In The Barn is a horror novella about a little girl who pretty much had everything I wanted as a kid – a monster to eat her bullies. With a run time of a little over an hour, this horror story by Jordan Bach was the perfect novella to join me in my weekly deep clean, so let’s dig into it.
Our story follows Prudence, a young girl in the south who keeps a very dark secret. Her best friend, Arthur, lives in the loft of her father’s barn, and Arthur is a very hungry man. When bullies invade even her home life, Prudence finds a solution that works for everyone. But we all know monsters are never happy with just one little snack, and Prudence will have to think on her feet to keep both herself and her secret safe.
A CUTE, BUT BLOODY, STORY
If you’ve already read my guide on getting out of reading slumps, you’ll know that quick horror novellas like this are my favourite hack! I liked In The Barn. It’s quick, it’s spooky, and it’s got just the right amount of gobbled up children for me. While it’s not something I think I’ll be rereading, the only thing that stops this book from being a full 5 stars, the writing is great. Pru, in particular, is done very well. Despite the tense backdrop and the bloody mess she leaves in her wake, we’re constantly reminded throughout the story that Pru is just a girl. She loves her dad, she wants to fit in at school, and she never quite seems to understand the adults around her. She’s just like us— except for the monster she feeds other children to, I guess.
HOPE YOU LIKE NO CLOSURE
I think my love for Prudence is what made the ending of this book so hard. Without spoiling anything, I will say that I struggled with a lack of closure. There’s some hint at a larger mystery that I just did not put together (though, maybe that’s because I read it over two sittings), but largely, the ending left me hanging.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In The Barn is fun, and despite my gripes with the ending, I think it’s worth a read for any horror lovers looking for a quick scare. The setting would make this a great horror for a hot summer weekend, and little Pru is sweet enough to tug at anyone’s heart strings. I picked up the audiobook on Everand, and the narration was great.
Give it a read this weekend and let me know what you think (lest I feed you to my monster in the loft)!