This document provides an overview and character summaries of Simon Holt's horror novel "The Devouring". The story follows Regina Halloway and her brother Henry, who starts acting strangely around the winter solstice. Regina finds an old journal describing creatures called Vours that inhabit humans' bodies on the solstice and feed on people's fears. Regina comes to realize a Vour has taken over Henry and she must face her fears to save her brother. The document outlines the characters, plot points, and setting of the novel.

1. By: Simon Holt

2. Simon Holt
*Simon Holt is a British
composer
*February 21, 1958 (age 55)
*Began with a horror fanzine
in high school.
*He was a hotel night clerk
and handbag clerk before he
become a full time novelist

3. Characters:
● Regina
● Henry
● Aaron

4. Regina Halloway
● Nickname: Reggie
● Long dark brown hair
● Her eyes are dark& shiny
● She loved Horror films& books
● Determined
● Strong willed

5. Henry
● 8yrs old
● Likes snow, snowboarding & hanging out with
Reggie
● Reggie's little brother

6. Aaron Cole
● Average height
● Dark hair
● Loves Horror movies& books
● Sort of geeky
● He's Reggie best friend

7. The Devouring
● Jeremiah's story
● The journal
● Deepest Fear
● That night
● Whats wrong with Henry??
● Vours

8. Jeremiah's story
● Jeremiah was a 10yrs. When
his father chained him outside
in place of a scarecrow and left
him there in the dark.
● His sister Macie tried to save
him from the creatures he said
who come get him in the dark
but once she got their they had
already got him

9. The Journal
● Regina finds a journal “
The Devouring”
● That has a lot of weird
symbols & stories about
creatures who inhabit
humans bodies on
Sorry night
● Explains how they steal
your soul & about how
they capture you by
making you face your
fear

10. Deepest Fear
● Regina: tries to
overcome here fear of
spiders
● Aaron tries to
overcome his fear of
drowning
● Henry is scared of a lot
of things throughout the
story
● Dark,being alone..etc

11. That night
● While Reggie & Aaron were trying
to overcome their fears in their room
● They had left Henry alone in his
room facing his
● When something leered in his room
all he saw was shadows and
whispering and chanting
● He ran to go get Reggie & Aaron
but they were no where to be found.
● He realized soon enough something
was in the house with him and he'd
have to face it alone

12. What's wrong with Henry??
● He was killing his ● Reggie starts to realize that
hamster things from the journal were
● Talking to himself happening
● Taking apart toys
● Henry was acting strange
● He's skin would change to a
dark color whenever he
touched the snow
● And that when you looked at
him, you could see
something evil in him

13. Vours
● Vours: Evil demonic ● Reggie has to face
beings that in habit the Vours and save
human bodies on her brother from them
sorry night, the ● They have Henry do
darkest hours of the some things he
winter solstice wouldn’t actually do
● They would attack
Aaron & Reggie by
putting them face to
face with what they
feared most

14. Setting: Canfield house
● Where she comes
face to face with one
of the Vours.

15. Setting: Halloway house
● Where Regina & Henry live
● Where Regina realizes that
a vour has taken over her
brother
● Most of the story take place
● Its located in a small town
called Cutter's Wedge

16. Quotes(1):
● They lurk in the cold and dark. Hungry and
wicked, they wait for their one chance to
devour the weak on Sorry night. Then the
Vours feast on a banquet of fear. Your fear.
They steal your soul but your body remains.
No one know the difference.( Holt 19).

17. Quote(2):
● Your fear will consume you blurring what is real
and what is dream. Those spiders in your
room? That was just a taste Regina. A coming
attraction You don’t need your scary stories and
your horror movies anymore. Were going to
give the real thing everyday of your miserable
life until you lose your mind, or your heart gives
out. But I do hope you live a a long, long time.
Gives us years to devour you from the inside
out.(Holt 125).

18. Favorite part