Come Closer by Sara Gran – Book Review

Come Closer by Sara Gran
Series: N/A
Publisher: Soho Press
First published July 1st 2003
Genres: Fiction, Demonic Possession
Pages: 168
Format: Paperback
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon

A recurrent, unidentifiable noise in her apartment. A memo to her boss that’s replaced by obscene insults. Amanda—a successful architect in a happy marriage—finds her life going off kilter by degrees. She starts smoking again, and one night for no reason, without even the knowledge that she’s doing it, she burns her husband with a cigarette. At night she dreams of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth on the shore of a blood-red sea.

The new voice in Amanda’s head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. A book on demon possession suggests that the figure on the shore could be the demon Naamah, known to scholars of the Kabbalah as the second wife of Adam, who stole into his dreams and tricked him into fathering her child. Whatever the case, as the violence of her erratic behavior increases, Amanda knows that she must act to put her life right, or see it destroyed.

Amanda lives in Manhattan with her husband, Ed. They are happy and have a steady marriage. They enjoy their time together going to museums, flea markets and all kinds of restaurants. That is, until the tapping starts. That and the dreams.

First it’s just a tap here and there, then a current stream of tap-taps, or is it foot steps?

One day, Amanda receives a book she didn’t order that has a quiz to know if you are possessed by a demon. She stars wondering about all the slow changes invading her life, things out of character for her – like stealing, flirting with man she would never be into, and the urge to hurt others.

At night she dreams of a red beach next to a woman with black hair and pointy teeth who hugs her and tells her she loves her and will never leave her.

The more changes she sees, the higher she scores in the quizzes, but is she really possessed, or is she slowly becoming insane?

This is told in the first person perspective. We see Amanda realise more what’s happening, her doubts, her cries for help, what she wants to do and what she does and how those are completely different.

It’s extremely captivating and actually scary. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book after reading it. It’s just that striking! How her life just slowly went down the drain until Amanda wasn’t herself anymore. It’s just… incredibly creepy.

The book is incredibly suspenseful and a total page turner. I couldn’t stop reading it. I wanted to see how could she get out of a such a situation that many would just scowl to. I mean, who is going to believe it, it’s surely not possible right?! Ahh… Just scary I tell you.

I absolutely loved how the book progressed and don’t want to reveal nothing about the end, so I’ll keep this short. If you are into horror, demon possessions and occult, read this.