Two girls.A village with a dark secret.Their only hope is a mythical figure Ever Morena has only read about in her father’s lone book.Ten years ago Ever’s best friend disappeared without a trace. Though the loss of her friend only came close to killing her then, the truth of what happened might finish the job now—just when her future as the village healer is looking bright.Ever must risk … must risk everything she loves in order to plunge into darkness on an impossible journey in the middle of the Concealed Forest.
Never before has redemption been so costly.
more
Plunge Into Darkness by Kristin N. Spencer, is apparently first into what promises to be quite a fantastic series. This short (I wouldn’t have minded reading more of the story and am hoping book two continues Ever and Dawn’s journey) book is allegorical in nature and the author does a great job of drawing the reader in right from the start. The friendship between two young girls from very different home backgrounds is sweet and admirable. Ever is fierce in her loyalty to Dawn even after Dawn goes missing. I loved how Ever learned to have faith in the Man of Sorrows even though she had never seen him–had only heard of him from a book of thought-to-be fables. Plunge Into Darkness is not for the faint of heart and yet it is a powerfully profound book steeped in drama, secrets, and emotional tension. As the author touches on gritty subjects such as physical and alcohol abuse she skillfully described scenes and she has created vivid characters that are realistic–all their flaws and faults are there along with their strengths and humanity. A thought-provoking message pervades the book–one that makes the reader stop to think about who shares in the guilt of evil that happens. Is it just the perpetrators or is it also the ones who look the other way? I don’t want to be one who looks the other way.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
Ever and Dawn were friends that I enjoyed getting to now. It was hard for Ever to understand how Dawn did without so much. I loved Ever’s heart and how deeply she cared for her friend. There were times I felt a bit lost in the story, but as I dug deeper I began to understand. To say that I enjoyed the story would be difficult, but I appreciated the tender way the author presented the topic of abuse. Coming from a violent and abusive childhood, the story was overwhelming at times. I wish I had been blessed with a friend like Ever.
Graves is a horrible person and it made me ill to hear her say to Ever, ” What do you care ’bout that sack of a worthless child for?” Oh how I wanted to shake that lady and scream at her. The lies she tells that her daughter has moved is horrible. It was like Dawn was just something to be tossed aside when her parents were done with her. Ever is devastated to learn her friend is gone. Her dad believes he must share the Man of Sorrows with Ever to heal her broken heart. The parallels between the Man of Sorrows book and the story of Jesus is woven together very well. God is the one who can heal our broken hearts and dry our tears away.
The story takes on a dark and lonely road when Ever is reunited with Dawn. The abuse Dawn endured is so horrific I couldn’t stop crying. Can Ever help her friend or is she locked away in her mind forever? To give up on someone who has been damaged is like saying they are not important enough to be saved. As Dawn and Ever venture into the woods the book finally made sense. The time they spend there opens Ever’s eyes as to what needs to be fought in order to save Dawn. The darkness wants us to think we can’t defeat it, but we can with God’s help. Oh my it is such a powerful realization to know that The One is speaking about satan as we know him. The visions Ever has of Dawn’s abuse is very graphic and gave me chills. There is a lot to grasp from this story of torture and darkness. The best point the author makes is when The Man tells Ever that others are guilty of what happened to Dawn. The villagers turned their back and ignored what was going on. They knew and did nothing. The ending is gripping and I can say that I look forward to where Ever and Dawn are sent on their new quest. Thank you for taking a difficult subject and showing me that I was never alone as a child. I will cherish the story and the hope it brings me.
I do not see the outward appearance as man sees. I see the innermost thoughts and desires. I see into the heart.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Plunge into Darkness
A very different type of book for me. It took me a chapter or two to get into it but after that it was very interesting. Ever was a very unique name for a very special character. She was an only child so made friends with Dawn that lived close to her. After going to kindergarten together Dawn disappears which leaves Ever heartbroken. Ever mom and dad are very different from each other, her dad wants to help her and her mom just wants things to be calm, and not get involved. This is book one, I am curious to see what the next book is about. I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit.