Monster High: Monster Rescue: Track Down Twyla!

by Misty von Spooks

When the ghouls receive a mysterious message from Twyla, the daughter of the Boogey Man, they decide it's time to bring another monster to the new Monster High! But nothing is quite as it seems in the creeperific Boogey Mansion. With an eerie voice leading them through a crooked maze of rooms filled with tricks and treats, Frankie Stein, Draculaura, and Clawdeen Wolf don't know which way is up, down, or sideways! All they know for sure is that this is going to be one fangtastic adventure!
©2017 Mattel, Inc. All rights reserved.

Genres: Middle Grade

160 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2017

Reviews

[Erica Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Draculaura receives a strange message. But when her iCoffin breaks, the ghouls are unable to hear the rest. They decide to rescue Twyla anyway.

My kids: "Spooktacular!"

The story was cute. I loved getting a new idea of the Boogey Man.

[vxRedxv · Rating 1 out of 5]

[Overview]
✍️ Writing Style: 2/5
📖 Plot / Storyline: 2/5
🌙 Character Depth: 1/5
🔥Character Interactions: 1/5

[Spoiler-free Section]

While I prefer Generation 1, I see the appeal of Gen 2. Having to actually go outside to find the ghouls makes for a more dynamic setting, instead of always being at the school. And I do love that Dracula is more of a character in this Gen, love to see Dracula as a dad lol! It's his best trope.

But unfortunately that's where my positive thoughts end. I love Middle Grade books and many of those books have shown that you can be clever and have a deep story but still be appropriate for children, or even challenge children. This book felt like it was geared towards toddlers. The story was basic, despite so many chances of being interesting, the resultion was so formuliac that it's honestly annoying. I don't need tropes to be subverted or to be shocked, what I need is creativity. Monster High is such a creative property with so many possibilities, so why would you write the most basic story imaginable?

What's worse is that the ghouls all sound the same. The dialogue is indistinguishable from each other, only Lagoona sounds a little different, because she uses "mate". If you didn't know the characters you sure as hell won't get to know them here. They are all peppy, happy and helpful. They don't even use their traits or quirks for anything, except for Frankie who fixes Draculaura's phone... that's it.

On that note, I miss sassy Cleo. Let her be mean and haughty, please. I miss having the girls with distinct personalities in general. I've read a few different novels now in this franchise and none of them have managed to capture even an ounce of Monster High's personality and it really bums me out. I love Monster High Gen 1 (and Gen 2... is good enough) and I just wish there was proper novels in that style. I guess I'll just rewatch the movies and webisodes.

So if you came here for a fun story and unique interactions... don't read this. This is Monster High in name only, but not in spirit or personality.

[Spoiler Section]

The word ghouls is being used too goddamn much. Almost every other sentence, please calm down.

Yeah, no pressure Twyla. We only made you a whole ass room, BUT NO PRESSURE, GHOUL! oof... the girls mean well, but I'd be so overwhelmed that I'd ghost them and never talk to them again out of sheer fear and ovestimulation.

At first I thought this story would be about accepting that Twyla doesn't want to come and that they could bring the school's spirit to her house instead, like homeschooling. But no... of course not. Everyone has to join the school. As someone with anxiety since childhood and mild agoraphobia this is just annoying as fuck. I know it's a kids book, but that's exactly why you should show children that ignoring/fighting against your nature isn't always good.

Exposure therapy is fine and dandy, but there is a time and place. Going from 0 to 100 is a sure way for you to fail. Twyla has been with her father in solitude for a long time and now suddenly going to a school that's packed with different types of monsters where you have no possibility of solitude is a terrible idea. If homeschooling isn't a thought, then maybe Twyla could just go to the school in the mornings but not live there and come back home like a normal school does.

I know I'm overthinking this lower middle grade book, but it's just infuriating as someone whose had similar problems to Twyla since childhood and I always wished for homeschooling, but that's not allowed/illegal in my country. IDK, it's annoying that kids media insists that all children have to accept the way of the extroverts and if you're quiet, introverted and prefer to recharge your energy on your own you are "wrong" and need to fix it. Dumb.

And there weren't even any illustrations to save me from this short, mediocore story! At least Ghoulfriends Forever had some gorgeous illustrations of the girls.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but not as good as earlier Monster High stories.

[Zalea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love itttt

[joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ngl I was kinda confused cuz the story was quite different from the original, but I guess it's just another monster high world in the multiverse.