[HDNA #02] - My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

[Neon Maniac]

So far this book would make a good season of Riverdale.

This is so fucking true. I’m going to imagine them all as Riverdale characters now.

That's what I've been doing.

Also, fwiw, because of names, I've been picturing Abby and Gretchen as Abbi and Ilana from Broad City.

[Alien Redrum]

Also, fwiw, because of names, I've been picturing Abby and Gretchen as Abbi and Ilana from Broad City.

Shit! You son of a bitch. Now it's in my head.

[Alien Redrum]

Spoilers for Chapters 07-00:
It's the End of the World as We Know it
One Thing Leads to Another
Parents Just Don't Understand

Okay, now we're getting to it. Things (paranormal) are seemingly starting to happen.

The way this is being setup is really reminiscent of The Exorcist. Hendrix is taking his time setting this up and developing it, and I'm loving every moment. Gretchen complaining about being touched and not being able to sleep because of it is a little creepy, but you already know (or assume) it's going to get worse. Right now it very could be her imagination (like Reagan's). The sex sounds, however, are hilarious. WTF.

The throwing up of the milk-like liquid and feathers is nice. The feathers coming out of her body creeps me out far more than the light touches.

I also love this demon growing inside of her, what with how she went off on Margaret's douche boyfriend. Sounds like that was a long time coming.

I've been highlighting passages as I've been going along (and now they tie to Goodreads!), but I keep forgetting to post them. Here are a few that made me from these chapters:

“The manufacturer calls it ‘Bartles and Jaymes wine cooler,’ but the Charleston County Police Department calls it ‘rape juice.’”

I loved this entire part with them talking about girls getting drunk and having sex. It's so true to life, how the older person...(OMG THAT'S ME NOW)...come in and tell the teens how they're all gonna die with fear tactics.

And OMG, I remember plenty of times during assemblies when our dumb principal told us how disappointed he was in us.

In sixth grade, Mrs. Gay had made the lower school choir do a special lunchtime performance of “We Are the World.” Gretchen had been Kim Carnes. Abby, who had no musical ability whatsoever, was relegated to playing Quincy Jones, standing in front of the choir and pretending to conduct. In blackface.

That last sentence.

I can't quite remember where this next one is from, but it really does describe high school perfectly, no matter what the decade:

Where everyone was desperate to be an individual, but they all were terrified to stand out.

So, this seems to be starting down the path to Weirdville. The touching, the feathers, the (disappearing blood in the bathtub.) And I wonder if Gretchen is really talking to her summer boyfriend, or maybe it's a demon? I don't know. You can't trust her right now. I just think it's weird that she's talking to this dude in Florida on the phone for hours, with no mention of long distance charges. Back then, we had to pay for those. You would think with the other '80s detail Hendrix is throwing in, he would have mentioned this or at the very least something like a "Max Headroom Calling Card". That's why I don't trust that she's really talking to him on the phone. I really believe at least Abby would have said something.

Do either of you know if the feathers are indicative of anything? Like, is this common for possessed folk? Wouldn't Angels have the feathers? Just thinking out loud.

[shiki-jitsu]

Spoilers for Chapters 07-10:
It's the End of the World as We Know it
One Thing Leads to Another
Parents Just Don't Understand

The feathers thing was reminiscent of something to me that I can't quite place. But there is an event that happens in the next chapter or so that would tie in the feathers. Obviously you can make the reference of black bird feathers to a death omen, but I do think there is more to it.

Again I agree with just about everything you are saying. The black face line had me too

Spoiler:

Yeah, I haven't believed at all that she is talking to anyone on the phone, we only hear about the conversations. And honestly I was annoyed when she bought the phone and she plugged it in behind her bed. I was (still kind of am) expecting a line eventually about being on the phone and the plug actually not be in at all. I am assuming that the demon is using a past instance to trick her and she is believing that she is talking to this Andy.

The sour smell thing makes me queasy

[Alien Redrum]

OMG IF YOU ARE GOING TO READ AHEAD MAKE SURE YOU ARE DISCUSSING THE RIGHT CHAPTERS.

(The only thing going on about the phone, currently, is she asked Abby to buy her one. Nothing about where it's plugged in.)

I know that's not spoilery at all, but just in case for the next post. DON'T FUCK THIS UP FOR ME, TOM.

The feathers is killing me. I really want to know the reasoning.

[Alien Redrum]

Actually, it is a bit spoilery, because where I'm at, Gretchen hasn't called anyone at all. I'm going to fix that before Ron gets to it.

[Neon Maniac]

Thanks a lot, Shiki. You sonuvabitch. I was really curious as to where Ilana was going to plug her phone in, and now that's ruined. smh

Thank you for fixing that spoiler for me, AR.



Sorry I'm not quoting, coming in last means there's just way too much to quote.

Yeah, I'm glad he's kind of taking his time, setting up the relationships, and then bringing the possession on slowly. The touching is really creepy, I agree. I think the sex sounds while she's sleeping is the demon/poltergeist putting her under so it can rape her, like that Debra Hershey movie. The Entity? Just an idea.

The puke was gross, yes. I thought the living black feathers was really gross. Angels and feathers, maybe. Since they're black though I was thinking fallen angels, aka DEMONS!

I think when she accused Douche McFace about sniffing his sister's panties, that was the demon reading the dude's mind and finding it that way.

I kind of felt the assembly scene was a bit over the top. I don't know, maybe it's true to that type of school or that area during that time, but it felt contrived to me. No school I went to would've had that assembly or said rape juice. Maybe we're just more freeballin' out west and don't care as much if our womenfolk get knocked up. Ditto for the whole thing about the doctor checking her for virginity, and the talk of the girls' treausres. I felt it would be more at home in an 80's raunch comedy taking place in the south, like Porky's. Which I believe did have some talk like that. Maybe that's just me though.

I've been thinking about the phone and all that too. If he was calling her, there'd be no long distance charges. But we've been specifically told that Gretchen's parents don't let people call that late and so she has to call others. I do fear that she's talking to the demon on it. I wonder if Abby will buy her that phone? If so, where is she going to plug it in at? You know she'll have to hide it from her parents.

[Neon Maniac]

I think the next door neighbor Dr. Whoever is going to play a larger role later on. Like he may be the one they have to go to at some point to solve everything.

[Neon Maniac]

I'm also thinking it wasn't LSD that they took at Margaret's that night. I think it was something else, and Margaret and Glee just assumed it was LSD that they stole. I don't know what it was, but I think it acted as a gateway or conduit for what's happening to Wretchin' Gretchen, and it could've been any of the 4 of them, but Gretchen was in the right place at the right time.

[Neon Maniac]

And, I'm read up through King of Pain since Shiki went and ruined it all anyway.

[Alien Redrum]

Thanks a lot, Shiki. You sonuvabitch. I was really curious as to where Ilana was going to plug her phone in, and now that's ruined. smh

Thank you for fixing that spoiler for me, AR.

Yeah, I'm glad he's kind of taking his time, setting up the relationships, and then bringing the possession on slowly. The touching is really creepy, I agree. I think the sex sounds while she's sleeping is the demon/poltergeist putting her under so it can rape her, like that Debra Hershey movie. The Entity? Just an idea.

OH SHIT. Nice, yeah!! Good thinking!

The puke was gross, yes. I thought the living black feathers was really gross. Angels and feathers, maybe. Since they're black though I was thinking fallen angels, aka DEMONS!

Do you think this has anything to do with the owls mentioned in the beginning (the same graph that mentions 'the terrible thing that happened to Glee'). I'm thinking maybe.

I kind of felt the assembly scene was a bit over the top. I don't know, maybe it's true to that type of school or that area during that time, but it felt contrived to me. No school I went to would've had that assembly or said rape juice. Maybe we're just more freeballin' out west and don't care as much if our womenfolk get knocked up. Ditto for the whole thing about the doctor checking her for virginity, and the talk of the girls' treausres. I felt it would be more at home in an 80's raunch comedy taking place in the south, like Porky's. Which I believe did have some talk like that. Maybe that's just me though.

See, that was VERY real to me. We had similar assemblies in high school. I'll definitely give you I don't remember anything about rape juice or girls' treasures, but the over-the-top YOU WILL DID IF YOU DRINK OR DO DRUGS was definitely there.

I've been thinking about the phone and all that too. If he was calling her, there'd be no long distance charges. But we've been specifically told that Gretchen's parents don't let people call that late and so she has to call others. I do fear that she's talking to the demon on it.

Good point.

I wonder if Abby will buy her that phone? If so, where is she going to plug it in at? You know she'll have to hide it from her parents.

I wish I had the luxury of not knowing these things.

And, I'm read up through King of Pain since Shiki went and ruined it all anyway.

If you start the next conversation, put the chapter discussions up top. I'm not that far yet, but to be honest, I don't even know that I want to finish now since Tom went and spoiled everything.

[Alien Redrum]

Oh, and:

I'm also thinking it wasn't LSD that they took at Margaret's that night. I think it was something else, and Margaret and Glee just assumed it was LSD that they stole. I don't know what it was, but I think it acted as a gateway or conduit for what's happening to Wretchin' Gretchen, and it could've been any of the 4 of them, but Gretchen was in the right place at the right time.

I have to wonder if where they found her, that house, has anything to do with it.

Also, good call on the neighbor. I think it's nicely setup so that it can go either way.

[shiki-jitsu]

Actually, it is a bit spoilery, because where I'm at, Gretchen hasn't called anyone at all. I'm going to fix that before Ron gets to it.

Oh shit, really?

Spoiler:

Didn't Abby buy her the phone already a while back? Thats what i am referring to. Gretchen has talked about talking with Andy for a while in the book.... Maybe I am misremembering....

[shiki-jitsu]

And fuck you guys because Andy is talked about (which is what I am referring to the phone calls with him) in Chapter 7. So eat my balls.

[shiki-jitsu]

Thanks a lot, Shiki. You sonuvabitch. I was really curious as to where Ilana was going to plug her phone in, and now that's ruined. smh

Thank you for fixing that spoiler for me, AR.

Sorry to ruin the best part of the book for you. NOT!

I think when she accused Douche McFace about sniffing his sister's panties, that was the demon reading the dude's mind and finding it that way.

Most definitely. Which is just as creepy as the fucking feathers And yeah, I agree I think the demon is getting its fuck on with Southern Ilana. Now that I am imagining her as Ilana... I would too.

I kind of felt the assembly scene was a bit over the top. I don't know, maybe it's true to that type of school or that area during that time, but it felt contrived to me. No school I went to would've had that assembly or said rape juice. Maybe we're just more freeballin' out west and don't care as much if our womenfolk get knocked up. Ditto for the whole thing about the doctor checking her for virginity, and the talk of the girls' treausres. I felt it would be more at home in an 80's raunch comedy taking place in the south, like Porky's.

I also thought this was over the top. We never had the drug thing or the fucking thing. Public school in the NYC area is what it is. Drugs are expected. Fucking is definitely expected. The only thing I can say similar that we had, was in my grammar school we had to watch one of those PSA films called Blood on the Tracks because my school was very close to train tracks where during lunch the cool thing to do was to climb down from the playground they were next to and hang out on the tracks.

I've been thinking about the phone and all that too. If he was calling her, there'd be no long distance charges. But we've been specifically told that Gretchen's parents don't let people call that late and so she has to call others. I do fear that she's talking to the demon on it. I wonder if Abby will buy her that phone? If so, where is she going to plug it in at? You know she'll have to hide it from her parents.

I don't think she will buy her the phone. Abby is a terrible friend.