Name: Daughter of Darkness

Author: Simon Lake
Year: 1992
Rank:

Rating:

Original Rating:

Pop Rating:

Genres/categories:
Horror

Purchase/reserch links:
Goodreads
Barns&Noble
Amazon


ISBNs:
9780553294422
0553294423		 In this supernatural mystery, Cassandra Fuller, 15, is increasingly anxious about the unresponsive new girl, Lin Jasandy. After the family arrives in town, strange things happen. Cass's friend George breaks his leg in a fall but claims he was pushed, and she is shadowed by a haunting presence that whispers things like "Stay away." In the end, Cass and a friend find the Jasandy house filled with valuable collectibles, and at last recognize Lin for what she is, a demon spirit summoned by Jasandy, an antique dealer, to frighten people into selling him their treasured possessions. With a smoothly flowing style marked by detailed descriptions but some cliches, Lake builds anticipation and suspense. Unfortunately, the characters are not well developed, and the somewhat implausible plot lacks imaginative intrigue and realistic complications. It's disappointing that Cass's father, a policeman described quite fully at the beginning, never plays a role in the outcome. Teen readers may, at first, be drawn by the darkly mysterious setting and mood, but many will find that the formulaic story, artificially loaded with elements of horror, does not live up to their expectations.

Lake's supernatural thriller sustains interest, although several heavily descriptive passages slow the momentum. Cass, a self-deprecating 15-year-old, lives in a New Jersey suburb with her father, a policeman, and her mother, a writer. At a Halloween party, the girl becomes upset that Rick, an occasional date, seems involved with Lin, a new student. The unfriendly beauty alarms Cass, especially when Lin warns her to "stay away." Best friend Meg thinks the girl is merely possessive of Rick, but Cass isn't so sure; Lin lives, after all, on Midnight Place, an ordinary-looking yet spooky block. Then pal George is pushed down some stairs, classmates Viv and Jewel become ill and Cass is almost trapped in the girls' locker room. It isn't until she reads her mother's article on demonology that these and other perplexities become clear. Despite a wildly contrived resolution, the story features a strong, likable heroine and plenty of suspense--pluses sufficient to satisfy devotees of the genre. Ages 10-up.


Categories:
Science fiction
Fantasy
Mystery
Romance
Business
Classic
Sports
Young adult
Humor
Memoirs
See all categories...