Demons don’t stand a chance! – review of the book “Znękany. The case of Maurice Theriault “

Don’t make the devil out of Hell

The title character of Znekany has a difficult childhood behind him. He grew up on a farm. His father was extremely aggressive towards his son, and therefore, in childhood, the hero often cursed him and wished him the worst. Years later, he inherited the family estate. It was then that many disturbing things began to happen around him. He sometimes bleeds from his eyes, happened to be in two places at once, and mysterious marks appeared on his body. In addition, spontaneous fires broke out in his house and things changed their location. Fearing what else might happen, he turned to the famous demonologists, the Warrens, for help. It soon becomes clear that the man is possessed and the exorcist Robert McKenna is called. Did such a trio deal with the demon?

A bit of chaos

Haunted is a novel that was originally published in 1990. Its authors are both the Warrens and Michael Lasalander, Mark Merenda and Maurice Theriault with his wife. Films such as Presence or Annabelle generated a lot of interest in the title, and it was probably thanks to them that the title was also published in Polish.

The item in question is not the first one I have had the opportunity to read. Earlier, I also had the Tormented ones . And it must be admitted that the style of the two items does not differ much from each other. Above all, I appreciate the fact that the publisher refrained from italicizing random words, which was terribly distracting while reading. Some black and white photos of the main characters and the location of the action have also been added. This is a pretty good trick to help you visualize a story in detail. Distressedit reads quickly and you don’t need to focus on it. The plot is interesting and addictive. It should be of interest to all fans of Warren history, but also lovers of horror movies. As you might have guessed before reading, it is not a book that deserves literary awards, but it is perfect for moments of relaxation after a hard day’s work and in the evening, when we spend time with tea in hand. Unfortunately, it should also be added that chaos has crept into the text. Especially in the initial chapters, the action moves to different places and times to get back to the starting point, where practically nothing interesting happens. This both confuses and slows down events unnecessarily.

A treat for fans

The Warrens are no longer anonymous characters for a long time. Although Ed just became famous after his death, and Lorraine at the end of his life. It happened, of course, thanks to the cinema and the so-called The Conjuring Universe . It is the films about the achievements of the marriage that made them famous. The group of Polish fans can certainly enjoy the fact that new novels related to famous demonologists are appearing on the market. Haunted. The case of Maurice Therieaultreaders should also like it. It is a pleasant reading for a free afternoon, when you just want to relax and take a break from the “heavier” positions. Although the title did not avoid a few mistakes, they are survivable and should not affect our reception too much. Therefore, if you like atmospheric horrors, stories of possession or are curious about the events of the authors’ lives, then you should go for Haunted . And will you believe that all the described events actually took place is another matter.