eyes.”

Candide is a suspenseful and terrifying book. While a bit unrealistic, it’s sure to provoke the imagination, and “what if” scenarios. Candide is not a family-friendly story and upon being read, will most likely be the culprit of night terrors. If the horror genre is not your cup of tea, steer clear of this book.

5 out of 5 stars

Contributed by J. Rodriguez

February 1, 2013