PopHorror Let's Get Scared
There’s something funny going on in the town of Kettle Springs, and it’s not just the town’s clown mascot, Frendo. As Quinn moves to Kettle Springs for her senior year of school, she befriends the “troubled” popular clique. Corn isn’t the only thing that grows as tensions rise between the new and old generations of residents. But someone doesn’t want to make things right as they don the Frendo costume and begin slaughtering the teens.
Can Quinn help the townsfolk settle their differences, or will she become part of the town’s yearly harvest?
Written by Adam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield is a teenage slasher novel published in 2020 by HarperTeen. An important distinction when reading Clown in a Cornfield is that it is meant for a younger audience. This can be a key factor in whether the writing works in its favor, as it can sometimes read a bit “juvenile.” This isn’t meant as a criticism, but rather something to note. While the majority reads fairly standard for the demographic, there are sections of violence and language that are certain to emphasize the “Adult” portion.
Cesare built a world that feels like a blend of both retro and modern horror. While most of the plot exists in the current world, the small-town atmosphere away from a large city feels akin to throwback slashers, where the ways of life were simpler. This is juxtaposed with the teenagers’ heavy reliance on technology and trends that cause much animosity amongst the older citizens of Kettle Springs and their desire to go back to a “better” time.
When it comes to horror, Cesare does a phenomenal job. The violence is grisly and gut-churning. Frendo’s rampage leads to many instances of death and destruction that will cause readers to cringe and shudder. Characters are taken out with various instruments ranging from ice picks and crossbows to buzzsaws. These moments are grossly written in the best way possible. It’s a reminder that horror doesn’t need to contain excessive boobs and butts to attract teenagers, just over-the-top violence.
Despite all the splatter, horror novels can’t survive on shock and gore alone. Characters are a massive letdown because there is nobody to root for. Nobody stands out from the paper they’re printed on; The closest is Quinn, but that’s more so because the story follows her journey. There needs to be at least one character the reader cares about to make the plot matter. Even if a character is so insufferable that they cause the reader to seethe in rage, at least that would make their death exciting.
From the get-go, it’s apparent that Cesare wanted to inject political commentary throughout the book, but it mostly falls flat. It tackles the idea of new vs. old and the fear of progress and change. There is a façade of no side being right or wrong, but it’s obvious that the teenagers are meant to be in the right. Despite the plot shoehorning the reader towards the teenagers’ side, their actions make it hard to root for them and what they stand for.
While it isn’t the smoothest first entry, Cesare’s venture into the world of YA fiction has a lot to like for teens and adults craving more horror on their bookshelf. Once the mayhem begins, it never lets up. Read Clown in a Cornfield to learn that the only thing easier to shuck than a piece of corn is a teenager.
