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Point Horror Unleashed
Facetaker
It's funny how photo booths are always tucked away. Somewhere dusty. Somewhere quiet. So public, and yet you're alone...
You stoop inside, brushing past nylon. Fumbling the shiny plastic seat. One last flick at the hair in that vague reflection. Then in with your money...
FLASH! - just don't forget to smile...
FLASH! - for the facetaker...
FLASH! - fateshaker...
FLASH! - soulbreaker...!
You stoop inside, brushing past nylon. Fumbling the shiny plastic seat. One last flick at the hair in that vague reflection. Then in with your money...
FLASH! - just don't forget to smile...
FLASH! - for the facetaker...
FLASH! - fateshaker...
FLASH! - soulbreaker...!
- GenresHorrorYoung Adult
181 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 1999
1 person is currently reading
119 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 7, 2021
Jon is enamoured with Denzil, a kid at school who wields some super-cool influence over all he meets. One day, when Jon and Denzil attend a photo booth so Denzil can get some photos, they discover the dead body of a homeless woman inside it. Denzil also finds a strip of photos depicting a beautiful young woman, surmising that this is what the homeless woman may have looked like long ago, or what she aspired to be (or something).
They meet up with Jon's cousin Sarah and her friend Claire. Sarah is great at adding to photos and making the person look different, or older etc. This aspect suddenly gets abandoned, as the teens get it in their heads that the photo booth needs a sacrifice in order to spit out a photo strip that shows multiple different versions of themselves. The teens then suddenly become these versions, getting down with their bad selves.
This was not a supernatural horror story. It was more a drama about teenagers creating their own mythology and getting disturbingly addicted to it and letting it go too far. There was no real storyline. There was no suspense. There were no scares. There was no creepiness whatsoever. The characters were all uniformly awful. The ending was rushed and confused. And there was a horrible scene where out protagonist beats a dog to death with a shovel.
Stupid and pointless. Not recommended at all.
They meet up with Jon's cousin Sarah and her friend Claire. Sarah is great at adding to photos and making the person look different, or older etc. This aspect suddenly gets abandoned, as the teens get it in their heads that the photo booth needs a sacrifice in order to spit out a photo strip that shows multiple different versions of themselves. The teens then suddenly become these versions, getting down with their bad selves.
This was not a supernatural horror story. It was more a drama about teenagers creating their own mythology and getting disturbingly addicted to it and letting it go too far. There was no real storyline. There was no suspense. There were no scares. There was no creepiness whatsoever. The characters were all uniformly awful. The ending was rushed and confused. And there was a horrible scene where out protagonist beats a dog to death with a shovel.
Stupid and pointless. Not recommended at all.
February 19, 2010
I have to admit, the cover and typeface of this book were a bit offputting. It has that look of vanity press / print-on-demand, which is unfortunate and misleading. This is not a self published book - it is a reprint in large typeface, produced by a reputable literary agency.
It is also a book by Philip Gross, an acclaimed writer, and it lives up to the high standards you'd expect from him. Facetaker is the story of a group of teenagers who develop an unhealthy fascination with a passport photo booth. It is narrated by the most "normal" of them, and they are led, manipulated, and directed by a charismatic, fascinating boy called Denzil.
Some of the themes in this book are similar to the ones in his later young adult novels. The charismatic Denzil is not very different from Max in The Storm Garden. The underlying air of menace, mixing hints of supernatural potential with a story that is, at the same time, quite grounded, is a template that Going for Stone would also follow. The way these teenagers create their own mythology is stunning, utterly engrossing, and done so well that the reader is entirely drawn in.
The novel is a compelling achievement, and I have to admit, it is my favourite of Philip Gross' young adult novels so far.
It is also a book by Philip Gross, an acclaimed writer, and it lives up to the high standards you'd expect from him. Facetaker is the story of a group of teenagers who develop an unhealthy fascination with a passport photo booth. It is narrated by the most "normal" of them, and they are led, manipulated, and directed by a charismatic, fascinating boy called Denzil.
Some of the themes in this book are similar to the ones in his later young adult novels. The charismatic Denzil is not very different from Max in The Storm Garden. The underlying air of menace, mixing hints of supernatural potential with a story that is, at the same time, quite grounded, is a template that Going for Stone would also follow. The way these teenagers create their own mythology is stunning, utterly engrossing, and done so well that the reader is entirely drawn in.
The novel is a compelling achievement, and I have to admit, it is my favourite of Philip Gross' young adult novels so far.
January 30, 2013
I have no idea what happened in this book!
October 7, 2024
I was disappointed in this one, the plot was very meandering and i wasnt really sure what the main point to the story was even towards the end. There are very few horror scenes or even moments of suspense. I had to power though to finish this one and the ending was just as underwhelming. There are so many better entries in the Point Horror Unleashed series, I definitely wouldn't recommend this one.
October 15, 2020
I read this for our podcast Teenage Scream, which dissects the best (and worst) of 90s Teen Horror.
https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream
https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream
November 29, 2020
Some creepy aspects but it doesn't really make sense and there is no real storyline.
July 3, 2024
my friend ellie, loves this book. she loves the fact that the cover is soooo shiny. we enjoy this book as it takes part in many games. 10/10. WOULD RECOMMEND TO A FRIEND. 👍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2023
Come join my Patreon to watch my full video review/recap! Patreon.com/ogwnostalgia
This is the touching story of a group of the worst kids you'll ever meet, who breathe in too much train exhaust and think that sacrificing animals and homeless men to a photo booth will help them be the best at doing improv and playing dress-up.
Seriously, spending too much time breathing toxic fumes is the only reason I can come up with for why these trash-goblin teens think a photo booth is giving them the powers of . . . idk, extreme confidence? dissociative identity disorder? Whatever. The logic here is baffling.
Facetaker! Now with bonus:
Point Horror (assumed) incest!
Slurs against the Romani people!
Ableism!
Poor = Evil!
Mentally ill = Evil!
Homeless = Subhuman!
Stalking!
Animal cruelty!
Mail order brides!
Cheating dads!
Is Johnny On Dope?!
But it's all so baffling and boring that I can't even be bothered to be offended by it!
Why is Point Horror Unleashed SO, SO MUCH WORSE than regular Point Horror?!
This is the touching story of a group of the worst kids you'll ever meet, who breathe in too much train exhaust and think that sacrificing animals and homeless men to a photo booth will help them be the best at doing improv and playing dress-up.
Seriously, spending too much time breathing toxic fumes is the only reason I can come up with for why these trash-goblin teens think a photo booth is giving them the powers of . . . idk, extreme confidence? dissociative identity disorder? Whatever. The logic here is baffling.
Facetaker! Now with bonus:
Point Horror (assumed) incest!
Slurs against the Romani people!
Ableism!
Poor = Evil!
Mentally ill = Evil!
Homeless = Subhuman!
Stalking!
Animal cruelty!
Mail order brides!
Cheating dads!
Is Johnny On Dope?!
But it's all so baffling and boring that I can't even be bothered to be offended by it!
Why is Point Horror Unleashed SO, SO MUCH WORSE than regular Point Horror?!
September 10, 2013
I absolutely adore this book, discover in a bookstore and adopted just to try a different genre, I found it so insightful. Each character, though unique in personality and lifestyle, was easily relatable, I also felt that the concept of the 'Facetaker' relates well to everyday life in terms of the metaphorical mask many of us wear. A brilliant book I would Definitely recommend reading.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews