Novel: Imaginary Friend

Introduction
"Imaginary Friend" is a suspense-filled horror novel written by Stephen Chbosky that was released in 2019. The book takes a break from the author's typical design, which mostly comprises of young person fiction, to deliver an emotionally thrilling story meant for grownups. The book's plot centers on Christopher Reese, a seven-year-old kid, his mother Kate Reese, and Christopher's imaginary friend.

Main Plot
Kate Reese and her son, Christopher, run away from a violent relationship and settle down in Mill Grove, a town near Pennsylvania. Christopher ends up being the target of the school bully and begins struggling with dyslexia, that makes his life harder. One day, he goes missing in the Mission Street Woods and comes back after 6 days with no memory of what happened. Nevertheless, he relatively comes back with a hidden buddy and extraordinary abilities.

The Imaginary Friend
Christopher's imaginary friend is an entity that guides him to construct a treehouse in the woods, where he disappears. The entity interacts through dreams and tells Christopher that he needs to build the treehouse before Christmas. As he begins to follow the guidelines, a series of unusual events occur in Mill Grove, affecting its citizens in varying degrees. Woven into the phantom friend idea are more significant components such as faith, love, fear, and the struggle between excellent and evil.

Supernatural Twists
As the story advances, Christopher's intelligence increases extremely with a deep understanding of quantum physics and uncanny problem-solving skills, meaning supernatural alterations. More alarmingly, the homeowners of the town start experiencing shared problems involving a hissing female who torments them. Quickly, it emerges that Christopher's imaginary friend may not be what it appears.

Conclusion
With its terrifying, page-turning thriller, Chbosky strikes the best balance in between supernatural horror and human drama in "Imaginary Friend". In spite of its spookiness, the heart of the book is a story about a mother's love for her child, a kid's affection for his mom, and their struggle for a better life. The book also explores themes of faith and morality, with the characters coming to grips with their beliefs and their sense of right and wrong.

The Suspense
The most significant suspense aspect is the imaginary friend's real identity and motivation. Blended signals about its nature leave readers questioning whether it's kindhearted or malevolent. As the plot deepens, so too does the confusion, developing a chilling story that assures goosebumps.

The Ending
"Imaginary Friend" concludes with a grand showdown between great and evil, tossing characters into a life-or-death struggle. It wraps up most loose ends while leaving room for analysis. Overall, "Imaginary Friend" delivers a fascinating, spine-chilling, and thought-provoking story that keeps readers immersed till the end.