The Replacement Review

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?Taken from GoodReads.

The Replacement follows the story of Mackie Doyle. A teen in the sleepy town of Gentry, Mackie struggles to fit in every single day of his life. In a town rife with superstition, disappearances, and fear, Mackie is the epitome of everything the townsfolk fear. Switched with the Doyle's own baby when he was a baby himself, Mackie has lived as part of the family ever since, though he's struggling to survive with his painful aversion to iron, blood, and consecrated ground - compounded only by the fact that his father is a pastor. Somehow, Mackie must find a way to survive in this world, or realize his true self.

I have to say that The Replacement is probably one of the most original supernatural stories I have come across in a long time. Though it revolves around a familiar creature in supernatural story lines, this was the most original and best interpretation of the classic story that I've seen in a while. Brenna Yovanoff uses her distinct writing voice, alternating beautiful descriptions with short, halted sentences to accentuate the theme and voice of the novel. It paces well, and I was involved in the story in no time. I will, however, admit that I was expecting one thing from a horror story (based solely on the premise above) and got something completely different.

Even in a book as original as The Replacement though, I will admit there were a few things I'm not sure I truly understood in the story. For one, I had trouble believing just how accepting Mackie's friend, Roswell, was of all his unique issues associated with his "condition," shall we say. He sort of just turned a blind eye despite the fact it was very clear Mackie stood out from the rest of the town. I think that was my biggest issue though. I thought the town was believable; aware of the disappearances but committed to pretending nothing was wrong. The characters also drove the story. I empathized with Mackie's struggle to fit in, loved his sister, Emma, driven to do anything to save her brother, and cheered for Tate, a heroine who couldn't be less wispy and whiny of she tried. They drove the story, and though the end wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste, I still liked how The Replacement played out.

All in all, I loved The Replacement. Eerie, haunting, dark, and just satisfying enough to satiate my appetite for riveting stories, The Replacement will definitely stick with me. I give it a very strong 4 out 5, and I would recommend it to all YA fans, especially those who enjoy supernatural stories and horror.