Friday, December 14, 2012

Darkwater by Catherine Fisher - ADVISABLE


Fisher, Catherine Darkwater, 229pgs. Dial Books, 2012. $16.99. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

Sarah Trevelyan’s grandfather gambled away the family estate and fortune when Sarah was just a baby. Fifteen years later circumstances allow her the chance to regain the estate from the current owner, Lord Azrael. He will give her one hundred years to reclaim the family wealth and prestige in exchange for her soul. One hundred years go by and Sarah finds herself back at Darkwater House preparing to fulfill her part of the bargain. She realizes quickly, however, that losing herself will not be easy, especially when she realizes that Lord Azrael has found a new target for his next bargain and it will be up to her to protect the innocent one.

This is the age old story of good versus evil with the devil who wants to steal your soul and the salvation that awaits those who choose the right path. The book is split into two parts with the first dealing with Sarah’s choice to trade her soul to Lord Azrael in exchange for the return of her family’s fortune and the chance to redeem the mistakes of the past and the second one hundred years after the bargain when Lord Azrael returns to take what is his and possibly add a new soul to his collection. The book is well-written and will appeal to both male and female readers. There is an element of the supernatural, but is it subtle. A nice plot twist brings the story to an end with a sweet lesson learned.

MS, HS—ADVISABLE. AEB Social Studies Teacher

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