Hyde Park


Young Adult - Thriller
203 Pages
Reviewed on 10/01/2025
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Hyde Park by David Korson follows teenager Max Sharp, who receives an invitation to a secretive Hyde-book-themed park. He is accompanied by a group of other fans, including Nate, Cadence, and Amelia, but soon realizes that things aren’t as they seem. At the park, they encounter actors who resemble characters from the books, but strange occurrences make Max suspicious. After witnessing unsettling behavior from the actors and finding cryptic notes, Max and his group discover that the park is controlled by shape-shifting monsters. These creatures, which were created by the park's owner, Winston T. Graham, have rebelled and now hunt the visitors. To save themselves, Max and the group hatch a plan to infiltrate the mansion housing the servers to send a distress signal, all while avoiding the deadly threats that pursue them.

David Korson’s Hyde Park is a spectacularly exhilarating and darkly immersive adventure. Korson does a great job with his expertly mixed facets of suspense, teamwork, and action, particularly in the construction of a dystopian park and the unique danger lurking within it. As a reader, there is a cool convergence of Jurassic Park meets Pinocchio's Pleasure Island, leaning into the latter in particular as we barrel toward the finale. Korson’s pacing is relentless, the writing is sharp, and as far as teen protagonists go, Max’s determination and problem-solving, alongside the complicated and diverse relationships between the characters, feel genuine. I love the way trust, survival, and even betrayal are pulled in. Without the slightest hint of a dull moment, this book is perfect for fans of thrilling, survival-driven stories. Very highly recommended.

Anne-Marie Reynolds

Hyde Park by David Korson is a chilling YA story that will make you think again before you visit a theme park. Max has won a vacation with a difference – a visit to a brand new kind of theme park that hasn’t opened to the public yet. The theme park is based on a book series, but there’s more to it than getting to meet your favorite characters – it’s full of secrets as Max and his fellow visitors are about to find out. This should have been the trip of a lifetime, but it doesn’t take long for the teens to realize they are being hunted. What happens when they uncover a conspiracy of monstrous proportions? Can they escape with their lives?

Hyde Park by David Korson is a unique story with a thrilling plot. Who wouldn’t want to visit a theme park based on their favorite book series? You might, until you read this story. This is well-written, with plenty of action and descriptive scenes that will have you experiencing everything the kids see, hear, and feel. The characters are developed into likable, relatable people, and once you get into the thick of things, you can’t help but root for the kids, praying they get out of the theme park alive. It’s clear that a lot of imagination and creativity have gone into this book, and it’s one of those page-turners that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. While this has been written with the YA audience in mind, I think that there’s plenty of adults out there who will enjoy it – I did. I recommend it to anyone who wants a chilling, thrilling tale. Love theme parks now? You might not after reading this book!

Rabia Tanveer

Hyde Park by David Korson introduces Max Sharp, a teenager granted early access to a groundbreaking theme park called Hyde Park, an immersive attraction built around a beloved best-selling book series. What starts as a dream opportunity quickly spirals into a nightmare when Max and the other guests realize they are not just playing through thrilling simulations, they're fighting for their lives. The park's fictional villains are brought to life through genetic engineering. They are not bound by storylines, and the fine line between fantasy and reality quickly vanishes. As Max and his allies face monstrous adversaries, they uncover a web of scientific experimentation and corporate conspiracy that threatens far more than just the park's guests.

David Korson's thrilling and suspenseful novel explores the dangers of technology and the blurred lines between fiction and reality. Hyde Park is both a survival story and a clever critique of entertainment taken to extremes, very much like Squid Games but better. The concept of turning literary antagonists into real-life threats is both inventive and chilling. Max is a likable protagonist. I loved how his relationships with his fellow teens are well-developed, adding emotional depth to the action. I didn’t like Walli from the beginning. I loved Nate, Amelia, and Cadence. The pace is fast, the action is relentless, and the twists keep readers guessing. I enjoyed how the author explores ethical dilemmas around genetic manipulation and corporate power without losing the story’s urgency. Hyde Park is a perfect story for fans of young adult fiction like Maze Runner, The Hunger Games, and more.

Doreen Chombu

Hyde Park by David Korson follows Maxwell Sharp (Max), a boy who lost his parents in a robbery and is being raised by his mean grandmother. He finds inspiration in his favorite author's book series, Hyde, which is a thrilling adventure series featuring prehistoric and wild creatures set in four major cities: New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris. These stories provide him with hope amid the bullying and mistreatment he endures daily. When Max receives an invitation to visit an amusement park inspired by the series on an island in Florida, he is unsure why he was chosen but decides to go, eager to discover what adventures await him. He is joined by three other selected kids: Nate, a computer whiz; Cadence, a passionate advocate for protecting animals and the environment; and Amelia, who shares similar experiences to Max. Together, they uncover disturbing secrets about the amusement park and must fight to survive and escape the island.

Hyde Park is a gripping story that explores themes of technology, morality, and survival. Max and his friends encounter genetically transformed monsters and face moral dilemmas as they navigate nightmarish scenarios where reality blurs with fiction. The book is filled with suspenseful moments, action, and emotional depth, making it an engaging and compelling read. From the opening scene to the last, I was captivated, rooting for Max and hoping for a positive outcome. The final scene came full circle; it was sinister yet satisfying. David Korson's narrative is not only entertaining but also offers thought-provoking commentary on the potential consequences of scientific hubris and unchecked technological experimentation. For young readers, the book carries important themes of friendship, hope, and bravery. It highlights how the kids' unique skills and determination help them confront their fears and the dangers they face. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to fans of adventure and survival stories.

K.C. Finn

Hyde Park by David Korson is a YA thrill ride that reimagines theme parks and literary fandom in the most dangerous way possible. We’re with Max Sharp as he wins access to Hyde Park: a cutting-edge theme park where fictional characters come to life. He and the other lucky teens invited are thrilled. But their excitement quickly turns to terror when they realize the park’s iconic villains are real, genetically engineered, and out for blood. Caught in a deadly game, Max must rely on quick thinking, strong friendships, and raw courage to survive a world where fantasy turns fatal.

Author David Korson has a keen eye for detail when building suspense, and brilliantly formed characters and literary nods elevate this thrilling concept into a story that’s executed with cinematic attention to detail and relentless pacing. There’s a certain flair to the way the characters speak that echoes straight from the classics. Korson’s creative world-building will thrill book lovers and danger junkies alike as we see this fascinating techno-enhanced hellscape through Max’s eyes. The narrative sticks close to this plucky hero and gives his experience with every elevated heartbeat and sweat-soaked moment of terror and survival, making every plot twist into a deeply realistic struggle. I was enraptured, reading on to find out what would happen next and looking for even more surprises. This is a fresh take on literary fandom that mixes high-tech horror with YA heart. Overall, I would certainly recommend Hyde Park as a must-read for fans of horror and fantasy adventures with a deadly bookish twist.