YA Review: Down Comes the Night
Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft (Wednesday Books, 400p., ages 12-up, 9781250623638)
Allison Saft's deftly plotted YA debut is an icy, atmospheric blend of gothic horror, fantasy and romance.
Wren Southerland knows she's the best healer in the Queen's Guard. Long ago, Wren, considered Queen Isabel's "worthless" illegitimate niece, was dismissed to a cloister where she was raised and trained by the Order of the Maiden. Now in the service of the queen, Wren repeatedly makes "foolhardy... emotional" decisions to heal all people, no matter which side they took in the barely contained war that has been waged for centuries between Wren's country, Danu, and its neighbor, Vesria. Wren had hoped her skills with medicine and magic would save her from "the queen's impatience," but learns she is to be banished to the coal mines instead. An unusual invitation offers her a chance for redemption, though: if she'll journey to the estate of Lord Lowry to heal his servant Henry, Lowry will "bolster Danu's military." Wren is certain that acting as liaison will allow her to regain the queen's good graces. But a dire warning on the ride to Lowry's estate only barely describes the atrocities Wren has waiting for her. And the irresistible Henry, it turns out, is none other than Danu's most feared enemy.
Both Wren and Henry's goals are realistic and understandable, as each grapples with the burden of outside expectations. Slowly, they discover that they may stay true to their principles as they each struggle to save their kingdoms. Saft's lush, atmospheric prose and delightfully menacing settings--combined with an artfully creepy villain with a penchant for the unspeakable--make Down Comes the Night the perfect read for a long, cold winter evening. --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.
Discover: Forbidden romance and political intrigue make this a thrilling YA gothic fantasy.
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