Book Review: The Worst Is Yet to Come by S.P. Miskowski
Title: The Worst Is Yet to Come
Author: S.P. Miskowski
Release date: February 22, 2019
I’m admittedly late to the Miskowski game, but having now devoured her 2019, Stoker-nominated release ‘The Worst Is Yet to Come,’ I completely understand what those folks mean when they say I have to read her work because her writing is compulsively enthralling.
I wasn’t sure where to dive in – she has a number of books set within her fictional town of Skillute, Washington, but this one grabbed me first when I was reading the synopsis’, so I’m not sure if I did this completely backwards or out of order or what. I will say, I had no issues within this one. I didn’t feel left out or that a secret had been shared in a different book, which speaks to the power of Miskowski’s storytelling, but also to the finely crafted way of telling this particularly story.
What I liked: The book follows Tasha, a middle grade student who has always felt alone, always felt like an outsider. Her parents moved from Seattle to Skillute, to escape the problems plaguing big cities, but Tasha’s time there has been difficult, especially as her parents themselves became more reclusive. The story itself really ramps up when she befriends Briar, a mysterious new student who is an outsider like Tash. The two girls become fast friends and as circumstances change in Brair’s life, she comes to stay with Tasha and her family.
Miskowski weaves a tale infused with folklore, socio-political touch points and parent-child relationship dynamics. It works wonderfully – though remaining tension-filled – as we hurtle towards the reveals, towards the truth behind Tasha and Briar’s lives and how they both arrived to this point in time.
As well, we get a really great peek into Skillute and the horror that has now been unleashed and the ‘thing’ that begins possessing people and working towards breaking loose and becoming free.
The ending – taken as a singular release – is brutally open-ended. It was a magnificent bit of ‘fade to black’ where so much remains unanswered but the reader will absolutely decide in their own minds what comes next. Taken as a puzzle piece within a larger story, it definitely sets up larger parts to come into play and I’d be really curious to see where this one goes.
What I didn’t like: I don’t know if I was totally sold on the two moms. When put into context with what happened in their lives, it does make sense, but without the context you receive later on, at first some of their responses and reactions almost come off as comical and absurd instead of worrisome and suspicious.
And, as mentioned, if you don’t like open-ended endings, you may find this one ends a bit jarringly, so reader be warned.
Why you should buy this: A phenomenally paced story, Miskowski instantly transported me to this strange little hamlet and I was enthralled with the characters from the very beginning. I wanted to see Tasha get a friend, wanted to see her and Briar become friends and when they visited Tasha’s secret house, I was intrigued with the kids who watched them.
All and all, this was a fantastic story that touches on a lot of ground in a shorter page count and one that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
5/5
