Beholder

How it reads

Beholder is young adult (historical supernatural thriller, specifically), and its dominant mood is eerie. It's atmospheric and uncanny, with a sense that something is wrong. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in a big city setting, in the historical past, told in the first person by a single narrator. Its central concerns are identity, secrets and coming of age. In weight it sits in the middle: substantial without being heavy going.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending is left open, for you to argue about. At 343 pages it's an ordinary novel's length. It's moderately known: read by plenty of people, but not a household name.