In the Darkness is one of the most fascinating books you will ever read. It takes a complex structure and is based on characters that can get brutal and unsympathetic. The book creates a clear symbol of both modern and ancient Haiti, and on this aspect, it is unlike any other book on the shelves. In The Darkness seems to be explicitly created for the teenage readers, but wouldn’t they love such a marvellous creation from a renowned author.
The story commences in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake that hit Haiti and caused a devastating effect. Fifteen-year-old Shorty gets trapped in a dark hospital room where she was being treated after receiving a bullet wound. Amid starving, the boy’s thoughts start to wander, and he begins to reflect prior events that might have led him there. Shorty was born and bred in what the world’s poorest slam. During a turf war between anti-Aristide and pro, his father is brutally murdered in front of him. In the same attack, his twin sister, Marguerite, gets kidnapped and then Shorty devotes his life in finding her.
In the process of trying to find Marguerite, Shorty meets dangerous gang members and makes his first killing. Will Shorty survive long enough to find his only sister?
As he remains trapped in the hospital, Shorty begins to dream again. He dreams of a Haitian, 200 years ago. He was dreaming of Toussaint L'Ouverture who was a slave that managed to overthrow French control. Being a reluctant leader, Toussaint was very thoughtful, and he desired a kind of leadership where solutions are found without spilling blood.
In the Darkness is both violent and tranquil. The characters are perfectly created to suit what a modern and ancient society would look like. It achieves both settings at the same time, making it an excellent book for people of all ages to read. The author knows where to put everyone regardless of their religious and cultural beliefs, and he does it in the most complex way.
There are lots of turns and twists in the story, and it is somehow both soothing and haunting. Though it is made for the teenagers, In Darkness is one story that can be entertaining to readers of all ages. It gets more interesting when Toussaint is caught up in a destiny over which he has limited control.
At some point, Toussaint, one of the characters, joins a group of slaves during a Voodoo ceremony to find the person who will lead the slaves to freedom. He is shocked to realize that he will be the one doing so.
Though there are voices that argue that the kind of children’s book that gets amazing online and offline reviews are only loved by prize judges and not everyone else. They continue to claim that those books are mostly loved by middle-aged reviewers since they somehow relate to the story lines. They argue that most of those books, despite receiving a lot of positive reviews, are not loved by the kids, or the targeted readers.
In Darkness, when seen from a different yet fair perspective, is a book that is created to communicate important things to the readers. Shorty, one of the main characters seems to manifest a real connection to the kidnapped sister. This is one thing that happens in real life. Depending on how you see it, In Darkness is trying to explain that violence, peace, and poverty have something to do with how we are brought up, and how we related to others.
Nick Lake was born om 1979 in Hexham. Since his father was working in Luxemburg for the European government, Nick was brought up in the same place. In his teenage years, Nick returned to England to study for a degree in English alongside masters in Linguistics at Oxford. He also went into publishing, where he acquired skills that he would later use to succeed in his writing career.
Currently, Nick works as an editorial director at Harper Collins Children’s Books. This is where he spends most of his time. Nick lives in Oxford with his wife, Hannah. His wife is an English teacher who lives in a house which is always crammed with books.
Nick Lake has worked on many books and has sold many copies in different parts of the globe. Nick is a professional writer who is known for his award-winning book, In Darkness.
Nick Lake is one writer who is keen on creating stories that are entertaining and yet are based on real-life situations. An excellent example of such a creation is In Darkness, which has both brutal and peaceful characters. Nick Lake has a love for kids and teenagers, which is why he loves to talk to them through his books.