Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Book Two of the Darkest Powers series

Tags: YA, paranormal, supernatural, action, werewolves, witches, necromancy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary

At the end of the first book in this series, THE SUMMONING, 15-year-old budding necromancer Chloe Saunders finds herself the prisoner of the well-meaning but dangerous Edison Group, a group of scientists and doctors who strive to make the lives of supernaturals like Chloe and her friends from Lyle House better via genetic modification. Unfortunately, if their experiments on the teens do not work out, then the supernatural is terminated.

Understanding that they are all in danger of being killed, Chloe and her Lyle House friends Tori, Simon, and Derek stage a great escape and head out to find the only man who might be able to help them. Alas, if only it were as easy as outrunning the heavily armed Edison Group! Several of the teens find their powers growing uncontrollably; Derek in particular must experience a painful transition as he grows into his werewolf identity.

Will the Lyle House kids find a way to take down the Edison Group before their own powers destroy them?

Review

If THE SUMMONING was exposition, then THE AWAKENING is one hundred percent nonstop action! In this book, anything seems able to happen—enemies, mysterious powers, and scary situations ram the readers from all sides and every page. Additionally, Armstrong’s writing is straightforwardly simple, which adds to the feeling of constant danger.

It’s incredibly difficult to write an action-mystery novel without falling into character clichés, but thankfully, Chloe, Tori, Simon, and Derek all have distinct voices and behaviors. Their conversations are perhaps my favorite part about the book, because I had some issues with other parts. For example, most of the adults seemed to blend into one another seamlessly, without definition or personalities that stuck with me.

I was also disappointed with the whole “Chloe as damsel-in-distress” plot, which is a little too reminiscent of Bella’s helplessness in Twilight. I couldn’t even begin to count the number of times that Chloe’s cuteness, innocence, or helplessness was mentioned, but it was way more than I cared for. Tori, while portrayed as spoiled and irritating, may be right with her assessment of Chloe: she simply stands there and looks innocent, and people leap to rescue her.

On the other hand, I’m excited to see the buildups of more relationships, particular Chloe and Derek’s. The uncertainty of their status, of their feelings for one another, will keep readers coming back for more. And while the plot lacks intricacy and complexity, the DARKEST POWERS series will certainly appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer and James Patterson.

Similar Authors

Stephenie Meyer

James Patterson

Cassandra Clare

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Want More? I need to know how it ends!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Darkest Powers, Book One

Tags: YA, paranormal, series, ghosts, demons, werewolves, mental illness, mystery

On the day that fifteen-year-old Chloe Saunders finally gets her period, she sees the ghost, her first since her childhood. It freaks her out so much that she is sent to the hospital and then referred to Lyle House, a private home for mentally ill adolescents--otherwise known as a place to lock the crazy kids up in.

At Lyle House, Chloe takes medication for her diagnosis--schizophrenia--and attends to a strict schedule of chores and schoolwork. But she continues to encounter strange occurrences, such as the ghost who's attempting to contact her. It just might be that there's more to herself than she knows... and more to Lyle House and her housemates than others are letting onto. Chloe and her newfound friends may be in much more danger than they expect.

After hearing so much hype about Armstrong's upcoming sequel, The Awakening, I'm very glad I picked The Summoning up. It felt to me almost like Harry Potter with a female protagonist and fewer subplots. The strength of this series lies in its idea: these teenagers with supernatural powers are funneled into this peculiar house for possibly sinister purposes! The characters' interactions with one another are spiritful, the dialogue vibrant; the characters themselves, though, do not stand out to me in the heavily populated world of YA paranormal fiction.

The exception may be Chloe, who is wonderful, constantly changing and growing and doubting herself--all the things that a normal teenage girl should do, all without being petty or annoyingly shallow. I also found Derek interesting, and would like to see much more of him in the future. Perhaps there will be a romance between him and Chloe...?

But that's a minor complaint, for the story more than makes up for the less-than-outstanding characters. The Summoning ends on a suspenseful, slightly disappointing note as readers wait for the sequel impatiently to find out what happens to Chloe and her friends.

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Garth Nix

Rating: 3.5 out of 5