On the topic of Lena and Robin, we learn that Shani is best friends with Robin, and has been watching her slowly die for a while. Both she and Lena were adopted by a record mogul named Charles Carlton. We're still given just breadcrumbs on Robin's issues only that she was on dialysis and needed both kidneys removed. Also the girls are in line for a massive inheritance. We learn of more boys coming to the beach house. Bert Billings, a boy who is generally nice. And the other being a boy from England named Flynn Powers, who Pike describes as having "hands that could have been lifted by a Michelangelo" and that because of his mannerisms Lena thought he was gay because despite the girls fawning over him like some cartoon hunk, he's not that into girls.
But Shani is into him, even though she's very shy and the least sexually experienced of the bunch. She couldn't even finish a Playgirl magazine she's so afraid. Also she wants to be a psychiatrist. Angie says that maybe Flynn will warm up to Shani if she stripped in the pool for him. We learn of Angie's boyfriend Park Jacomini and that Park and Sol put some rather salacious notes in Shani's yearbook. Which would bother Kerry, who the book goes on to mention is short and overweight. And that everything with Sol went to hell during a disastrous pep rally months prior. During said pep rally which Kerry was a part of, before the performance, Lena spilled coke over Kerry's pants, which soaked through the panties. So forced to go commando underneath fresh dance pants, Kerry continued on, only to tear the pants mid-performance, creating the briefest flash in history. Shani suspected that Lena did all of this on purpose, which, like, yeah probably.
As Sol, Bert, Flynn and Park are stranded and needing to fix a tire, and Flynn and Bert off to get a replacement, it gives us plenty of time to learn about Sol. Born in the barrios and even part of a gang at an early age, Sol's had an eclectic life to say the least, having killed a rival at age 12, a history of violence and arrests, his father moving Sol and his family to Ventura and opening a gardening business while hoping it would finally do good for Sol, but he still got into trouble in school, almost expelled multiple times and was recently kicked out of his house. Park is more of a preppy kid, destined for Harvard and liking himself to Ryan O'Neil from Love Story. He was also with Robin before her illness and left her for Angie, but he does feel guilty. He simply couldn't stay and watch as she died. Even Sol, who dumped Kerry after the whole flashing incident, takes the moment to chide him for it.
The two talk about Flynn and that he's both strange and somewhat familiar when suddenly a native with a blackbird shows up and talks with Sol in Spanish. Mentioning something about a raven, a snake, a robin, an eagle and poison. Park thinks it might mean Robin, but that appears to be coincidence. Not as coincidental is a rattlesnake that almost bites Park, but Sol saves him. Before the snake can bite Sol, it gets shot and killed by Flynn, who arrives, gun in hand. The girls arrive and pick up the others just as Bert arrives. He too was attacked by a snake, so that's an eerie coincidence, huh folks? So Sol's car gets fixed and everyone continues on to the beach house. All while Shani still tries to get some answers out of Flynn about things, but he continues to be very shy and less interested in talking about himself.
They arrive at the beach house which looks similar to that of the cover art. Lena is there and Pike makes sure to mention she's well endowed and likes to tan in the nude. Shani asks for her to lay off Kerry but Lena says she'll only do that if Kerry does the same. Because nothing says weekend vacation like two combustible elements waiting to clash. As they talk, Robin's nurse, Ms. Porter, takes her leave, but not before telling Lena to be careful with the dialysis machine. She also talks with Flynn who mentions that he lived in Plymouth with both his parents, despite only mentioning his mother to Shani, which confuses her. Even though all this guy has done in the book so far is continue to be mysterious. There's also a pair of tanks for the filtration system that get mentioned that I'm sure won't play into later in the story.
Shani and the others enter and meet with Robin, who is sickly jaundiced and skinny. Despite that, she's in as good a spirit as she can be given her situation. Lena mentions that Robin also got the news that she won't be getting a kidney transplant as despite being on the list for it, the choice was made to give it to someone else as there's also been a scandal where wealthy patients have been taking top priority on organ lists and that was stopped. Wow. The ONE occasion in these books where "rich and white" doesn't lead to getting what you want and of course it involves a life saving transplant. And since Robin and Lena aren't sisters by blood, she couldn't give a transplant if she tried. Shani has the same blood type, but can't apply because it has to be familial. Kerry arrives and it doesn't take long for Lena and Kerry to snipe at one another. Meaning that even with the horror looming, this isn't going to be a fun [[TITLE OF THE BOOK]].
But so far things seem to go well for most of the first day, though Shani is a bit jealous that Flynn seems more attentive to Robin, who is also wearing a gold eagle pendant around her neck, which hey, remember that whole thing a few chapters back? Well, it turns out that Robin and Lena met the man from a few chapters back. But before we get to that, the teens play a game where you have to guess the famous name written on a piece of paper on your forehead. After they play, Flynn goes to get Robin some water but comes back with some apple juice instead, which hints to the inevitable flashback we're crawling towards. But for now, we learn that the man had told Robin the story of a dove and an eagle who never separated, until the eagle disappeared during a storm. The dove soon met with a raven who led her to a pond to drink.
However, it was a trap as the raven had promised the snake who lived there to get him fresh food. But since the raven liked the dove so much, they hoped to turn on the snake before that could happen. However, the snake attacks both of them, only for the eagle to show up. Before the eagle can save the day, the snake grabs the dove and says that the only way for the dove to survive is if the raven is killed, since it was the one who lured the dove to the trap. The eagle says that it's dove's decision if the raven should survive. But before she can finish the story, Robin feels sickly and is taken to bed, saying that the story is open ended and that she'll get the answer soon enough. That night, Shani overhears a phone conversation between Lena and Ms. Porter, who says that something doesn't seem right about Flynn. That with how suspicious he is, he might have bad intentions for Robin. That he might be lying about his identity. But we're still about 80 pages deep so that's going to be a while.
Instead, we finally get to our flashback about what befell Robin. It was the previous November at Angie's party and most of the central figures of this story were there, except Robin and Lena, at least at first. You have Park trying to sell Sol on the Beach Boys while Sol would rather listen to Michael Jackson. Park and Angie decide to have sex in the pool while Robin and Lena arrive. After everyone's settled and after more anger over the whole pants splitting incident, Sol and Kerry want to go, only their car won't start. Since Lena and Robin are there, they opt to drive them home. This also means that Robin has to be designated driver and not have a drink. So of course this means everyone else (except Shani who is buzzed in and out of consciousness) wants to get her drunk beforehand. This is the eighties after all. Do a lot of coke and vote for Ronald Reagan.
Robin drinks one beer then passes out, so they take her to bed, while Kerry, Bert, Park and Shani stay at Angie's as well, Sol and Lena taking their leave. They wake up not long after with Kerry feeling violently ill and Robin being unresponsive. Not dead, but clearly whatever was in the drink messed her up bad. After Robin's parents and Lena arrive, she and Kerry are taken to the hospital where it's revealed that they weren't drinking alcohol, but rather insect poison of some sort, filled with phosphorous and mercury, which is what felled Robin's kidneys. Kerry recovered, but Robin began puking blood and her health continued to worsen. Leaving her with two dead kidneys, a failed liver and a need of a transplant. Mr. Carlton and the police tried to find out who would have given her bug poison, believing it to be Sol who gave her the drink at first, but ultimately it was ruled accidental due to them all being so blitzed they could have easily made the mistake. Shani, however, thinks it couldn't have been accidental. I mean, if one drinks from a bottle marked "poison", it's bound to disagree with one sooner or later.
After surfing with Bert, Park visits Robin, who is busy talking to a blackbird, similar to the man's from earlier, whos at this point being referred to as "the sorcerer", mentioning that she hasn't told anyone yet about how the story ends. So, that's concerning. Shani notes that it's odd that all of the other teens Lena invited from school have never shown up, as if there's something sinister about it. But we're halfway through this book, so we can't answer that yet. She also decides to go see Robin, but notices the sorcerer walking by the beach. As she enters the house, she ends up walking into the recording studio and listening to a recording of Robin singing "Blackbird" by The Beatles, which I low key hate that I now associate that song with The Boss Baby. Lena catches her and tells her to leave, since the studio is off-limits.
Robin and Park patch things up, with Park admitting he was wrong to leave her and that he was selfish, with Robin saying that she can understand and that she doesn't want to be a martyr. And while she did hate him for what happened, she isn't AS angry about him ending up with Angie. Though she should have poisoned her if she could. Park asks about the blackbird, who Robin names Rita. Meanwhile, Shani spots Flynn in Robin's bedroom, looking for something. This gives her a chance to find his passport with his real name of Michael Ryan Richardson. Oh, and also finds his gun. Just as Flynn finds her, suddenly a loud explosion rocks the house. The carport and garage of the house blown to smithereens. Everyone is okay, except for Bert, who was in the van when the garage blew up. Oh no, not Bert. How will this story go on without Bert? Rest in peace my friend. You truly were the most superfluous of Clays.
No clue what caused the explosion other than possibly a gas pocket nearby and the barbecue that Angie was trying to make may have caused it, but Park suspects that Sol did it while cooking drugs because at this point every attempt to like Park gets countered with "god this guy kinda sucks". Shani takes a hike while thinking about who could have been the one to give Robin the poison drink. Lena is possible given she would want to bump Robin off for the inheritance and also kill the others. Angie given her relationship with Park and frustration that Robin is in the way of that. Kerry as a way to get revenge on Lena. Sol due to his violent past and being the one who merely handed Robin the laced beer, but otherwise, no motive. Park perhaps trying to kill Robin so he could be with Angie. Bert is possible, but he's dead now, which means maybe he knew something so he needed to be dealt with. Back to the motive of the exploding garage, that leaves Flynn and Robin. Flynn seems weirdly less likely, while Robin has been talking with the sorcerer. Perhaps similar to the tale of the dove and the eagle, she was in a position to choose who lives and who dies to spare her life. Eye for an eye type shit.
After trying to converse with the man, his blackbird perches on Shani's shoulder as she dozes off, seeing a vision of her back at the house while Robin sleeps. She wakes up and heads off, only to end up being lost and almost attacked by a snake before Flynn gets rid of it. The two talk and he admits that he is hiding something that he can't talk about for now since we're still way too far away from that reveal. Only that he isn't trying to hurt Robin, but help her. Keep her from another poisoning since all of the prime suspects were brought to the beach house. Even Shani who he suspects for a moment, but doubts she was involved. And that he will hurt anyone who hurts her. He then says that he's the eagle of this story, which makes Robin the dove by the look of it.
Shani talks with Park who is still at Robin's side and now determined to be with her til her dying day, so at least some change of character. They talk about things before checking the remainder of the story that Robin had started. The only thing we get is that the dove never chose, but rather sang. And that's it for now as clearly the story's not done. The rest begin to talk for a bit about the whole situation and how Shani has been both vomiting and pooping because thank you for that image, Chris. Didn't bring it up, but since Park and Shani knew each other since kindergarten, he always brings up how she shat herself because, like I said, every attempt to make this guy nice makes me hate him more. As they talk, they begin to feel dizzy, only to realize they've been drugged before they pass out.
Shani wakes up with the others, handcuffed in the recording studio as a giant tank full of snakes is in front of them. They think it must have been Robin, but given her state, that would be tricky to do. A voice tells them to admit the truth of what happened the night of Robin's poisoning, but they all continue to deny things, while Park claims that Sol must have done it since he makes PCP. Sol then admits that he brought about 300 pounds worth of M80s with him, which means that somehow when Bert entered the van, the fireworks went off, henceforth causing the explosion. So Bert's death was about something not even connected to the poisoning. He really was superfluous.
Everyone traces their steps back to that night, ending with Kerry mixing the drink and Lena being the one holding it before the poisoning. They suspect it to be Lena who wanted to bump off Robin, and also we go back to the pep rally issue again since it's been a while since that thread was touched upon. As this happens, one of the lids over the container is opened with a snake exiting. As the teens worry, who should arrive from out of the jaws of death but Bert. He was killed, then came back again. Bert's not Superfluous Clay after all. All glory to Jesus Bert! He helps free everyone, but Lena gets bitten by snakes before they can get her. They free Lena, but now she's dying. Unfortunately, that may be the case for everyone not named Flynn who gets Robin and shoves a shotgun at them.
See, Michael's the one who masterminded this whole thing. He poisoned them all as well with an agent that will activate after a day. Won't kill them, but they'll suffer from life altering maladies. He has the antidote, but only for those who reveal the truth. Even Bert who was off surfing for a while before the explosion and didn't really have anything to do with this. Damn, this guy went from wallflower to GOAT status quick. Michael also reveals that Lena isn't poisoned. She set up the trap, got the venom-less rattlers and even set things up so she could control everything like some strange Saw-like trap. But she wasn't the one who poisoned Robin. It was Kerry, which was pretty much who I figured at this point. This was after the pep rally incident and she wanted to get revenge on Lena, so she fixed her drink with the insect poison. However, Sol took the drink and Lena handed it to Robin, unaware that she as about to poison her sister. But she then is revealed to have tampered with Robin's dialysis machine, trying to get Lena in more trouble, so yeah, pretty lame there.
Michael takes a knife and is about to kill Kerry, but only if it's what Robin wants. Robin is furious over the realization, but doesn't know what to do. So Shani tells her to sing "Blackbird", like the events of the story, which she does. Then we get what I kind of figured was the whole deal here. Robin and Michael are twins. Their father died before they were born and with their mother expecting twins and not being able to fully support them, she was forced into giving her daughter to Mr. Carlton. It devastated her to do so, but when she learned that Robin was ill, and Mr. Carlton was pressuring her to give a kidney, she kicked him out. Eventually Michael learned of Robin, headed stateside and learned about Robin long enough to make his decision. It's also why the nurse and Mr. Carlton were concerned as if they knew he was there, he would have been forced into it. But similar to the events of the story, it was hearing Robin sing that made his decision. He decides to give Robin one of his kidneys and all seems to be happily ever after. Oh, and he did spike their drinks technically by removing the water filters. Told you they'd come back up. Also he didn't technically poison them, but the water...
So a mega happy ending is in sight. Turns out that Mr. Carlton was grateful for Michael's sacrifice, Sol got a new van and now works for him, Lena's doing well, Angie's recovered and is now with Bert, Park kept his promise to be with Robin and everyone but Kerry come to visit her in the hospital. Though they seem to be cool with her as well, or at least never told anyone about the accidental-but not entirely-poisoning. Robin is doing better and despite a mild infection, so is Michael who reveals he'll be at the same school as Shani, so hey that relationship is starting as well. Even Robin's birth mother is in her life now as well. They all give a toast to a happy ending, but not before Rita the blackbird shows up, Robin's guardian angel. They then decide, better safe than sorry, and dump the liquor out. I can't believe I'm ending a Christopher Pike book with a "D'awww how nice" moment. Now that's scary.
And then there's the third and the one I feel damns the book the most. This just feels like a copypasta of Slumber Party. Group of teens lured to the vacation house of a pair of siblings for a weekend. Strange things happen, a character disappears, the mystery is tied to a traumatic event, one of the sisters is seriously hurt from that event. The culprit is revealed and everyone, including the victim, gets a happy ending. Hell, alcohol being the cause of the suffering even feels like it's from there as well. Though at least everyone survives this book, unlike Nell. Only unique things aside from some differences are the added mysticism and the story of the eagle, snake, raven and dove, which ties into the story very well. Also any book that makes me not have to think about topics like abortion already earn marks.
The cast is interesting. Shani is fine as the lead. More level headed and focused than most Pike females. Park is the secondary protagonist and he's fine. Though he also absolutely sucks. Racist, arrogant, one of those guys who'll tell you about the greatness of Beach Boys music and break down metaphors and reasonings to the point they just sound like assholes. Literally the kind of guy who will bore you with trivia about Huey Lewis and the News, but won't kill you at least... maybe. Lena is fine, as is Angie. Sol too, even after heaping stereotypes and gimmicks on him. Kerry is also just fine. Not a major villain like most, but someone who screwed up after thinking she was wronged by the wrong person.
I like Michael and Robin. You feel bad for Robin's plight and the added touch to the mysticism of the old man is a nice touch. She's a genuinely sympathetic character. In a Pike book. And she lives. Again. In a Pike book. Michael is also neat as he works both as a villain and a good guy in the end. In fact, it's weird to not have an actual villain in these books. And then there's Bert. Bert's the fucking man. He starts the book not being that important to the plot of the story and ends still not being important but damn I'm glad he's there. He's the Donnie of the group. Completely out of his element. But even facing death he tries to be the positive voice in the crowd. All glory to the great Bert.
So again, not really much to get mad about on my end despite feeling a bit too long and very clunky. Filled with tons of attempts to be pithy and wordy, despite never reaching embryonic snowman levels. Also, despite some situations, a lot less focus on sex or horniness than usual. No forgetting about a missing person to fuck in the snow situations which feels so alien when I, again, remember who the author of this book is. Have I turned a corner? Can I trust again? Can I get back into Christopher Pike without fear of having to hit some massive elephant issues? Who knows? But gimme a weekend, maybe I'll make that decision. Weekend gets a B-.
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