Common Sense Media Review
By Sage Moreaux
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dark fantasy thriller tackles privilege, power.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
A DOOR IN THE DARK follows Ren, a skilled magical student at Balmerick University, who desperately needs to be hired by one of the major houses in order to secure her family's future. But as a scholarship student from the Lower Quarter, finding a patron is harder than it appears. When a portal accident strands Ren and five other students in the middle of nowhere, Ren realizes she is uniquely suited to help the group survive and, in the process, might impress the son of a major house. But as secrets threaten to undo their tentative alliance, and something sinister hunts them through the woods, Ren will need more than just magic to get home alive.
Is It Any Good?
Scott Reintgen creates a richly imagined world filled with interesting magic and believable class politics. But it's the character's ethical struggles layered with their desperate attempts to survive that make A Door in the Dark engaging. The magic system is well defined without overtaking the story. The history of the world is sprinkled into the plot, keeping the pacing tight. The struggles between the upper and lower classes are both believable and infuriating. While the dialogue is stilted on occasion, the characters are engaging and their moral dilemmas add a layer of intrigue to what is otherwise a quick paced fantasy adventure. Book one wraps up the adventure storyline while leaving enough of a teaser that fans will be happily delve into the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the social structure in A Door in the Dark. How does this world's breakdown of magical wealth mirror elements of our own society? Is it fair? Why or why not?
What do you think about the teamwork in this story? What would've happened if the characters had worked by themselves?
What do you think about Ren's thirst for vengeance? Does her motivation for revenge warrant her subsequent actions?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date : March 28, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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