Almost as disturbing and heartbreaking as Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl, The Cellar tells a story of kidnapping, abuse, murder and mental illness. A gut-wrenching and emotionally affecting story of desperation and fear, but also hope and survival. It's a well-written, completely absorbing nail-biter of a book, and I'm really glad I decided to pick it up! 
 Told in three alternating voices, The Cellar kicks-off with the kidnapping of 16-year-old Summer Robinson. Taken by a stranger, forced to use a different name (Lily) and locked in a cellar of her mentally deranged kidnapper, Summer spends days after days, months after months, desperately clinging to hope that one day she'll escape or someone will find her, and she'll be able to see her beloved family and boyfriend again. 
 She's not alone in the cellar. There are three more girls living there with her. Some have been living there for much, much longer than others. They're all forced to participate in a sickening little show, pretending to be the kidnapper's family, following his bizarre rules and silently taking the physical and mental abuse when his extremely fragile mental health occasionally takes a dive off the proverbial cliff. The things these girls go through, the horrors they're subjected to, all the bloody murders they witness.. it's all painted breathtakingly vividly. These images really stay with you. They mess with your head and make you stop and consider your own safety. Should you really be walking around at night all by yourself? Is your neighborhood safe enough? Do you really know your neighbor? 
 The Cellar sports a powerful, suffocating atmosphere of dread and uncertainty. It's a book that not only makes you feel things (fear, compassion, anger, disgust), but also changes your perception and makes you wonder what would you do in a similar situation. How would you react to certain things? Would you be strong enough to live through all this? 
 I really loved the fact that the story was told in three alternating POVs: Summer's/Lily's, Lewis (Summer's boyfriend) and Collin's/Clover's (the kidnapper). I especially appreciated the short but very insightful glimpses into Clover's disturbed psyche. The chapters written in his point of view were quite enlightening, providing the reader with a pretty good idea of just how sick and unstable he was. The occasional flashbacks - particularly of the relationship with his mother and father - helped me understand his character a little better. And while I certainly had no sympathy for him, I definitely appreciated the insight into his past that the author provided. 
 Similarly, the chapters written in Lewis' point of view provided me with a different kind of insight - they helped me understand the relationship between Summer and Lewis, as well as Summer and her family members. Through his eyes, we got to witness the love, care and affection these people had for each other. Their dedication to one another was moving, but also completely heartbreaking, considering the horrible situation they found themselves in. 
 Summer herself was a great narrator. I found her very believable and carefully fleshed out. Her behavior seemed appropriate for the situation she was in, she wasn't trying to play the hero, she was scared, angry, desperate and slowly losing hope of being rescued. Her thoughts and feelings were easy to relate to. I felt really sorry for her. 
 The life in the cellar (if we can call it that) was nightmarish to say the least. Four girls imprisoned underground, forced to pretend to be someone they were not and follow a bizarre set of rules, like taking a shower twice a day, eating meals with their kidnapper and act as if they genuinely cared for him. And that's not even the most disturbing part. The really sickening part? Clover bringing girls from the street down to the cellar and stabbing them to death? Clover making the girls clean up after the murders, scrub the blood of the floors, bag the bodies? Clover forcing them to.. but wait, don't let me say too much, I do not want to spoil the best (or worst) parts for you. Some things you just need to discover and then digest on your own... 
 Overall, I thought this was a really good story. Well-plotted, full of suspense and intensity, emotional and gripping. I would've easily given it 5 stars if not for the fact that the ending itself fell a bit flat for me. Some aspects of it I really liked (the emotional and psychological aftermath), others disappointed me a bit. I guess I just needed a bit more in terms of Clover's punishment. I'd also love a chapter or two focusing on the other girls and what happened to them. Nevertheless, despite its minor shortcomings, The Cellar makes for a solid thriller that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy immensely. I'm looking forward to Natasha Preston's next books.