McKenzie Richardson's Reviews > Ghoulfriends Forever

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On the whole, a nice, fun read. The first book in the series introduces the characters, lays out the basic setting, and starts the mystery regarding the strange occurrences at Monster High. While it is helpful to have an idea of the main characters of Monster High, this book can be read without previous knowledge of the world.

I really enjoyed the aesthetic of the book. Each chapter contains a detailed sketch-like drawing as well as a few simple drawings throughout. They mesh well with the text and help the reader picture the characters and events.

The story itself was interesting. It takes a little bit for the mystery to come about as some setup is required, but it was a unique story that was fun to read. Overall, I enjoyed it.

There were a few issues I took with the book. I know Monster High is based off of a line of fashion dolls, but I felt the book was overly centered on appearance. I am not a huge fan of reading about fashion so I kind of glossed through the descriptions of clothing and accessories. However, I felt it was unnecessary to describe those who didn't fit the ideal in such negative terms. From Miss Sue Nami and her "shapeless hips" and "whose profile closely resembled an overstuffed trash can" to Mr. Hack, "the school's most unpleasant-looking teacher", the negative descriptions were just mean and unneeded.

Also, the book does use the word "gypsy" and perpetuates some accompanying stereotypes with the twin sisters, Rose and Blanche Van Sangre. The book did come out in 2012 so it could be argued that it was not recognized in the mainstream as a slur, however it is still important to note going forward so young readers are aware that it is not an appropriate term to use.

While there were some problematic aspects of the book, on the whole I found it entertaining. I have the boxed set of the series so I am planning to continue the series to find out what happens next. Good set up and interesting to see stories of other characters besides the main ones usually featured in the movies.