I don't recall if I had previously mentioned that I'm a big fan of Netflix's Stranger Things, which is a science fiction horror series full of '80s nostalgia.
At the beginning of the year, Del Rey released the first fictional tie-in novel, Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, which is a prequel set in between 1969 and 1970. I knew the title was being released but due to life issues, it had slipped my mind until I ran across the book at my local library.
The novel centers around Terry Ives (a.k.a. Eleven's birth mother), who agreed to be a test subject for a top secret government experiment (code-named MKULTRA) at the Hawkins National Laboratory, which is operated by Dr. Martin Brenner. To her, it seems like an easy to way to earn money. However, something is a fowl at Hawkins Lab that will jeopardize the life of her unborn child.
Final Thoughts
I'm not a big fan of prequels to books, movies, or television series as the writers or directors tend to screw up the continuity most of the time. "Suspicious Minds" nicely stays within what has already been established in Stranger Things. However, it doesn't really add anything new, except for giving Eleven's mother a backstory, which feels entirely unnecessary. I already know from the series that Terry was involved in a government experiment while she was pregnant with Eleven (Jane). Focusing an entire novel on her backstory is pointless.
Everyone's least favorite character - Eight - is also featured in this story. (Watch Season Two, Episode 7! Or Don't!)
Overall, Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds is a forgettable prequel to a great television series. Obviously, it was published to cash in on the popularity of the series. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the author, Gwenda Bond, as the book is well-written and she does the best she could to move the story along. With a cool cover art, I was expecting something more than what was given to me.
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