Review by: Book Addict
The Darkening Dream
by Andy Gavin
Published January 14, 2012 by Mascherato
Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.
1913, Salem, Massachusetts - Sarah Engelmann's life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.
With the help of Alex, a Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex's elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah's own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah's continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel's Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.
For a complete review which may contain SPOILERS, please click 'Read More' below:
1913, Salem, Massachusetts - Sarah Engelmann's life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.
With the help of Alex, a Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex's elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah's own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah's continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel's Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.
For a complete review which may contain SPOILERS, please click 'Read More' below:
The Darkening Dream is a YA vampire novel truly unlike any other. Set in historic Salem, Massachusetts in 1913, it follows the story of friends Sarah, Sam and Anne and newcomer, Alex, as they face an evil that will test all of their faiths. What can four teenagers do against a power so old, so treacherously dark? As it turns out, a lot.
This book suffered from being entirely too long. It was difficult to get into and I found myself having to put it down several times, to come back to later. I think if it had been about half the length, it would have read much easier. The chapters were quite short for such a long novel, and there was too much 'build-up' before the real action took place. That being said, if you can slog through the beginning you will find a unique take on vampire mythos that combines many religions and interesting historical facts.
I really appreciated the strength and conviction of Sarah's character. She never wavered from her spiritual faith and she lent a great deal of power to the battle against evil. Which made the last 15 pages or so really hard to believe. Without giving anything away, I will say that she acted in ways that were completely opposite of her character for the previous 300+ pages.
It was an interesting young adult story and if you're looking for a vampire story with more religious overtones, this one would be a good one for you to try.
This book suffered from being entirely too long. It was difficult to get into and I found myself having to put it down several times, to come back to later. I think if it had been about half the length, it would have read much easier. The chapters were quite short for such a long novel, and there was too much 'build-up' before the real action took place. That being said, if you can slog through the beginning you will find a unique take on vampire mythos that combines many religions and interesting historical facts.
I really appreciated the strength and conviction of Sarah's character. She never wavered from her spiritual faith and she lent a great deal of power to the battle against evil. Which made the last 15 pages or so really hard to believe. Without giving anything away, I will say that she acted in ways that were completely opposite of her character for the previous 300+ pages.
It was an interesting young adult story and if you're looking for a vampire story with more religious overtones, this one would be a good one for you to try.
