The Cellar by Natasha Preston is a novel about a teenage girl who is abducted by a man with psychological issues. The girl’s name is Summer; she has a great life with a loving boyfriend. One night, she was out walking alone when she was captured by the man who called himself Clover. Clover had an obsession with flowers and women. He spent much of his life after his mother died trying to “collect” his pure flowers. He would abduct young girls and force them to live in a cellar and call them his flowers. The girls who lived in the cellar had been there for years or months. They were giving up on escaping. Summer who became Lily was confident her boyfriend would come to find her. However as days turned into months, she felt her identity as Summer slip away and had lost all hope.

This novel is a fantastic read; it keeps you on your toes the entire time. I find that the backstory for Clover is fascinating and shows how he ended up becoming a monster. His underlying insecurities from his mother’s treatment of him as a child prove how people often learn their behavior from others. This novel also brings to light the importance of friendship, family, and courage. It shows how women can come together in the roughest of times and support each other. Despite the dark story behind Clover, it still highlights the goodness we have in this world.

Overall, I recommend this novel to people who enjoy stories related to mystery, psychology, and friendship.

-Ellie B.

The Cellar by Natasha Preston is available as a free download from Overdrive.