Ruin Road by Lamar Giles tells the story of Cade Webster, a high school student who makes a wish to stop being feared, only for it to set off a terrifying series of events. Cade exists between two worlds. He is a respected and well-liked football star at a prestigious school, but he comes from an impoverished neighborhood. Everywhere he goes, people are afraid of him because he is either too big, too ambitious, or too black.
One fateful night, Cade slips into a pawn shop to avoid an encounter with the police. Inside, a ring catches his eye, and he decides to buy it. He tells the shopkeeper that he wishes people would stop being scared around him. Little does he know, his wish is granted.
Cade enjoys the feeling of no longer being feared. However, he soon realizes that people are no longer afraid of anything. Wherever Cade goes, he spreads this newfound “courage,” which leads to chaos as people react violently. Cade fears that something dark is at play and wants to stop it before it harms more innocent individuals.
I have read another book of the author’s, The Getaway by Lamar Giles, and this novel follows a similar premise. It presents a scary story with social commentary woven into it. I found the book to be an interesting read. It was compelling to see how a “simple wish” becomes corrupted, the destruction it causes, and how Cade grapples with it. The first half of the book was slow, but it picked up in the second half. I would be open to reading more works by the author.
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