Darkwood by M.E. Breen

 

Title: Darkwood
Author: M.E. Breen
Publisher: Bloomsbury, May 2009
Number of pages: 273

As you can imagine from the excellent illustration on the cover, Darkwood tells the tale of Annie Trewitt who lives in Howland with her Uncle Josh and Aunt Prim. But, it is not a very nice place to live.

Her parents are gone, her sister, Page, is gone, and the light is gone. Howland is covered with darkness, such a complete darkness most cannot see, and it is not only a literal darkness. There is a darkness of character as well.

We meet such characters as Frank Gibbet, who appears to be planning a takeover. We meet creatures such as kinderstalk, resembling dogs but much, much larger and fiercer. We meet Smirch, Chopper, Pip, and Rube who all work at the Drop.

The Drop is where the unfortunate must work to pry ringstone from the rock. Ringstone is incredibly rare and valuable, perhaps equivalent to our world’s diamonds, and many have given their lives in mining it for Gibbet.

But, Annie does not give up her life or her intention to get to the king. Will she make it? Will she tell him of all that’s going on at the Drop? Will she escape the darkness that is her life? And, what about the kinderstalk; are they friend or foe?

That is what you will discover when you read this book.

My favorite parts were:

• that Page and Annie can communicate with the kinderstalk through a language called Hippa
• that Annie has two faithful cats, Izzy and Prue, who save and comfort  her numerous times as they accompany her on her quest. (This is in tandem with my new found love for cats!)
• that Annie befriends two delightful sisters named Serena and Beatrice who also provide encouragement and support when it is most needed.

The part I didn’t like was that this novel seemed a bit contrived; quite magically, just the right character, or just the right chance event, would suddenly appear from no where. Perhaps, for a Young Adult book, this wouldn’t be alarming to the reader. But, for me, I was a little put off.

Other stops along the tour can be found here:
A Patchwork of Books, Abby the Librarian, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Cafe of Dreams,  Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Never Jam Today, My Utopia, Through a Child’s Eyes, Through the Looking Glass Reviews