Fiends on the Other Side (Disney Chills, Book Two)
by Vera StrangePublished by: Disney-Hyperion on October 6, 2020
Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Horror
Pages: 208
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Rating:
"I know many things. Including the fact that you have something that belongs to me . . . ."
Twelve-year-old Jamal has always lived in his twin brother, Malik's, shadow. All he wants in the world is to know, just for one day, what it's like to be his more popular, more talented, and more confident brother. So when a mysterious man named Dr. Facilier appears and offers Jamal the opportunity to do just that, Jamal jumps at the chance. But when he wakes up the next morning to find his dream has come true, he learns it comes at a terrible cost. There's a reason people say "Never make a deal with the Shadow Man." And Jamal is about to find out why. Grab your night-light, dear reader, and prepare to be CHILL-ed!
Content Tags:
Perfect for readers who want:
- Goosebumps-esque level of scariness.
- Books set in the Disney movie worlds.
- Dr. Facilier shenanigans and tricks.
- Good magic vs. dark magic dynamics.
- Be careful what you wish for trope.
Many thanks to Disney-Hyperion and Rockstar Books for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review and for inclusion in this tour.
A series of scary books based on the Disney movies? What took so long?! The moment I realize this series was a thing, I knew I wanted to read it! As a young bookwyrm, I was absolutely obsessed with Goosebumps (which I’m happy to announce is something I managed to pass on to my daughter), and this gave me definite Goosebumps vibes, so I was excited going in.
Fiends on the Other Side captures all the charm of the Disney world, while twisting it slightly into a low-level horror that tackles the be careful what you wish for trope.
Not gonna lie, the moment I opened this book, I knew it’d be a good ride, because this was peeking out from one of the early pages:
Well, hi there, creepy hands of the Friends on the Other Side. Yes to more of this, please! This book was fun, but not quite what I expected. Maybe because I’m an older audience, I found some of the things that happened a bit on the unbelievable side, like how hard parts of the story were pushed. Overall, though, I think it’s something middle grade readers, particularly those with siblings, will definitely be able to relate to.
This book has creeeepy written all over it, in the best possible ways.
Which is good, since, you know, it’s kind of meant to be a horror book. I’d put this at a low to medium range of middle grade horror. Most of the spooky things involve dolls (which ugh, I don’t do dolls, especially in horror – they freak me out!) or sort of intangible threats.
Fans of the Goosebumps book series or the TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark will recognize the sort of horror in this book: mostly the speculative kind, the what-if when magic goes a bit sideways.
For me, this felt entirely familiar and nostalgic in a way that I really enjoyed. For a younger generation, who may not have been introduced to the same media I have been, I think it’s the exact sort of horror that not only captured my imagination, but so many others, and I think this series definitely has the potential to do the same for this young generation.
There’s also something just inherently attractive about a scary book series based on Disney movies!
I think a lot of people tend to think of Disney movies as being wholesome or tending towards the happily-ever-after, upbeat sort of vibe, but if you think about it, there’s definitely a really spooky, sinister underpinning in pretty much all of them! It seems that Vera Strange has tapped into that in a way that makes the stories we all know and love still recognizable, yet also giving them a fun twist!
And then the dolls looked at him.
Vera Strange captures all the things I love (and love to hate) about Dr. Facilier.
The dude is creeeepy, okay? I don’t care what you say; that’s the truth. He can also be frustratingly suave and convincing when he wants to be, though. Strange captures both sides of him so well that his voice just leapt out of the page at me. Not gonna lie, he’s a definite favorite character of mine, so seeing him brought to life on the page was a real treat!
Jamal knew it wasn’t polite to ignore him. However, not talking to strangers—especially in scary back alleys—was the number one rule his parents had instilled in him.
Also, the strange man gave him the creeps.
More than just a simple horror book, this tackles the darker sides of being a kid sometimes, and the feeling of being overshadowed and wanting to be seen.
The struggles Jamal faces in this book are so painfully relatable. He feels like he’s living in his brother’s shadow, since Malik appears to get all the praise and favor, and Jamal isn’t even recognized for the things he is good at. I did feel that this part was just a tad overdone, to the point where I almost felt like rolling my eyes because it didn’t feel realistic when it easily could have (because these are real, legitimate feelings kids have all the time, even if we don’t always think they’re accurate). I did like that it wasn’t just about the horror, though! There were definitely some pretty deep feels in this book, too.
Despite the dark subject matter, the book somehow manages to also be funny and full of some fun action.
The scary elements are balanced nicely with some touching friendship moments, sibling bonds, and a brief exploration of magic. While the book definitely touches on some dark stuff, it doesn’t wallow in it, and I enjoyed the well-roundedness of the story. Plus, these kids do get to have a little mini-adventure. Sure, it’s borne of something scary, but an adventure is an adventure, right?!
His face was one inch from the putrid, murky water. Mud splashed onto his clothes and face. He tried not to imagine what disgusting creatures lurked underneath the surface.
The ending is very open, so if you’re not as into that sort of ending (like myself), it might be a little frustrating.
Honestly, I didn’t love it. Even though this is part of a series, it appears to be an anthology series, so I assumed this book would cleanly wrap up since there won’t technically be any sequels to it, but that was not the case. It almost feels like it’s gearing up for another book (or should be, at least).
In some aspects, it’s a very Goosebumps type ending, where just when you think everything is fine, it’s definitely not, and I loved that aspect of it. That was always my favorite thing as a kid, when the dog’s eyes would glow or the scarecrow would turn its head, and you’d be like, “Ooooh, stuff’s about to go down again!” I think this ending almost imitates that, but in a way where it just felt unfinished, rather than as a creepy “what if” sort of ending.
About Vera Strange
Jennifer Brody (writing as Vera Strange) is a graduate of Harvard University and a creative writing instructor at the Writing Pad. She began her career working in Hollywood on many films, including The Lord of the Rings and The Golden Compass. She lives and writes in LA, where she's hard at work on her next book. You can find her on Twitter @JenniferBrody, and Instagram and Facebook @JenniferBrodyWriter.
3 winners will receive a finished copy of FIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE (Disney Chills #2), US Only.
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✦ Week One ✦
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✦ Week Two ✦
10/12/2020 Bri’s Book Nook Review
10/13/2020 Nerdophiles Review
10/14/2020 The Bookwyrm’s Den Review
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10/16/2020 Rajiv’s Reviews Review
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How did I not know about this series?! This sounds awesome. I can’t wait to try Dr. Facilier’s book!
I hope you enjoy it! I’m a sucker for things with Dr. Facilier. xD
I never got into the Goosebumps books as a kid, I guess I’ve always avoided scary books. But Dr. Facilier is a great Disney villain, and since I’ve gotten a little less chicken as I got older, I might try this one! Thanks for the review. 🙂
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I was sold as soon as you said Goosebumps, easily my fav series as a kid! It’s a major part of getting me into reading, gosh I was obsessed with the Horrorland themed ones! Great review as always!
Also, the fact that your daughter now reads them is super cute!
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Mine, too! I read the series multiple times, and watched the show so many times my parents were sick of it. xD Did you ever play the Horrorland board game?! I remember having that as a kid, and it was one of my favorite board games haha. My parents hated that so much, too.