You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight packs a hell of a punch in its tightly plotted, claustrophobic, and spine-tingling pages.
This was such a fantastic premise—a YA horror set in an immersive horror experience that starts to go terribly wrong. Kalynn Bayron utilises this concept to its fullest potential, constantly interspersing the narrative with meta horror references. The characters here are horror heads, immersed in the genre and used to playing the archetypes of the genre. Of course, this becomes all too real as the bodies begin to stack up. Bayron does not hold back with some visceral, violent, and gory scenes. The blood congeals on your hands as the pages keep turning on. There is always that looming sense of dread and pit in your stomach.
This book really reminds me of the Scream franchise in its winks to the audience and unpicking of the horror genre. The Final Girl is a key feature here and Bayron unpacks what that figure actually represents. There is a real lack of diversity and consciousness in earlier horror narratives, which is tackled head on here. As a Black queer girl, Charity would not always have been considered as a feasible candidate for the Final Girl. Instead, she would have been early fodder for the killer and the Final Girl typically being a white cisheteronormative woman instead. Having Charity take on the role within the meta narrative of the camp serves as a powerful statement. These discussions are prevalent on page, within the discussions of horror narratives and the progress made.
Bayron really shines in her characterisation. I fell deeply in love with Charity very early on, for her full-hearted love of her job, horror and a deep-rooted sense of loyalty to her friends. She is determined, strong and brilliant, but she is also vulnerable and placed within one of the highest pressured situations imaginable. Bezi is also a well-defined character, with plenty of hidden depths to uncover. Their relationship is so softly gorgeous, a welcome contrast to the horror you know is coming. I thoroughly enjoyed how their dynamic shifts over the course of the book and Bayron has been a bit of a evil mastermind herself in this story.
The moment of realisation of the oncoming carnage is one that will stick with me. From the very start, Bayron signposts some clear signs of the chaos that shall ensue, using familiar tropes of the genre. However, these are also subverted in a twisty and atmospheric plotline. Not everything is as it seems and I would advise readers to trust their gut at all costs. There are some incredible, gut-punches of twists in store.
Without spoiling anything, that final third of the narrative was quite a ride. It is shocking and spectacular in its reworking of previous events. Bayron is unafraid to up the stakes and flip the script on everything you think should be coming up. It is such cinematic writing and it is easy to visualise yourself running alongside Charity as she attempts to survive this hellscape. That tension is high, with a zippy page count that screams to be devoured in just a few sittings. Trust me when I say Camp Mirror Lake will not let you leave easily.
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is an instant staple of the YA horror genre, with hair-raising twists and turns and a willingness to get into the gory murk of the terrors unfolding in the night. Keep your wits about you and do not trust anything or anyone.
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game . . . but can you survive the night?
This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street.
Charity Curtis has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business.
But the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity’s role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they’ll need figure out what this killer is after. Is there is more to the story of Mirror Lake and its dangerous past than Charity ever suspected?
