Through a Brief Darkness

by Richard Peck

What started as a dream come true has turned into a horrible nightmare.

At first it seems like an adventure in a movie. Glamorous relatives pull Karen out of boarding school and whisk her away to their mansion in England. But soon she realizes there's something sinister about her "long-lost cousins." And why is her father suddenly impossible to contact? By the time Karen figures out what's going on, it's too late to turn back -- and she is fighting for her life.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction

142 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Richard Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature. He was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2001 for his novel A Year Down Yonder. For his cumulative contribution to young-adult literature, he received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1990.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 ½ Stars

I did enjoy this book, though I felt it was a little slow in the first half. Not that there wasn’t trouble going on, but the main character, Karen, didn’t recognize it as trouble, so… Not that I didn’t like the first half of the books, as I enjoyed seeing Karen’s journey of discovery, but I did feel a little bit of a disconnect there, as Karen never really addressed how she felt about it all. She seemed to numb out, more than anything—which, I guess is a way of dealing with things, but it doesn’t help when trying to connect to a character.

The second half of the book was much better, and I loved almost every character introduced. This might be a SPOILER but… Jay did seem a little too perfect, though I still enjoyed him. The villains were perfect in their roles, and Karen really came into her own.

I kind of wish there had been more to the ending, but that’s just because I want to see how everything plays out, and not because it’s really needed.

So, overall, this was a good book. It has a slow first half, but the second half was quite enjoyable.

[Jazmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. I got hooked in the book by the first chapter. The book in what started as a dream come true then has turned into a horrible nightmare!!

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a love hate relationship with this book. I loved the writing style yet the plot and the story fell flat for me.

To start off Karen hasn’t seen Jay for seven year but out of nowhere she sends him a letter and says she thinks she’s being held hostage. First off who sends a letter saying they think there being held hostage to someone they haven’t seen in seven years? Then he comes to her door and all of a sudden it’s like they have known each other forever! I find that very unrealistic and it was annoying. The plot went to fast and it was very boring. Though I did enjoy the old women at the end.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that I don't remember much of this one...I read it quite a while ago. But I do remeber that i enjoyed it. Though A Brief Darkness was short...but good. It's a mystery so you have to figure out whats going on.

[Quirkyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Richard Peck's stories, and this one is no different.

I read this story in one sitting, aside from the needed restroom breaks.

If one is a big fan of thrillers, "Through a Brief Darknes" ranks way up there with the other big writers of the genre.

[CLM · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is available at http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...

[Karen Gedeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through a Brief Darkness by Richard Peck – originally written in 1973, this tween thriller will appeal to current day audiences with its suspense, international travel and romance. Karen’s mother passed away when she was very small and her successful father keeps her away at various schools and camps throughout her childhood. When she is 16 she gets a phone call which lands her in London. It’s not until the plane makes an emergency stop in Ireland that she begins to wonder if the trip is entirely legitimate. Working with her own intuition, Karen must find an ally and get out of the situation she has found herself in while finding out exactly what her father does and why someone would want to kidnap her. Great for kids in grades 6-10 due to its easy language, multiple stopping points and page count.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen is a fairly normal teenager except that her mother died when she was three and her father is a head man in the syndicate in New York. As she grows up, she gets shunted from one private school to summer camp to another. Then one day she gets a message that she is to go to England to stay with some cousins of her mother's , and her father will contact her there. In reality, she has been kidnapped to maker her father, who has been burned, give up some of his power. She discovers the plot, and with some help primarily from an old childhood friend who was attending Eton. The story ends when Karen arrives safely at her father's hospital bedside in NYC>

I thought this was a good book. It dealt with a subject that isn't often dealt with very successfully and realistically while still not dragging it down with explicit sex or violence. I enjoyed reading it.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better that I thought it would be. Origionally published in 1973 a short story of a girl separated from her underworld dad is wisk away to Europe to stay with long lost cousins only to find adventure.

[Gena Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mystery for younger readers. Full of suspense with plenty of red herrings to keep the reader turning the pages.
Junior high girls would love this story. Also good for a read aloud 5th-8th grades.

[Heather Banghart · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a pretty good book for a short read. As an adult I realize it went pretty fast and there wasn't too many details, but for a middle school age book it was ok.