Dark Shadows

Zodiac

by Jahnna N. Malcolm

Genres: Young Adult

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Jahnna N. Malcolm is the pen name for husband-and-wife team Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner. Together they've written four musicals, two movies, three CD-ROM games, and nearly one hundred books, including the popular series The Jewel Kingdom. They met in the theater and were married on the stage using Marlowe's famous love letter from "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" as their wedding vows.

Reviews

[Erica Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn’t a horror or thriller. I thought it would be. The underlying themes are much darker and sadder—this is a story about grief.

Just a tiny bit of mystery/action in the last few chapters (a late-night phantom gardener does make a few appearances lol and there’s a quick a side-plot involving a local crime), but it does offer some interesting commentary on the stigmas surrounding mental illness/health, which is pretty rare for a 90s YA.

[Ranjani · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story illustrates the superficial nature of humanity and the dire consequences of irresponsible behaviour of parents on their innocent children. The intermittent astrological statements serve to remind us of the universal nature of our existence and the impact of the interaction of planets on our actions. Hence we're made to be aware that nothing is permanently hopeless in life and that we should be patient with life. The author lets the reader realise all this with a simple diction which will appeal to any age group.

[Izlinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the Cancer book. I believe one of the traits on the back of the book was "Caring." One of my sisters is a Cancer, so this book, too, was of interest.

Chloe is in a home for "troubled" kids. I put in quotation marks because from what I recollect it wasn't a house for those who have drug problems, but those underwent something traumatic and have trouble adjusting, or children who have trouble living amongst "normal" society. A girl is agoraphobic, another (Eric) was burnt in a fire and ostracized by society. Chloe herself lost her mother at a young age after her parents divorced. Her life and routine of taking care of the plants is jarred when her older brother, Skip, comes and gets her out of the home. Since her doctor recommends and encourages it, she follows, but is intensely. The home wants to have a halfway house in the city/town, but there is opposition. A series of thefts occurs, as well as the appearance of a mysterious gardener around Chloe's neighborhood. The kids of the home get accused and this moves into thoughts and actions of trying to prove their innocence. I put a 5-star because of the creativity in this story, and how Malcolm shows another side of family without the expected norm of parents, and two siblings trying to reacquaint themselves.