NO POWER

Young patients in a Bronx psychiatric ward battle vicious creatures in Kirby’s YA debut and series launch.

Tom Walton, though still a teen, revels in debauchery, courtesy of the privilege of being a wealthy New York senator’s son. But he’s hurting on the inside, so much so that he climbs a bridge and jumps off the top. Tom wakes up in a hospital in the Bronx; because of his suicide attempt, he is assigned to the psychiatric ward. He’d like nothing more than to go home, but he’s stuck there on a 72-hour hold. The situation gets worse when huge, clawed creatures raid the hospital and tear apart the humans inside during a power outage in the dark of night. Tom, his fellow patients in group therapy, and their therapist can only hide for so long before they must fight for survival. Not everyone trusts Tom, a newcomer and the lone white patient among the group (“None of this started going down until your white ass showed up”). Kirby aptly builds a foreboding atmosphere, starting with early signs of a bizarre, “electric red” glow. The powerless hospital provides a memorable setting; characters cautiously trek through unlit hallways as the monsters’ distinctive, creepy shrieks continuously resonate. Racism is a central theme, often playing out in therapy sessions that the group partakes in—even, oddly enough, with murderous creatures right outside the locked doors. While other characters in Tom’s group showcase diverse backstories and personalities, Tom himself is, unfortunately, an unlikable and clueless protagonist who seems more worried about acceptance than survival. Regardless, the author’s action-laden scenes pop, and intriguing theories about the monsters’ origin complement the remarkable open ending.

An entertaining horror outing that’s socially aware and nerve-racking at all the right moments.