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The Plentiful Darkness
In Heather Kassner's spine-chilling fantasy novel, reminiscent of Serafina and the Black Cloak, an orphaned girl chases a thieving boy into a magician's land of starless, moonless gloom where other children have gone missing before her.
Though the darkness is indeed plentiful, this book gleams with an eerie magic, its characters burning bright and fierce. A visual treat of a tale. --Stefan Bachmann, international bestselling author of Cinders and Sparrows
In order to survive on her own, twelve-year-old Rooney de Barra collects precious moonlight, which she draws from the evening sky with her (very rare and most magical) lunar mirror. All the while she tries to avoid the rival roughhouse boys, and yet another, more terrifying danger: the dreaded thing that's been disappearing children in the night.
When Trick Aidan, the worst of the roughhouse boys, steals her lunar mirror, Rooney will do whatever it takes to get it back. Even if it means leaping into a pool of darkness after it swallows Trick and her mirror. Or braving the Plentiful Darkness, a bewitching world devoid of sky and stars. Or begrudgingly teaming up with Trick to confront the magician and unravel the magic that has trapped Warybone's children.
Though the darkness is indeed plentiful, this book gleams with an eerie magic, its characters burning bright and fierce. A visual treat of a tale. --Stefan Bachmann, international bestselling author of Cinders and Sparrows
In order to survive on her own, twelve-year-old Rooney de Barra collects precious moonlight, which she draws from the evening sky with her (very rare and most magical) lunar mirror. All the while she tries to avoid the rival roughhouse boys, and yet another, more terrifying danger: the dreaded thing that's been disappearing children in the night.
When Trick Aidan, the worst of the roughhouse boys, steals her lunar mirror, Rooney will do whatever it takes to get it back. Even if it means leaping into a pool of darkness after it swallows Trick and her mirror. Or braving the Plentiful Darkness, a bewitching world devoid of sky and stars. Or begrudgingly teaming up with Trick to confront the magician and unravel the magic that has trapped Warybone's children.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 3, 2021
16 people are currently reading
2555 people want to read
About the author
Heather Kassner
4 books206 followersHeather Kassner loves the magic of thunderstorms and hummingbirds, of a moon-bright sky and the quiet wild of a forest—though her favorite place is home. She lives with her husband and two sleepy cats in a cozy house filled with books and music. Her novels include Spellwright, her YA debut, as well as The Bone Garden, The Forest of Stars, and The Plentiful Darkness.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 1, 2020
This was lovely, a bit spooky, with lots of fierce, brave characters. I particularly loved the light and dark imagery. There's a scene with a witch dangling from a moonbeam like a silver scarf and slicing down out of the dark that will live in my head for a while.
August 25, 2021
This book was definitely in the vein of Coraline with its creepy atmosphere and fierce and protective heroine. But unlike Coraline, this one completely swept me away with its sheer brilliance.
When Rooney's lunar mirror is stolen, she chases the perp and ends up in the land of perpetual darkness where she meets a young girl who rules over similarly lost children. Alongside her rival, Trick, she is forced to face off against a magician who wants nothing more than to capture children in The Plentiful Darkness. Or so it seems...
First things first, I LOVED THE WRITING. It's mature for a middle-grade book (it's definitely upper MG in my opinion). Seeing as this is the first book by this author, I immediately added her two prior books to my shopping cart. Her way with words is one to oooh and ahhh over and wonder why I'm not that good and why I probably never will be. (This is OK, by the way. I would never want to strain myself to become some so talented).
If you're on the lookout for a deliciously spooky tale with the most lyrical and fantastic writing you've ever seen, go ahead and click the link above and purchase this here beauty.
When Rooney's lunar mirror is stolen, she chases the perp and ends up in the land of perpetual darkness where she meets a young girl who rules over similarly lost children. Alongside her rival, Trick, she is forced to face off against a magician who wants nothing more than to capture children in The Plentiful Darkness. Or so it seems...
First things first, I LOVED THE WRITING. It's mature for a middle-grade book (it's definitely upper MG in my opinion). Seeing as this is the first book by this author, I immediately added her two prior books to my shopping cart. Her way with words is one to oooh and ahhh over and wonder why I'm not that good and why I probably never will be. (This is OK, by the way. I would never want to strain myself to become some so talented).
If you're on the lookout for a deliciously spooky tale with the most lyrical and fantastic writing you've ever seen, go ahead and click the link above and purchase this here beauty.
September 14, 2021
The perfect book for goth children. The Plentiful Darkness is a middle grade novel that blends fantasy and horror. It follows an orphaned girl who uses a special mirror to catch moonbeams to sell for food. It's stolen and then she ends up trapped in a creepy, dark and dangerous place.
Thematically this is about found family, friendship, and grief. I think it's going to work for some readers better than others, but it was a bit too much of this dark, goth child vibe for my taste. The prose is very fluid and it's easy to read. I'm trying to put my finger on what exactly I didn't love and I think it's that I either prefer my middle grade to be more whimsical, or have characters I really love, and this didn't quite give me either of those things. The characters weren't terrible, but they felt more like tropes brought to life than real people I understood and cared about.
That said, if a goth child book sounds up your alley, give this a try because it might be exactly your jam. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Thematically this is about found family, friendship, and grief. I think it's going to work for some readers better than others, but it was a bit too much of this dark, goth child vibe for my taste. The prose is very fluid and it's easy to read. I'm trying to put my finger on what exactly I didn't love and I think it's that I either prefer my middle grade to be more whimsical, or have characters I really love, and this didn't quite give me either of those things. The characters weren't terrible, but they felt more like tropes brought to life than real people I understood and cared about.
That said, if a goth child book sounds up your alley, give this a try because it might be exactly your jam. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
November 4, 2019
I love all of Heather's bookish children but this one just might be my fave ;)
December 11, 2021
This book was amazing! With each book I read by Heather Kassner, the more I NEED! This broke my heart, put it back together, broke it again, & put it back together perfectly in the end. The author has such a magical way with words. They flow so beautifully, & vividly. You see, smell, hear, & FEEL what she writes-& feel in every form of the word. Even the way she has 2 characters in here speaking is so magical & beautiful, & the little songs she came up with-hauntingly beautiful! You can feel Rooney’s heartbreak..her pain, loss, grief, hunger, loneliness, & her need to belong somewhere..somewhere that there are people who care about her. The friendships she makes with Devin, & the surprising one she finds in Trick were incredible. Such great characters & character development. They shine in the darkness. The Monty has my whole heart though. Her 1st true friend, & what a good 1 he is to her. The whole plot- the idea of the magician, what happens to the children, & the backstory is just so imaginative & brilliant. Then The Plentiful Darkness itself, & every part of it is so creative & atmospheric. You can feel the darkness trying to seep into your own bones. And the way the loss is shared as a whole at the end, everything that comes out & comes together, & the twist-beautiful. The ending was such a moving, amazing scene in so many ways, & I loved it. This is full of the darkness that can surround all of us, but you can also see the moonlight trying to show itself for, as I like to say lol-you can’t have(moon)light without the dark. And if you’re lucky, sometimes in life, you may even catch a little starlight. HIGHLY recommend! Another STUNNING cover by Iz Ptica too!💜
August 12, 2021
Get ready to get swept away by this novel.. I certainly was.
The characters just jump of the page, and the magic is there in both plot and language. This book is a visual treat. Highly recommend for readers of all ages.
The characters just jump of the page, and the magic is there in both plot and language. This book is a visual treat. Highly recommend for readers of all ages.
April 6, 2021
Filled with shadows and magic, THE PLENTIFUL DARKNESS is a stunningly beautiful world woven of longing, loss and the search for belonging. Fueled by the power of moonlight and starlight, Rooney de Barra's world was shattered, like so many others in Warybone, after the feather flu killed so many. Left to her own devices-- albeit with the help of her Monty's (a loyal and clever band of rats)-- Rooney has eeked out a living for herself on the streets. Until Trick Aiden steals the one thing of value Rooney still has. Desperate to get it back she follows him into the dark and lands in a bewitched world where children are frozen in time and darkness reigns.
Heather Kassner's prose, is as always, lush, rich and filled with gorgeous imagery. She is a master of weaving worlds that exist both beyond our imagination, and yet ones that we feel like we know/recognize in our bones.
This is a gorgeous read and a world that will live on in my mind for a very long time to come!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and MacMillan for the ARC.
Heather Kassner's prose, is as always, lush, rich and filled with gorgeous imagery. She is a master of weaving worlds that exist both beyond our imagination, and yet ones that we feel like we know/recognize in our bones.
This is a gorgeous read and a world that will live on in my mind for a very long time to come!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and MacMillan for the ARC.
June 24, 2021
I received an advance copy through NetGalley.
This middle grade book embodies the gothic-darkness-tinged-with-hope found in Neil Gaiman’s works, though with a different kind of voice. In this otherworldly setting, Rooney is one of many orphans left in the city after a terrible feather flu the year before. She survives by using a small mirror to capture moonlight to later sell—and competes for the resource with other street kids. But when Rooney’s mirror is stolen by a rival—and that rival is then tossed through a dark portal by the magician who oversees the city—Rooney goes over to find the boy and her mirror. She discovers a twisted, dark realm where nothing is what it seems. Indeed, even enemies may become friends.
At heart, this book is about friendship and about the perils of being too quick to judge others. Rooney grows up a lot in the book, but always feels like a real kid: impetuous, flawed, but meaning well. The message is a bit heavy handed, but not too much so. The book is a quick, enjoyable read, a good one for both kids and adults.
This middle grade book embodies the gothic-darkness-tinged-with-hope found in Neil Gaiman’s works, though with a different kind of voice. In this otherworldly setting, Rooney is one of many orphans left in the city after a terrible feather flu the year before. She survives by using a small mirror to capture moonlight to later sell—and competes for the resource with other street kids. But when Rooney’s mirror is stolen by a rival—and that rival is then tossed through a dark portal by the magician who oversees the city—Rooney goes over to find the boy and her mirror. She discovers a twisted, dark realm where nothing is what it seems. Indeed, even enemies may become friends.
At heart, this book is about friendship and about the perils of being too quick to judge others. Rooney grows up a lot in the book, but always feels like a real kid: impetuous, flawed, but meaning well. The message is a bit heavy handed, but not too much so. The book is a quick, enjoyable read, a good one for both kids and adults.
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October 23, 2021Definitely one to recommend to kids who like Coraline-type books.
August 13, 2021
Heather Kassner is a masterful weaver of words. She managed to infuse a book that takes place largely in darkness with hope and light. I loved her first two books and this was just as beautiful. Very few authors can write a story that is both creepy and heartwarming at the same time, but Heather succeeds in this story for the third time. I'd highly recommend this story to anyone who has been feeling lost or lonely and needs a little love and light in their life right now--or anyone who enjoys a beautiful story in general!
April 30, 2021
This book hit me hard. It started out as a spooky tale that had me checking under my bed for monsters, but by the end had me sobbing because of the friendships that can be found in the most unlikely of places. At first, I questioned where the story was going. However, by the end, reading about the lengths to which a parent would go to protect their child had me in tears. This story was centered around finding life and friendship after loss. I think that this is an important story for old and young minds alike.
July 3, 2021
Through her magical use of language and masterful depiction of character, this author has written a story mostly mostly set in the shadows that somehow manages to fills the readers with light and hope. Rooney feels herself lost in the world and at odds with a local gang called the Roughhouse boys. When one of them steals her moonlight-gathering mirror, she follows him into the Plentiful Darkness, a world without the moon or the stars, to get it back. To get home, she'll need to discover the truth behind the witch that created the Plentiful Dark––and figure out how to work with the very boy she views as an enemy. This book is creepy and gorgeous and full of heart and I couldn't put it down!
March 26, 2021
"Once she might have wished upon the stars, but tonight she placed her faith in herself and in her friends. It lit, not a moonlit fire, but a starlit fire inside her." Could this be any more beautiful?? The Plentiful Darkness is a novel full of shadows and light, longing and magic, and the power of the stars that burn inside of us. Friendships and found family (and hearts that need mending) are at the core of this tale. Heather Kassner's writing casts an absolutely enchanting spell; her stories are the kind that you can disappear into for days and never want to leave, and The Plentiful Darkness is no exception. I loved it! Heather Kassner has got to be one of *the most* inventive and inspired storytellers writing middle grade.
April 30, 2021
A very fairy-tale-esque book with echoes of The Girl Who Drank The Moon and the Cavendish Home For Boys and Girls. Engaging plotline and characters and a small twist towards the end keeps you reading and enjoying! (Not recommended if you have a phobia of rats or small spaces)
August 13, 2021
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“The Plentiful Darkness” is what I would describe as the perfect middle-grade fantasy novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. This book is ideal for the genre because the author beautifully balances all the elements for the targeted audience. On the one hand, we have fantasy elements like magic and shadows, and witches. Whereas, on the other hand, we have a heartfelt tale of friendship, loss, and sacrifice. I went through all kinds of emotions as I read this tale, from fear and excitement to awe and joy.
I loved the world that the author created. Rooney is adorable in the lead, and I adored Monty too. I never thought I would read a book where I would root for a group of rats. I felt like I was by her side as she searches for her mirror, which leads her to another adventure. There is also the mystery about the Magician and how Rooney fits into the plans. The author created a fun and enticing story that I feel a reader of any age group would enjoy.
Also, while I loved the fantasy elements, I loved the message the author portrayed. Firstly, there is the dynamic between Rooney, Bridget, and Trick. In the beginning, we see how Bridget and Trick bully Rooney over the mirror. Yet, as the story progresses, you see how they put their feelings aside and become friends for the greater good. It was so interesting to see the shift in the relationship between the characters. Even other characters like Devin and Sorka are memorable.
Overall, “The Plentiful Darkness” is a charming middle-grade fantasy with a lovely message, and it is one of my favorite middle-grade fantasy novels I read this year.
December 4, 2021
Whew. This is a gloriously written book! The atmosphere oozes off the page, seeming to live and breathe right alongside characters. The ease with which Heather Kassner paints a vivid, clear, darkly delightful picture made this a quick and enjoyable book to read.
One of the major themes of the story is "perceptions". Kassner plays with the perceptions of all of her characters, twisting them throughout the story to reveal that initial assumptions about people are rarely correct and how it can lead to unnecessary loneliness. This was a powerful theme to read, especially since it was woven so neatly into plot itself. I could easily imagine this being a fantastic conversation starter for families or classrooms who might be reading this book together.
Also, there is a rat that is one of the best characters. Truly fun to read.
One of the major themes of the story is "perceptions". Kassner plays with the perceptions of all of her characters, twisting them throughout the story to reveal that initial assumptions about people are rarely correct and how it can lead to unnecessary loneliness. This was a powerful theme to read, especially since it was woven so neatly into plot itself. I could easily imagine this being a fantastic conversation starter for families or classrooms who might be reading this book together.
Also, there is a rat that is one of the best characters. Truly fun to read.
August 11, 2021
I read and loved Kassner’s debut The Bone Garden, and The Plentiful Darkness was just as richly imagined. This one is definitely for the Coraline fans!
Following a deadly flu, 12 year old Rooney is one of several orphans left behind to fend for themselves. Rooney is able to survive by using a magical mirror that captures moonlight that she can sell. Her world is upended when the local bully steals her mirror is tossed through a portal leading to a place of nightmares. Now Rooney must team up with the boy she despises in order to save the other orphans from the evil magician and survive this dark realm.
This book is wickedly dark and desolate. Kassner does an incredible job of creating an atmosphere of utter despair, while giving us incredible characters that will continue to surprise you from start to finish. I absolutely loved Rooney who is fierce and brave even when the odds are literally stacked against her. I just wanted to protect her at all costs.
Thank you to Fierce Reads for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Following a deadly flu, 12 year old Rooney is one of several orphans left behind to fend for themselves. Rooney is able to survive by using a magical mirror that captures moonlight that she can sell. Her world is upended when the local bully steals her mirror is tossed through a portal leading to a place of nightmares. Now Rooney must team up with the boy she despises in order to save the other orphans from the evil magician and survive this dark realm.
This book is wickedly dark and desolate. Kassner does an incredible job of creating an atmosphere of utter despair, while giving us incredible characters that will continue to surprise you from start to finish. I absolutely loved Rooney who is fierce and brave even when the odds are literally stacked against her. I just wanted to protect her at all costs.
Thank you to Fierce Reads for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
December 11, 2021
A dark middle grade novel wherein a group of children work together to save themselves and create a familial like bond along the way.
It was a really short book, so it didn't go as deep into some things that I wished it would. I was really intrigued by the gathering of moonlight and starlight with mirrors, but we never really learn anything about that other than it can happen.
It was a really short book, so it didn't go as deep into some things that I wished it would. I was really intrigued by the gathering of moonlight and starlight with mirrors, but we never really learn anything about that other than it can happen.
January 26, 2022
(3,5⭐️) A cute story with a lot of wisdom. All set up in a gothic environment with magic elements, darkness, friendships and the night sky
May 1, 2022
Creepy. It reads like a Pied Piper tale.
January 8, 2024
Spooky but sweet, a bit Coraline-esque.
I loved the atmosphere and all the details that all came together in the end.
Also it (very unexpectedly) made me cry.
10/10
I loved the atmosphere and all the details that all came together in the end.
Also it (very unexpectedly) made me cry.
10/10
November 16, 2025
Ooh, this was very atmospheric and spooky! I really liked this book (to quote the 4-star rating lol). It was easy to get into, easy to read, and I rooted for the main characters very quickly. The final chapters also had me in tears, and they ended up tying everything together nicely. A solid Halloween-month read!
August 5, 2021
Deliciously creepy and dreary, you have to get your hands on this dark middle-grade read! A consistently somber mood with pockets of mischief that gradually bends toward the light at the end. The friends and foes will warm your heart while the twists will keep your heart beating fast. So spellbinding and bittersweet. Well done!
If you like books like Coraline, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Dark Lord Clementine, then you're going to love this one. I'm definitely looking into Kassner's backlist after this.
Thanks to MacKids and Henry Holt and Co. for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
If you like books like Coraline, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Dark Lord Clementine, then you're going to love this one. I'm definitely looking into Kassner's backlist after this.
Thanks to MacKids and Henry Holt and Co. for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 24, 2021
Note: My kid wants to rate this book 10 of 5 stars! Well, even if it wasn't possible, he insisted and I could never say no to this beautiful soul. So here we go. This is the first book that got a ten of five stars :)
Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Plentiful Darkness was a lovely book that I read to my kid, and we both enjoyed it. Even it was a little bit spooky, the book was fascinating and page-turner. The plot was engaging and gripping, full of twists and turns that we never saw coming. We both loved a particular scene - where the parents went to protect their kid... it was so emotional.
The story was beautifully written and easy to read. Readers will root to the characters easily, especially with Rooney (I know we both did). And the ending was satisfying.
Overall I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes MG fantasy stories.
Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Plentiful Darkness was a lovely book that I read to my kid, and we both enjoyed it. Even it was a little bit spooky, the book was fascinating and page-turner. The plot was engaging and gripping, full of twists and turns that we never saw coming. We both loved a particular scene - where the parents went to protect their kid... it was so emotional.
The story was beautifully written and easy to read. Readers will root to the characters easily, especially with Rooney (I know we both did). And the ending was satisfying.
Overall I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes MG fantasy stories.
July 19, 2021
*I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
An utterly enchanting and magical tale, where I was completely swept away! Brilliant! Everything felt so vivid, real, and alive. This was my second book by Heather Kassner and she has found a lifelong fan.
Twelve year old Rooney de Barra lost her family to the feather flu. In order for her to survive on her own, she collects moonlight, which she draws from the night sky into her lunar mirror. She’s been trying to avoid the roughhouse boys who are her biggest competitors for the moonlight. There’s an even more terrifying danger on the streets though, a magician who has been disappearing children in the night.
Trick Aidan, her worst rival from the roughhouse boys steals her precious lunar mirror, and Rooney is determined to do anything to get it back. As she tries to track Trick down, she sees him be swallowed by a pool of darkness and jumps in after him. They find themselves in the Plentiful Darkness, a fascinating world without sky or stars. She is forced to team up with Trick to confront the magician, and to help the children of Warybone that have been trapped there by the magician’s magic.
If you like stories that are eerie and full of magic, twists and turns, friendships, and found family, you will love this one. A real page turner that I highly recommend!
An utterly enchanting and magical tale, where I was completely swept away! Brilliant! Everything felt so vivid, real, and alive. This was my second book by Heather Kassner and she has found a lifelong fan.
Twelve year old Rooney de Barra lost her family to the feather flu. In order for her to survive on her own, she collects moonlight, which she draws from the night sky into her lunar mirror. She’s been trying to avoid the roughhouse boys who are her biggest competitors for the moonlight. There’s an even more terrifying danger on the streets though, a magician who has been disappearing children in the night.
Trick Aidan, her worst rival from the roughhouse boys steals her precious lunar mirror, and Rooney is determined to do anything to get it back. As she tries to track Trick down, she sees him be swallowed by a pool of darkness and jumps in after him. They find themselves in the Plentiful Darkness, a fascinating world without sky or stars. She is forced to team up with Trick to confront the magician, and to help the children of Warybone that have been trapped there by the magician’s magic.
If you like stories that are eerie and full of magic, twists and turns, friendships, and found family, you will love this one. A real page turner that I highly recommend!
September 25, 2021
So. This is going to pain me. Because I love so much of this book. The tone is brilliant, the story is heart-wrenching, the characters are delightful. It is generally a wonderfully fun Halloween-time read for mature younger readers or older kids who might be intimidated by longer books.
However. There is one section. One teensy tiny choice. That nearly made me throw down my copy in a fit of rage. A choice that had no good reason to be made. I wouldn't have been able to fully forgive it even if there had been a valid, in-world reason for it, but I might have been able to stomach 3 or 4 stars instead of 2. There was no valid, in-world reason though. The same plot points and character development could have been reached without it. So I sit here in my rage.
You see, the book starts off with Rooney being teased and chased by the Roughhouse Boys. This is a reasonably important plot point. She is then trapped in the Darkness with one of the Roughhouse Boys, as explained in the jacket blurb. Fine. This all works. I even like the slow development of Rooney and Trick's friendship because Trick is so obviously a reasonable, complex character from the start. I would have loved the book if Kassner had stayed there.
She did not. Instead, she Which might have been ok. I can see ways in which it would have only been an extension of the character development Rooney already had with Trick. It didn't stop there though. Almost immediately,
So. Now that I've had my rant. I will say that that section isn't long. A few lines, at most. The problem is that it is so jarring and discordant that it destroys the rest of the book. I can't in good conscience recommend something with a message like that, no matter how beautifully written.
However. There is one section. One teensy tiny choice. That nearly made me throw down my copy in a fit of rage. A choice that had no good reason to be made. I wouldn't have been able to fully forgive it even if there had been a valid, in-world reason for it, but I might have been able to stomach 3 or 4 stars instead of 2. There was no valid, in-world reason though. The same plot points and character development could have been reached without it. So I sit here in my rage.
You see, the book starts off with Rooney being teased and chased by the Roughhouse Boys. This is a reasonably important plot point. She is then trapped in the Darkness with one of the Roughhouse Boys, as explained in the jacket blurb. Fine. This all works. I even like the slow development of Rooney and Trick's friendship because Trick is so obviously a reasonable, complex character from the start. I would have loved the book if Kassner had stayed there.
She did not. Instead, she Which might have been ok. I can see ways in which it would have only been an extension of the character development Rooney already had with Trick. It didn't stop there though. Almost immediately,
So. Now that I've had my rant. I will say that that section isn't long. A few lines, at most. The problem is that it is so jarring and discordant that it destroys the rest of the book. I can't in good conscience recommend something with a message like that, no matter how beautifully written.
April 30, 2022
DNF pg:13
The story is unfollowable and the pros are horrible and made it impossible to even force myself to read more. For example
"The sky grumped gray, dumping rain. Rooney was already soaked through and through." I was reading this to my six year old daughter and she asked me to stop. My daughters name is Luna by the way and she loves moon themed things. This book is an epic fail.
The story is unfollowable and the pros are horrible and made it impossible to even force myself to read more. For example
"The sky grumped gray, dumping rain. Rooney was already soaked through and through." I was reading this to my six year old daughter and she asked me to stop. My daughters name is Luna by the way and she loves moon themed things. This book is an epic fail.
May 20, 2021
Gripping. A definite page turner with lots of twists and turns as well as good surprises. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
May 14, 2021
I’ve long admired Heather’s precision with words and this story was no exception. How she built an entire world out of darkness and somehow made it come to life had me in awe the whole time. She does a masterful job of creating a cast of distinct and vibrant characters, too, not the least of which is Trick and Bridget - members of the Roughhouse Boys. Readers will root for Rooney and her companions to find their way, and the ending will leave you enchanted with some unexpected twists and turns.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for review.
June 6, 2021
This is an absolutely wondrous story, perfect for middle-grade readers. Kassner weaves a story that is reminiscent of "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman filled with dark and light, and characters who are neither of the above - just a gray in between.
I would say that the story is a bit lacking in the world-building of Warybone itself. The land of plentiful darkness is described beautifully, with full development and a system of magic that I wanted to learn more about. However, I felt the details of Warybone were lacking. I would have like there to be more development with the disappearances of the children and the feather flu before the children went through into the darkess. I also liked the idea of catching moonlight and stardust in mirrors, and I would have liked to have seen how that was traded off and how that bartering system worked. I would have also liked to see what people used it for beyond just lighting the lamps.
Otherwise it was an excellent read with characters that grew and developed as the story went. I felt they were all well-developed and enjoyed having them in my imagination for a bit.
I would say that the story is a bit lacking in the world-building of Warybone itself. The land of plentiful darkness is described beautifully, with full development and a system of magic that I wanted to learn more about. However, I felt the details of Warybone were lacking. I would have like there to be more development with the disappearances of the children and the feather flu before the children went through into the darkess. I also liked the idea of catching moonlight and stardust in mirrors, and I would have liked to have seen how that was traded off and how that bartering system worked. I would have also liked to see what people used it for beyond just lighting the lamps.
Otherwise it was an excellent read with characters that grew and developed as the story went. I felt they were all well-developed and enjoyed having them in my imagination for a bit.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews