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A review by nancykz
The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman
3.0
I gotta say, I was surprised at the amount of violence, sex, drugs, booze, and swearing in this book. I didn't mind it, I was just surprised. In a world overrun by helicopter parents who are constantly trying to protect their babies, I'm shocked this is out there.
A solid 3.5 stars. There were many, many things I loved. First, a standalone novel in these days of series. Praise Jesus Wasserman didn't try to stretch it out. Second, there are no zombies, werewolves, vampires or mean girls. Well, there are mean girls but they are not the focus. Like the Fox Chronicles, this novel focuses on a speculative look at ethical questions and it does that fairly well.
Five children are part of Oleander, Kansas' Killing Day - a day when five people commit murders. Four of them commit suicide following their kills, one isn't successful at her attempt. After a year of moving on (the killer who survived her suicide attempt is off in an institution) a tornado hits and the town has some weird shit to deal with again, this time a reversion to times past, an armed quarantine and a complete disconnection from the outside world. The four witnesses and one killer (who escapes during the tornado, don't ask me how) are faced with the decline of their town and the questions only they seem to be asking, primarily, "What the f'ck is going on here?"
While trying to survive they are also dealing with their own demons, both related to The Killing Day and deeper, more personal demons, in a town where every man is out for himself.
There were some plot holes and a few times when the pacing made me want to skip ahead - that's what made me put it down the first time I tried reading it. This time I got through it and am glad I did.
Surprise kills reminiscent of The Following, breaking of all kinds of rules (a baby is killed pretty quickly and gruesomely), and some pretty gritty sexual situations make for a grownup read for the YA set than can handle it. Which may not be all or even most of the younger ones.
A solid 3.5 stars. There were many, many things I loved. First, a standalone novel in these days of series. Praise Jesus Wasserman didn't try to stretch it out. Second, there are no zombies, werewolves, vampires or mean girls. Well, there are mean girls but they are not the focus. Like the Fox Chronicles, this novel focuses on a speculative look at ethical questions and it does that fairly well.
Five children are part of Oleander, Kansas' Killing Day - a day when five people commit murders. Four of them commit suicide following their kills, one isn't successful at her attempt. After a year of moving on (the killer who survived her suicide attempt is off in an institution) a tornado hits and the town has some weird shit to deal with again, this time a reversion to times past, an armed quarantine and a complete disconnection from the outside world. The four witnesses and one killer (who escapes during the tornado, don't ask me how) are faced with the decline of their town and the questions only they seem to be asking, primarily, "What the f'ck is going on here?"
While trying to survive they are also dealing with their own demons, both related to The Killing Day and deeper, more personal demons, in a town where every man is out for himself.
There were some plot holes and a few times when the pacing made me want to skip ahead - that's what made me put it down the first time I tried reading it. This time I got through it and am glad I did.
Surprise kills reminiscent of The Following, breaking of all kinds of rules (a baby is killed pretty quickly and gruesomely), and some pretty gritty sexual situations make for a grownup read for the YA set than can handle it. Which may not be all or even most of the younger ones.