I've always thought that summer camps are creepy from themselves. I've not found a charm in being shipped away for the complete summer. That's just me. But I expected a solid summer camp horror when I started reading, but the book has some horrors of its own. Basically, it was far too long.
As a coming of age story for Billy it was quite enjoyable. At first the disappointment of having to go on summer camp and later the excitement for returning to it, and finally the realization that perhaps you went to the camp one time too many were all very relatable (except for the fact I never went on summer camp, but it's true for a lot of things). Only the parts during the different camps are told, but still you get the feeling that you're with Billy while he comes of age.
As something scare though, it felt short. I was reading and reading and reading and kept waiting for the story to turn into something more sinister. And yes, there is the backstory which explains the existence of Cropsy and yes, there are some unexplained accidents in the book, but Cropsy is mostly just a myth in the story. The terrifying truths that are uncovered in the story that takes place around the initiation of the camp were not that shocking either.
Something I always have some problems with is trying to make everything fit together too well, by huge coincidences and making the main character extra special. Unfortunately this was the case with Cropsy and it made my eyes roll near the end of the book. Overall, I felt the book was too long and was waiting for things to happen for a long time.
So, all in all, I enjoyed the story, but it was too long and it was more of a coming of age novel than a horror story, Cropsy was not that creepy.
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