CALL OF THE JERSEY DEVIL is going to appeal to a wide range of potential audience members; it may just as easily horrify or disgust the same number, and that is part of its appeal. The genre defies description. The book is promoted as a Horror Parody, but it is so much more than that. It has a Young Adult flow, but much of the language may not be what every parent wants his or her child emulating---even though kids really do speak that way. The action is splatter-style adventure movie, but it has more depth and sensitivity to all of its characters, even the over-the-top ones (and they are all over-the-top ones), for such a superficial reading. Aurelio Voltaire, musician, humorist, writer, internet personality, has had his mind firmly entrenched in a particular youth subculture for years, and this representation, though as hyperbolic at times as his lyrics, does the characters and the emotions justice.

CALL OF THE JERSEY DEVIL is, on its surface, a coming- of-age quest of five "mall rats," each representing a different approach to personal style and how that style helps him or her make it through each day, combined with an aging Goth singer who just needs another paycheck. Of course, nothing -and no one- is at it seems. Amid the bon mots, gruesome sex jokes, and layers of unbelievable, yet realistic, plot development, Voltaire depicts the interiority of humanity and the ways humans cope, react, interact, and persevere. However, this is no Homeward Bound tearjerker with puppies and kitties. Even the most stratospherically "out there" situation is realistic and relentless. Pretty much, this work answers the question "what would happen if teenagers and a Goth singer had to save the world?" in an authentic and hilarious fashion.

I had been looking forward to this work since Voltaire announced he was writing it. It certainly lived up to its expectations. I kept wanting to quote it to people, and then I had to run the quotations through my mental filter of "will this person find this comment funny because they understand where he's coming from?"

Not to encourage stereotyping, but if you've got a niece or nephew, or a younger sibling, or a friend, who wears a lot of black, listens to music no one else understands, and writes angst-filled poetry, this may be the perfect gift. If you know someone who already listens to Voltaire's music, this IS the perfect gift. However, the work should appeal to the masses in a way that transcends stereotype and genre. If you are a teacher, a parent, or just someone who wants to read a book that defies description, but is amusing and well-written in its entirety because it is so authentic in so many places, this is the book for you. You may be alternately laughing out loud, grossed out, and thoughtful about the nature of darkness in everyday life, but Voltaire wouldn't have it any other way.