Written by Katherine Turner
Number of pages: 215
Average Rating: 3.48/5 stars
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Published September 16, 2014
Read in July 2016
Directed by Stiles White
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes
Average Rating: 4.4/10 (IMDb)
My Rating: 1/5 stars
Released on October 24, 2014
Watched in July 2016
Summary according to Goodreads
It's not just a game. As far as Elaine Morris is concerned, the Ouija board is just a game she played at sleepovers as a kid. But her best friend, Debbie, has been messing around with one recently - and claims she's starting to hear strange noises around the house. Laine thinks Debbie is a total dork for getting spooked, until Debbie dies in a horrible and haunting way. Desperate to figure out what really happened to her friend, Laine starts using the Ouija board to uncover its mystery. She soon learns that something sinister has come through the board, and it's not ready to say goodbye.
My Thoughts
This novel had a very juvenile writing style, but was very fast paced. I read it in two sittings, but could have read it straight through if it weren't for my hectic work schedule. It was a thrilling story with lots of paranormal danger throughout, but you never got attached to the characters to feel afraid for them.
I was under the impression that the film was based off of the novel, and not vice-versa. I picked up this novel with the intention of watching the movie, but hesitated when I read the reviews. One of my biggest reasons for wanting to watch the movie is my love of Darren Kagasoff. The actors in this movie had a strong chemistry to each other, but not to the plot. The lines felt forced, the fear wasn't present, and the plot seemed to drag.
Something that I have to appreciate about both the movie and the novel is the originality. In the horror genre I feel it is hard to find something that is not a remake, but Ouija was something new. It might not have been the best or scariest, but it was different.
It might not come as a surprise that I enjoyed the novel more than the film, but I found the written story to be much more captivating. I got bored watching the movie, and ended up scrolling through my social media. The two were pretty similar; same scenes, same lines, until a few small changes at the end - but nothing significant. In my opinion the plot and characters were much more developed in the novel as opposed to the film.
Overall, I thought this novel was pretty good, but nothing that you should run out and get. I borrowed a copy from the library, and was happy to be able to return it. Don't take it too heavy, it was an enjoyable read and perfect for a read-a-thon! Don't watch the movie though.
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