Customer Reviews

Darkness

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A fascinating book. I throughly enjoyed reading this, and am looking forward to reading some more of Anthony Eaton's work. I would recommend this book for adults who would like to read an interesting Australian story with a great ending.

I borrowed this book from the library on a whim and, if it wasn't such an easy read, i would have returned it after the first few chapters. It may just have been that my style is different, but if I remove that from my opinion, you still have a book that doesn't deliver many interesting ideas. Without spoiling it, I'll just say that there are a few plots going on at the same time. One is a trite story about an abusive father, one is about a ghost and the last major plot is of a "mysterious" storm called the darkness that supposedly always takes a member of the main character's family. The set up is decent enough, but fails to deliver anything thrilling or original. I give the author props for his writing style, but the story itself is dull and painful to get through.

When my teacher gave me this book, the first thing that grabbed me was the cover - it really sets the scene for what is a teriffic and exciting story. While it takes a few pages for the book to gather pace, once you start reading the story of Rohan, and his fight against 'the darkness' this book won't let you go. I read it all in one night, and then again the following day! (Something I haven't done since the first Harry Potter!)

The author uses his setting, the harsh and remote South Coast of Western Australia, as a mirror to the emotions of his characters as they each struggle to come to terms with their own personal 'Darkness' - and their journey, though often painful, becomes the reader's own journey.

The gentle prose which reveals the story is descriptive enough that you can feel and understand the story, and yet there is also enough action and suspense to keep you turning the pages. As a reader I hate it when authors 'talk down' to me, and I never felt like that with this book.

I recommend it to anyone who has had to deal with 'darkness' in their own lives, or who just wants an intelligent and engaging read.