I have two cousins - brothers - who are very near my sister and I in age. When we were kids, we did everything together. Rather than cousins, we have always been more like siblings. We would spend the weekends at one of our two houses, all four of us together camping out in sleeping bags on the living room floor, watching movies into all hours of the night. It is because of my cousins that I was as happy to watch Rambo and Jaws and James Bond as I was to watch Cinderella. (I have them to thank for at least a portion of what I consider to be a very well-rounded education that includes how to fashion a bow and arrows out of sticks, how to build a tree fort, how to cheat at poker, and the rules of basketball.) There were movies we seemed to watch on a loop, like The Goonies, Cool Runnings, and The Neverending Story (I and II. Nooooooo, Artax! It still to this day rusts my pipe that Atreyu just let Artax sink into that mud) - these hold a special, happy place in my heart. And then there are some that we only watched once, and it was enough to scar me for life. Enter It.
How scary could a movie with John Boy Walton in it be, anyway? Well, let me tell you, pretty flippin' scary. And now, for the rest of my life, I am terrified of street gutters; I run out of the bathroom like a pansy every time the drain burbles; I cannot come within ten feet of a clown; and I have to read anything even remotely horror-ish with the lights on. (And let me just say that it's one of the biggest nightmares of my adulthood that It is being remade into a film, because I watched the trailer the other day - huge mistake - and I had to watch an episode of Gilligan's Island afterward to assist my heart in returning to its normal rhythm.)
Anyway, now you know why I don't read much in the true horror genre. (Although I think Stephen King is a brilliant writer, and count his 'Salem's Lot as one of my all-time favorite books.) Horror just isn't my thing. Instead, I have to step a bit left of center and pick up books that are more gothic in nature, and ring of the dark and creepy. They still have that element of mystery and danger, but not the gore. I don't like to be terrified, but I do like to be slightly creeped out. There is a subtle difference.
One of the things that drew me to Alison Goodman's The Dark Days Club (aside from it being a bit dark and creepy) is the period setting. Regency London is an interesting time, as there are many important historical events that took place in these years. The War of 1812, Napoleon's rise and fall, the Luddite riots - these things all play against the backdrop of impeccable manners, curtsies, dinner parties, and balls. Throw a little demon hunting into the mix, and you've got a rollicking good adventure story. Here is the cover (I don't like this one nearly as much as the one portrayed in my May reads preview. This is the US edition, and was picked up to correspond with the sequel, which shares this design) and the Goodreads blurb:
London, April 1812. On
the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the
queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into
the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of
the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating
every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation
is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and
headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?
In some ways, this book reminds me of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, only a little more serious, and less steampunk-y. But the heroine, Lady Helen Wrexhall, is smart, curious, and not easily scared off. She attempts to exist as much as possible within societal constraints, while still accepting her role with the DDC. She is not simpering and weak-willed, but neither is she a self-proclaimed Wonder Woman. She reacts believably, in my opinion, to discovering her heritage, and I like that Goodman portrayed the decision to join the DDC in their work as a difficult one.
One of the things I really liked about this book was Goodman did not present London society as stifling or ridiculous. Lady Helen genuinely likes her life (even if her uncle is tedious, blustery, and disgusting). She is strong-willed, but stays very true to her time and her character. She has a lot to lose, and risks even more. The setting of this book is very authentic - Lady Helen must fit her activities with the DDC in between dress fittings, Sunday promenade, and the next ball - and it doesn't temper the blow to her sensibilities when she realizes her abilities will keep he from marrying the Duke who admires her, and who would give her the best possible life she could hope for.
Another thing this book portrayed in a positive way was female relationships. So often in YA fiction the "mean girl" trope reigns on high, and there are very few girls who are truly friends with other girls. Additionally, relationships between daughters and mothers are strained, or simply non-existent. Here, Lady Helen has a very lovely relationship with her aunt (both her parents are dead), where each has a genuine regard for the other. As well, Lady Helen has an adorable friendship with Darby, her lady's maid, and several nice friendships with girls her own age. There is no real sniping or cattiness, and these girls show a refreshing respect for one another.
So, a couple things to take note of:
First, there is no real romance in this book. So if you're here looking for kissy-face huggy-bear, you're in the wrong book. This book is very focused on Lady Helen, her character development, and only that. There is a mystery concerning her parents that must be solved; she must accept her role as a reclaimer (what the demon hunters are called); she must navigate her family life and social life; there's a lot happening for her. And though there are little seeds of a possible romance, it is peripheral. Second, this book is long. And it feels long. It's not one of those Harry Potter-type 500 pagers, it's a Moby-Dick-type 500 pager. Goodman is meticulous in her world building, and leaves nothing to chance misinterpretation; likewise, readers learn about this world as Lady Helen learns about this world, so the detail is necessary. It's not necessarily a negative, just fair warning.
If you don't mind making a commitment to a longer book, you're looking for a book with a strong heorine- which accurately represents the time period- isn't weighted down by angsty teen drama and love triangles- that has an awesome supernatural twist- this book's for you. (I'm not ashamed to admit that sentence completely got away from me, and had a mind of its own.) I am looking forward to reading the second installment in this series, The Dark Days Pact. Events at the end of DDC make it necessary I do so sooner, rather than later, because wow did things get dicey.
This reads like:
Soulless by Gail Carriger - this is set in a comparable time period, has a smart and likeable heroine who is not afraid to accept her gifts, and has a supernatural element.
The Diviners by Libba Bray - I went with this one, though it may not be as "similar" a choice as A Great and Terrible Beauty... This one features a girl who comes into her gifts at a certain age, and must decide what to do with them. This also has a great supporting cast of characters. It's set in New York City in the roaring 20s.
These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker - this has a strong-willed heroine who isn't content to just sit back and let things happen to her, and also boasts a complicated plot with twists and many secrets.
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - this series opener is set in Victorian London and features a heroine who must learn to deal with her gifts, and to rely on herself and her own abilities rather than others.
While I compose my review post of Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Wings and Ruin, I'll need something fun to do keep things from getting too real. Look for a Top 10 post early next week, and then we'll get down to business discussing All The Things about ACoWaR.
Ciao.
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