Authors: John Hennessy
Dark Winter (42 page)
This young adult fantasy/horror novel blew me away. It's the story of teenager Romilly Winter who is bequeathed a very special mirror by her Nan. Romilly is a reluctant heroine who appears a typical teen with typical teen angst. She also has a special gift but she worries that when the time comes she won't be strong enough to cope. Yet only when the terrifying truth is revealed and her family, her friends and her life are threatened does she find out what she's truly capable of.
This is the perfect halloween read. You can read it anytime of the year and enjoy it. I'm reading it again and hope there is a printed book of this and a second book. It doesn't have to have that, but if it did I would buy it.
Although the book is quite long, it's important to let its pace build up. The first chapter sets it all nicely, how Romilly gets the Mirror in the first place. Later you learn Dana's role in the mirrors' back story, and I like how that unfolds. The 'urban legend' of Dana is told from one viewpoint of a main character, then from another. Both are unsettling for different reasons. It's like hearing a story for the second time and you think 'nah, not scary the second time' but it is. That's the mark of a good writer.
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