When Elia Walker becomes the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar home in Cape Cod, she leaves Kansas and quickly falls in with fellow high-schoolers Raef, Ana, and MJ. The mysteries of love and preternaturally darkening pupils quickly become more complicated when Elia realizes that Raef is not entirely human, but more importantly, neither is Elia. We are introduced to races of creatures known as the Mortis and the Lunaterras, while Elia begins to learn potentially disturbing truths about her ancestors from the 19th century.
As paranormal reads go, UNDERTOW borrows heavily from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in terms of both its flippant yet emotionally resonant approach towards the supernatural. As the friendships among the teens grow and deepen, we begin to enjoy their banter and feel a part of their young friendship. Unfortunately, the book suffers from Captain Exposition syndrome, in which concepts are summed up and explained so directly that the reader does not feel rewarded for paying close attention to the text. YA fiction, like any other fiction, should not pander to its audience, but strive to tell a story in an engaging and engrossing way. On-the-nose explanations weaken, not strengthen, the narrative thrust. It would be a much richer book if it invested in showing, not telling, its supernatural mythology.
UNDERTOW is best when it is exploring sexual tension between Raef and Elia, and creating vivid imagery of magic and comical set pieces involving the aforementioned jealous cheerleaders.
Reviewed by Julia Lai for IndieReader.