Red Rain (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | October 9, 2012 |
| Founder | R. L. Stine |
| Products | Horror novel |
Red Rain is a horror novel authored by R. L. Stine and released on October 9, 2012. It marks his second foray into adult hardcover horror fiction. Drawing inspiration from movies such as Village of the Damned and Children of the Damned, Stine aimed the book at readers who grew up with his works in the 1990s. While some critics praised it as a nostalgic experience, others faulted its foreseeable conclusion, shallow character arcs, and overly detailed narrative.
Plot
Lea Sutter journeys to Cape Le Chat Noir to explore and write about the town’s distinctive death rituals for her travel blog. After a catastrophic hurricane devastates the community, leaving most inhabitants dead, Lea decides to take in twin orphans Daniel and Samuel. Her husband Mark, under pressure from backlash over his recent child psychology publication, remains suspicious of the twins, who insist that his sister Roz leave the guest house. Lea believes their unusual conduct stems from PTSD and enrolls them in school; however, Daniel and Samuel soon engage in theft and employ supernatural abilities to control those around them.
The twins orchestrate framing Mark for murder in an attempt to eliminate him but lose command when they start influencing local children. With assistance from Martha Swann, Lea discovers that Daniel and Samuel originated from a failed ritual in the 1930s designed to resurrect the dead; Lea herself perished during the hurricane and is a comparable creation. She ultimately halts the twins at the expense of her own existence. The story concludes with Mark and Roz alarmed as their son Axl exhibits powers akin to the twins’, suggesting he has inherited their influence.
Development
Stine embarked on writing Red Rain after receiving requests from adult fans who had grown up reading his Goosebumps and Fear Street series for material suited to their age group. An outline received approval from Stacy Creamer, vice president and publisher at Touchstone, and Stine completed the manuscript within four months. Unlike his children’s literature, he undertook research for this novel, including studying Sir James George Frazer’s The Golden Bough, which inspired aspects of the story involving twins with weather-controlling abilities. He also found that blood rain is an actual meteorological event often regarded as an ill omen across various cultures. Stine investigated the novel’s setting—an area he had never visited—and viewed films like Village of the Damned and Children of the Damned to guide his writing process.
Reception
Reviews of Red Rain were varied. Supportive critiques commended Stine’s skill in crafting a "freshly terrifying story" featuring brisk pacing and captivating chapters that resonated with adult readers familiar with his earlier work. Booklist cautioned that it is unsuitable for younger audiences, while Associated Press described it as a compelling "page turner." Library Journal labeled it "a creepy, fun read," and MysteryNet.com favorably compared Stine’s efforts to renowned thriller/horror authors like Dean Koontz and Harlan Coben.
Conversely, some reviewers deemed the novel uneven or mediocre. The A.V. Club provided a negative assessment, with trade publications expressing mixed feelings; for instance, Library Journal characterized it as "slapdash." Slate criticized its elegiac tone over excitement, highlighting its emphasis on consequences rather than action sequences. The Piece of S**t Bookclub rated it 0 out of 10 due to weak dialogue and underdeveloped characters.
In contrast, The Huffington Post included Red Rain among its top book recommendations for fall 2012.