Title:
Becker, Tom. Darkside. CPI Publishing Solutions, 2007. ISBN 9780545037396
Summary:
Jonathan Starling is a 14 year-old boy who almost lives alone. His mother is gone, his father ignores him-when he isn’t “sick.” He is taken care of by a kind woman who lives down the street. Jonathan’s dad has “episodes” where he lays almost comatose for days. His dad calls it “the darkening” (p 21). During one of his episodes, Jonathan discovers that his dad has been looking for a place called Darkside. A man in the room next to Jonathan’s dad is murdered, Jonathan is kidnapped, and his house is trashed. Jonathan escapes to finds the entrance to Darkside, only to discover that he is in worse danger than before. Darkside is filled with evil of every kind. He meets a werewolf, a vampire, criminals and murderers. Then he discovers that he is half Darkside. Will he find his mother in Darkside? Will he ever get out alive? Why does everyone seem to want Jonathan and his dad dead?
Analysis:
I picked this book for several reasons. One is that it is the beginning of a serial, and I like to read serials if I can start with the first one. The second is that it sounded like a good story for my kids, both boys. Darkside is a modern fantasy book. It has an imaginary world, Darkside, that can be accessed through special portals from the “real world.” Supernatural beings exist in Darkside. Werewolves, vampires, and other creatures all live there. While it is difficult to do, some of the creatures can come out of Darkside, and some people can enter into it. It does have the six motifs of modern fantasy. Magic: Darksiders exhibit superhuman strength and speed and turn into werewolves and vampires. Other Worlds: Darkside is another world, although it exists on the periphery of the “real world.” Darksiders say that Lightsiders don’t see the entrance because they don’t want to see the evil. Good vs. Evil: Jonathan represents the good in the story. He wants to save everyone he can. Even when a Darksider tries to kill him, all Jonathan wants to do is escape alive, not get revenge. Evil is represented by the place, Darkside, but especially Vendetta, the vampire in the story. Heroism: Jonathan’s hero quest is to find Darkside to see if he can help his father’s episodes. He is helped on the quest by two unlikely characters- Carnegie, the werewolf, and Raquella, a servant of Vendetta. Special character types: Werewolves and vampires are main characters in the book. It also includes characters from the past. Jack the Ripper’s descendents are the leaders of Darkside. Fantastic Objects: Vendetta uses a special knife to cut his victims before he drinks their blood. It is supposed to protect him from diseases.
I liked this book. It was fast paced and exciting. Jonathan’s character was developed so that you would feel pity for him and cheer him on when he faced huge obstacles. The underdog must always win. Of course, there are a few totally unbelievable moments in the story like surviving the fall into a tank of starving barracudas and jumping off of an express train and living to tell about it. Overall, a good book to read.
Reviews:
Booklist February 1, 2008
This fast-paced, unrelentingly entertaining story has plenty of suspense and lots of scares; there are a number of side plots, but the narrative never becomes confusing.
Library Media Connection 2008
The drama is action packed, and the story will draw both reluctant readers and fans of dark action
School Library Journal 2008
The plot is engaging, but the descriptive prose is Becker's real strength. "Darkside" is imaginative and "Lightside" is a fine description of London.
Awards:
Winner of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2007
Connections:
To learn more about the Darkside, visit http://www.welcometodarkside.co.uk/index.tao?PageId=home
To learn more about the author visit http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/authors_t-becker_biog.htm
If you liked this book, you might enjoy:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Mirror Mirror: Twisted Tales by Silverman
The Revenge of the Shadow King by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis
Night Terrors by Jim Murphy
Picture: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780545037396&imId=26299699
