THE SILVER EYES

Old friends find that nostalgia isn’t the only thing lurking in their childhood stomping ground.

Charlie and her friends gather in their small hometown of Hurricane to honor their deceased friend, Michael, in this graphic-novel adaption of the 2016 novel by the same name inspired by the video game franchise. Previously owned and operated by Charlie’s father, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza has been subsumed by the construction of a mall. It was a primary source of entertainment for her and her friends—as well as the site of Michael’s mysterious disappearance. Yet when the friends break into the pizza parlor to reminisce and explore, they find that in addition to abandoned animatronic characters, arcade games, and rides, their childhood playground holds dark forces looking for prey—and disturbing memories from the past begin to intrude. The full-color art is simple, with ample white space, and the illustrations are effectively creepy, with variations in the layout of the panels. However, readers may have trouble tracking the large cast of characters and their relationships, especially with several flashbacks that reveal past traumas. The action-packed and occasionally gory plot will engage, but abrupt transitions and a too-quick resolution take readers out of the world of the story. All main characters are white, with the exception of one who is black.

Will find a ready readership among fans.