Darkness Brutal: The Dark Cycle, Book 1
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Demons lurk in drawn-out, angsty fantasy.
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What's the Story?
Every three years, demons come from their dimension and try to take 17-year-old Aidan's younger sister, Ava, back with them. So far the siblings have been successful at fending the demons off, but it's always at a great cost to the innocent people around them at the time. Now Ava's 12th birthday is fast approaching, and Aidan is desperate to find a way to protect her against another onslaught. Aidan realizes that the only way to save her may be to learn the truth once and for all about their mother's death, something he's been running away from since it happened. The more Aidan learns about the past, the more he realizes that the fate of world hangs in the balance between his and Ava's choices between the DARKNESS BRUTAL and the light.
Is It Any Good?
The demons are deliciously creepy, and the supporting cast colorful, in this brooding urban fantasy for teens who love exploring the dark side. But too many plot points are unconvincingly solved by convenience. Hero Aidan spends too much time wringing his hands, especially in the too-slow middle.
Author Rachel A. Marks effectively weaves events from the past into the narrative and creates believable, relatable teen characters grappling with the mysteries of their own supernatural abilities as they come of age. One of the main characters' fate is left hanging, but it's fair play as part of a series cliffhanger; otherwise the ending satisfies. Fantasy lovers will enjoy this solid genre piece.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why fantasies are so popular. Why are we drawn to them?
This is the first book in a planned series. Did the ending satisfy you? What do you think will happen in the next book?
Aidan tries to protect his sister, Ava, by hiding the truth about their mother. Would things have been different if he'd told her the truth from the start, or was the end inevitable?
Book Details
- Author: Rachel A. Marks
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Brothers and Sisters, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Skyscape
- Publication date: July 1, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 17
- Number of pages: 422
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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