Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
Since the frightening events of last Halloween, which ended with her beloved, Sonny, forced to leave her and return to the Faerie world, Kelley has been rehearsing for a new play, testing her powers, and trying to keep hope that she'll see Sonny again soon.
His Janus friends provide her with protection and company, but they hardly compare. And her unnerving Faerie mother keeps sending her images of Sonny on his violent quest that make Kelley wonder just how well she knows the boy she fell in love with.
But Kelley soon finds she's got far more than romance to worry about. An old enemy of her friend Bob (otherwise known as Puck) is after her, and it looks as though he won't be happy until he's murdered her. And the father Kelley no longer wants to acknowledge is sick - perhaps on the verge of dying.
As Kelley struggles to stay alive and decide who deserves her loyalty, she discovers that a danger far greater than she imagined threatens not only her and Sonny, but all of Faerie.
DARKLIGHT picks up several months after the events of WONDROUS STRANGE, and readers who enjoyed the first book will immediately get wrapped up in the story. Livingston weaves a tale full of twists and turns few will see coming, leaving major villains unknown and everyone's motives except narrators Kelley and Sonny's uncertain.
The new mythology introduced is fascinating, and this book's main villain is creepy and horrifying. The story overall is serious, but bits of humor involving a kelpie named Lucky, Kelley's roommate, Tyff, and Bob keep if from seeming too solemn.
Unfortunately, the book also suffers somewhat from middle-of-the-trilogy syndrome, in which many conflicts are introduced or hinted at and very few are resolved. Of course, this will leave readers ravenous for the final volume!
Recommended to all fans of urban fantasy for a fresh take on Faerie lore; best to read WONDROUS STRANGE first, though, to follow the story properly.
Since the frightening events of last Halloween, which ended with her beloved, Sonny, forced to leave her and return to the Faerie world, Kelley has been rehearsing for a new play, testing her powers, and trying to keep hope that she'll see Sonny again soon.
His Janus friends provide her with protection and company, but they hardly compare. And her unnerving Faerie mother keeps sending her images of Sonny on his violent quest that make Kelley wonder just how well she knows the boy she fell in love with.
But Kelley soon finds she's got far more than romance to worry about. An old enemy of her friend Bob (otherwise known as Puck) is after her, and it looks as though he won't be happy until he's murdered her. And the father Kelley no longer wants to acknowledge is sick - perhaps on the verge of dying.
As Kelley struggles to stay alive and decide who deserves her loyalty, she discovers that a danger far greater than she imagined threatens not only her and Sonny, but all of Faerie.
DARKLIGHT picks up several months after the events of WONDROUS STRANGE, and readers who enjoyed the first book will immediately get wrapped up in the story. Livingston weaves a tale full of twists and turns few will see coming, leaving major villains unknown and everyone's motives except narrators Kelley and Sonny's uncertain.
The new mythology introduced is fascinating, and this book's main villain is creepy and horrifying. The story overall is serious, but bits of humor involving a kelpie named Lucky, Kelley's roommate, Tyff, and Bob keep if from seeming too solemn.
Unfortunately, the book also suffers somewhat from middle-of-the-trilogy syndrome, in which many conflicts are introduced or hinted at and very few are resolved. Of course, this will leave readers ravenous for the final volume!
Recommended to all fans of urban fantasy for a fresh take on Faerie lore; best to read WONDROUS STRANGE first, though, to follow the story properly.
