Jim Parker, editor of UC Brea's newspaper, did not want to come back to school this semester. He should have listened to himself. Because Something Evil has invaded the California campus once praised for its high honors. Now violent death is crowding out pep rallies for space on the front page...and leaving streaks of bloody ink in its wake. Faith Pullen was wary of taking the job at the library. She should have listened to herself. Because Something Evil is lurking in the stacks - and setting its sights on the entire campus. N one knows who started this bloody epidemic, but a terrifying question remains in the minds of all: Who in the hell can stop it??
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Bentley Little does it yet again with University...although unfortunately there are more flaws here than some of his other works.
Two students going to a college begin trapped in a desperate struggle to unwrap a mystery that's killing their fellow students and threatening their existence. I don't wish to give away more of the plot than that, as it may put a hamper on the story if you read it yourself.
The atmosphere is cold, dark, and depressing. Brutality is evident all around, and Little does not play around with subtlety's. Jim Parker is a great character. He's three dimensional and focused. It was interesting for me, an adult woman, to see through the eyes of a college student male. He appeared stable and reacted the way I figured most would. His life was interesting and that made it even more fun. He had his own classic sets of internal struggles.
Faith Pullen's life comes off a bit harsher but she has that strong sense of self that I admire. She's enjoyable to read about because, not only does she come across as genuine, she comes across as a survivor. Yucky about her mom and what the woman does with sodas!
The pace wasn't boring or uneven and it came across as well orchestrated overall. Again Bentley Little is dark. Except this time he's a bit too unbalanced for my tastes. Some the gore was a bit too excessive, the violence a little unnecessary -- to where they became the focal points more than the story itself.
University is worth a read but it's nothing as shattering as his other works. Many books leave a taste in my mouth when they are unpleasant -- and usually this is a good aftertaste. This one, however, didn't agree with my taste buds as well. It just came across a little too senseless and exploitative, not concentrating as much on story and shock factor.
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