"A potent mix of the gothic, the mythic, and the magical...With original characters, complex world building, and crackling prose, this is masterful storytelling."—Deborah Harkness, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches on the Beautiful Creatures novels VOYA, starred review Booklist School Library Journal Kirkus
"The southern gothic atmosphere, several new characters, and the surprising fate of one old favorite will keep readers going until the next book, which promises new surprises as "18 moons" approaches."
"A potent mix of the gothic, the mythic, and the magical...With original characters, complex world building, and crackling prose, this is masterful storytelling."
Last year, Garcia and Stohl surprised readers with their first book, Beautiful Creatures, the story of supernatural happenings in the small town of Gatlin, SC. In this Amazon Top Ten of the Year title, hometown boy Ethan fell in love with Lena, the youngest in a family of "casters." One fateful birthday, Lena will be claimed by the forces of Light or Darkness, and until then Ethan will do everything he can to save her. In this second volume of the intended trilogy, Ethan and Lena's relationship is on the skids. True to heroic form, Ethan and his companions follow Lean deeper into the Caster world, dodging peril at every turn. While not as tightly written as the first book, Darkness will please readers eager for a post-Twilight gothic love story. Angelina Benedetti, "13 Going on 30", Booksmack! 10/21/10
Library Journal - BookSmack!
Gr 7 Up—This engrossing must-have sequel to Beautiful Creatures (Little, Brown, 2009) immediately returns to Gatlin, SC, and the seemingly impossible relationship between Caster girl Lena Duchannes, as yet un-Claimed for Light or Dark, and Ethan Wate, her beloved Mortal. Grieving the recent loss of Uncle Macon and worried that her 17th Moon and family curse will destroy everyone else she loves, Lena pulls away from Ethan and runs off to the Great Barrier with Siren cousin Ridley and mysterious John Breed. But is she headed for nirvana or danger? Plagued by strange visions and accompanied by his loyal friend Link and Keeper-in-Training Liv, Ethan travels the Caster Tunnels running beneath the world determined to save Lena. Along the way he faces shocking revelations about his family and gets help from several unexpected sources—developments that will further enamor readers. Familiar and favorite characters behave just as remembered, and sometimes even better. New additions, especially clever Liv, enhance the series and its plot, which is a cycle of hope, despair, and possibility. Like her Book of Moons, it gives and takes with equal measure in a great storytelling balance. Mortal and Castor settings aboveground and below reinforce the novel's Southern and gothic tone. Past and present are navigated successfully, offering new information while creating more questions. With allusions to a bigger game afoot and a classic good vs. evil climax that leaves several loose ends (unique, dangerous, and entertaining), this volume will leave readers clamoring for the next installment.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ
Lena is a Caster, a being with supernatural powers. The first book in this series, BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, provides needed background on the strange goings-on in Gatlin, South Carolina. In this installment, Lena’s boyfriend, Ethan, tells the story of anxiously waiting to see if she will be claimed by the dark or by the light when she turns 17. Kevin Collins makes Ethan seem as normal as the boy next door and suggests the angst of young love without overdoing it. Further, he effectively paces the suspense as strange and otherworldly events build in intensity. Some special effects are mildly distracting, but the recurring song that signals the appearance of a supernatural visitor is effectively haunting. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2011 - AudioFile
This second volume in the trilogy that started with Beautiful Creatures (2009) opens in the aftermath of magic Caster Lena Duchannes's climactic 16th birthday. Mourning the uncle who died in the fight between Light and Dark, Lena drifts away from narrator Ethan. When she runs away with her Dark cousin Ridley and mysterious supernatural motorcyclist John Breed, Ethan follows, jealous and heartbroken. Ethan's traveling companions are Mortals: Link, his dopey but loyal best friend, and Liv, a British exchange student training to be a sort of supernatural librarian. The three are outmatched and unprepared for the perils of the Caster underground but survive a number of deadly encounters, largely because outside parties show up at exactly the right moment. Besides its weaker and more hurried plot, this installment lacks its predecessor's sense of place. Nevertheless, readers eager to revisit Ethan and Lena's romantic tension and learn more about the Caster world and the Ravenwood family legacy will find satisfaction here. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)
