The Call

The Call follows Nessa, a teenage girl at a survival college in Ireland, where students train to survive being summoned to the deadly realm of the Sidhe - mythological creatures seeking revenge on humans. Her physical disability makes her chances of survival even lower than the mere 1-in-10 odds that other teens face. The students know they will each be "Called" at some point during their teenage years, vanishing from our world for three minutes but experiencing 24 hours in the grey land of the Sidhe. There they must evade capture and torture by these ancient beings who were forced underground by humans centuries ago. In a world where Ireland is cut off from the rest of civilization by supernatural forces, teenagers like Nessa must learn combat, strategy, and mental fortitude to have any hope of returning alive. The training is brutal, the psychological pressure immense, and alliances between students shift constantly as they await their inevitable Call. Through its fusion of Irish mythology and survival horror, The Call explores themes of resilience, justice, and the cost of survival in a world where children bear the consequences of ancient conflicts.

Readers describe The Call as an intense, brutal YA horror novel that draws from Irish mythology. The survival-focused plot and unique premise grab readers from the first page. Readers praised: - Fast pacing and constant tension - Integration of Irish folklore and mythology - Complex characters, particularly the disabled protagonist Nessa - Creative worldbuilding and monster designs - Unpredictable storyline that subverts YA tropes Common criticisms: - Too violent/disturbing for younger YA readers - Confusion about certain plot elements and mythology - Abrupt ending - Limited character development beyond Nessa Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (450+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4/5 "Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time" - Goodreads reviewer "The Irish mythology sets it apart from other YA dystopian books" - Amazon reviewer "Too graphic and dark for my taste" - Barnes & Noble reviewer

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🌟 The story draws heavily from Irish mythology, particularly the legend of the Sídhe (fairy folk) who were believed to steal humans to their realm. 🍀 Author Peadar Ó Guilín grew up speaking Irish in Dublin and frequently incorporates elements of Irish language and culture into his works. ⚔️ The "survival school" setting was partially inspired by the harsh training methods of ancient Irish warriors, known as the Fianna. 🌊 The three-minute disappearances in "The Call" mirror traditional Irish folklore, where time moves differently in the fairy realm - minutes in our world could be years in theirs. 🎭 The grotesque physical transformations of the characters who survive "The Call" reflect actual medieval Irish stories where humans returned from the fairy realm permanently changed or marked.