Book Review: Doe by Rebecca Barrow

Doe is a YA horror-adjacent thriller by Rebecca Barrow that attempts to blend high school cheerleading rivalry with mythological horror, centering on Maris Larsen—a girl caught between social power dynamics, personal instability, and a supernatural force that begins invading her dreams.

On paper, the premise is strong: a decaying, ancient deer-like entity (Doe) tied to bloodlines, revenge, and long-buried violence paired with the intense hierarchy of a competitive cheer squad. There’s real potential in that contrast—something primal and mythic colliding with teenage social warfare.

In execution, though, the balance doesn’t quite land. Most of the narrative stays locked in cheerleading drama, internal angst, and rivalry tension between Maris and the new “golden girl” Genevieve. The horror element, which should be the driving force, is delayed so long that it feels more like a final-act addition than an evolving presence throughout the book. When Doe does begin to fully surface, the shift feels abrupt rather than earned.

The pacing is also heavily influenced by an unconventional formatting style—fragmented line breaks and irregular paragraph structure that reads closer to text-message prose than either traditional prose or intentionally lyrical experimental writing. That stylistic choice may work for some readers, but here it often disrupts flow and undercuts tension rather than enhancing it.

By the time the supernatural plot fully engages (around the final portion of the book), the story starts to feel like it’s just getting to its most interesting material as it’s wrapping up. As a result, the horror elements feel underdeveloped compared to the psychological and social dynamics that dominate the earlier sections.

That said, the YA focus is clear throughout, and readers more interested in character dynamics, competitive cheer culture, and interpersonal drama may find more to connect with than horror fans expecting a sustained mythological or atmospheric build.

Overall, Doe feels like a concept with strong mythological bones that never fully steps into its horror identity. It’s readable, quick, and accessible, but uneven in structure and payoff.