On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson cover shows a boy holding a pitchfork with two prongs and a distant city in the background. In the lower foreground is a small house.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga #1)
Andrew Peterson
WaterBrook Press
Published March 10, 2020 (Orig. 2008)

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About On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

After escaping from one of the fearsome Fangs of Dang, Janner, Tink and Leeli Igiby and their loyal dog Nugget find their troubles are only beginning. As the Fangs’ search for the lost jewels of Anniera intensifies, the Igiby family only seems to fall deeper into the center of the conflict. Janner can’t let go of the mystery that surrounds his father. Why won’t anyone speak of him? And why does the strange recluse, Peet the Sock Man, seem to be protecting them?

My Review

Peterson’s style is both off-beat and uplifting, humorous and tender. There’s definitely something in it that reminds me of books by Lemony Snicket, though Peterson’s comedy is a bit softer and more predictable. I loved the quirky characters and off-the-wall names of things. I liked that one of the scariest things in the book are cows with big teeth. It’s definitely silly.

This is a great story to read with a family– the audiobook, if there is one, would make a good choice for a family trip, too. ON THE EDGE OF THE DARK SEA OF DARKNESS is the first book in the Wingfeather Saga. I’m stingy about buying books, but I think my shelf will see this whole series. They are too much fun to pass up!

Content Notes

Recommended Ages 8 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The characters often refer to the Maker, their creator, which we understand to be God. The story is filled with strange creatures, such as the lizard-like Fangs of Dang.

Violent Content
One of the Fangs of Dang (a tall lizard-like creature that walks upright) attacks the children. The Fang army swarms the village where the Igibys live, causing injuries to the people. Descriptions aren’t very graphic.

Drug Content
None.

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I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires
Cathy Gohlke
Moody Publishers
Published September 1, 2008

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Prompted by a desperate letter from an estranged cousin in Virginia, Robert must put aside his plans to join the Yankee army and help his family. A visit to his uncle throws him by mistake into the middle of a prison escape. After he’s left for dead, an unexpected friend lends him a hand, further blurring the lines of Robert’s patriotic loyalty. As he and his new friend set out to find his family, Robert finds the journey to be harder than he ever imagined, and that the enemy he must confront has a different face than he first believed. If he is going to rescue his family, Robert knows it will take wrestling with more than just the enemies of war. And the results may not be of his own making.

I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires is the sequel to Gohlke’s Christy Award-winning William Henry is a Fine Name. The Civil War story tackles issues of loyalty, humanity, and faith through the eyes of an 18 year-old boy with family on both sides of the battle lines.

The writing is absolutely amazing– the kind of stuff that will stick with you long after you put the book down. If you enjoy historical fiction, particularly the Civil War era, you absolutely have to give this a read. I haven’t read William Henry, but I had no trouble following the plot and characters of I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires. I don’t think you have to read them in order, but if the first one is as good as this (and I’ve heard it is) then by all means, read both as I plan to do myself!

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None

Sexual Content
There are some oblique references to a rape that occurred before the story takes place.

Spiritual Content
Robert wrestles with his faith and the idea that God is in control, has a plan, and will take care of him.

Violent Content
Robert is bound during the prison escape. One character shoots another and threatens other lives before falling to death.

Drug Content
None

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The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Fruit of My Lipstick
Shelley Adina
FaithWords
Published August 1, 2008

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

In Gillian Chang’s second term at upscale Spencer Academy boarding school, she feels prepared for everything. Armed with rock-solid faith, good friends and no shortage of smarts, she’s got it all covered. Doesn’t she?

When she begins to fall for Lucas Hayes, a high achieving Stanford PhD hopeful, Gillian finds herself unable to keep up and be the girlfriend he wants. With all the pressure he’s under, it’s no surprise he gets a little short-tempered. Gillian resolves to try harder, but she finds herself isolating from her friends more and more.

Then a scandal emerges, with rumors that Gillian is at the center of it. Even her friends are uncertain of the truth. Gillian has to get to the bottom of it and get herself back on track. But can she do it without losing Lucas?

The Fruit of my Lipstick is the second book in Shelley Adina’s All About Us series about a clan of friends and their adventures at Spencer Academy. In some places the plot seemed a little bit linear, but it’s a fun read, full of pop culture references and spunky characters. Sort of a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants except girls in boarding school. I enjoyed reading it and recommend the series to fans of Sisterhood, Babysitter’s Club or Laura L. Smith’s Status Updates series.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No harsh language

Sexual Content
None

Spiritual Content
Gillian and her friends are Christians at a secular academy. They form a prayer circle and try to hold each other accountable in their faith.

Violent Content
Lucas gets rough with Gillian, pushing her a couple of times.

Drug Content
None

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My Thoughts on Twilight and The Graveyard Book

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

Poll Question: Should Christian teens read books about characters of spritually questionable origin?

  • Maybe. Mature kids can discern the truth without being spiritually compromised. Other kids aren’t ready. (4 votes)
  • Yes. Reading about a vampire doesn’t do any harm. It’s just fantasy! (2 votes)
  • No way. The origin of vampires isn’t “questionable.” It’s evil. Don’t even go there. (2 votes)

My Vote
I’ll be honest– this is a tricky one for me. When I began this blog and posted my first poll, a friend left several comments on my facebook account about teen fiction and what it should and should not contain and she said two very key words: age-appropriate. (maybe that’s technically one word, hyphenated…)

I think there’s something to that. Absolutely. In the case of Neil Gaiman’s book, we’re talking about a story set in a graveyard with a small child as a character. (I’m so resisting the urge to revisit that too often quoted line from the movie that will haunt Haley Joel Osmet for the rest of his life.) I’m not sure this is what I’d call appropriate content for middle grade readers. It’s an intensely dark story. (A beautifully written one, but dark nonetheless.) I mean let’s talk reality here for one second– kid grows up in a graveyard, raised by ghosts… anyone see a complex coming for little Bod? Okay, I know, it’s just fiction…(I’m the girl who loved the movie Meet Joe Black, but came away at the end thinking, dude, that guy is going to have one serious complex.)

But I know for myself, as a young reader, stories inspired me and even to a degree became a part of me in a deeper way than my reading does today. I think young readers moreso than older ones tend to idolize the characters they read about. Does reading The Graveyard Book encourage a fascination with death and the dead?

Here’s another interesting thought from a blog I read this morning. She blogged concerning Bella and Edward’s relationship and its similarities to abusive/co-dependent relationships. Is this a relationship we want teens to emulate?

Honestly, I think the romance genre itself often does a poor job presenting a healthy view of a romantic relationship. I have seen it even in Christian fiction. But that’s another topic altogether!

One of the things I liked about the Twilight series is that purity was important to Edward and that he and Bella waited until their marriage to consumate their relationship. In a culture where sexual purity is so out of style, it was exciting to me to see a YA series promoting abstinence take the bestseller list by storm.

Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Paranormal, , , , , , ,

The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins
Published September 30, 2008

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

They say it takes a town to raise a child. Or in this case, a graveyard.

After his family are murdered by a stranger named Jack, a toddler escapes to a graveyard where he is adopted by a pair of ghosts who name him Nobody. A vampire speaks up as Bod’s guardian, eventually sharing this responsibility with a werewolf.  Bod befriends other ghost children and even a witch buried on unconsecrated ground near the graveyard. But the mysterious man who murdered his family still seeks him and intends to finish the task he set out to do the night Bod came to live in the graveyard. Bod and his friends must find out who this man is and why he is determined to kill Bod before it’s too late.

Neil Gaiman recently received the Newberry medal for The Graveyard Book and has also been nominated for the Hugo award. The characters are well-crafted, memorable and endearing, but the story is very dark. I found it so easy to care for Bod and root for him throughout the story. It’s a pretty quick read with illustrations throughout. Sensitive readers might find the dark elements to be too intense. See below for other content information.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None

Sexual Content
None

Spiritual Content
Ghosts, ghouls, a vampire, werewolf, and a witch are included in the story’s cast of characters and save Bod from harm. Bod literally lives among the crypts and tombs of the graveyard and spends most of his life among the dead (and undead?).

Violent Content
The story opens after a man has murdered Bod’s parents and sibling. While the murders themselves are not graphically described, the killer is cold, complacent about their deaths, even the death of the other child. He intends to kill Bod as well, though he is only six months old at the time. While not graphic, the nature of those intentions seemed harsh to me.

Drug Content
None

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Review: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Breaking Dawn
Stephanie Meyer
Little, Brown & Company
Published August 7, 2007

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

At last– the moment Twilight fans have dreamed of: Edward and Bella marry and retreat to a private island for a honeymoon. When it becomes obvious that Bella is pregnant– and with an extraordinary child– the couple returns home to care for Bella and possibly even protect her from the child in her womb. But the only way to save Bella may be to transform her.

When the dreaded Volturi close in on the Cullen Family, presumably to kill the child, Bella commits to do whatever it takes to protect the child she saw in her dreams. As the battle looms nearer, it becomes clear to Bella that she has more strength than even she gave herself credit for. But will it be enough to protect her new family from total destruction?

This was my least favorite book in the series. I will say that at last, we see Bella find her own strength, and that was a cool twist. But instead of it happening in an interesting and hard-won way, she kind of just eases into victory almost without realizing she’s doing anything incredible. So that part wasn’t so cool.

Edward and Bella finally have their long-awaited consummation of their romance, and that takes some time and is a bit ridiculous what with Edward’s crazy strength kind of out of control. Bella’s pregnancy is kind of weird, too. Honestly, some of the vampire story rules got too weird for me at that point, because it gets into what the risks are of her carrying a child who’s only part-vampire and is that even possible? My favorite description of the book (though it does contain some spoilers) comes from a spoof commercial advertising a Twilight Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. It’s pretty crazy, but it kind of sums up some of my feelings on the story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
There was a little bit more swearing in this novel compared to the first. Light bordering moderate.

Sexual Content
So now that Edward and Bella are married, the party is on. Meyer does a fair job keeping the details of Bella and Edward’s sex life strictly between them. Hints about it are dropped, and the room is damaged due to Edward’s super-strength, but there’s no play by play description of the events that occur.

A bond forms between the baby and one of the werewolves, and because of her age, it’s a little strangely creepy. The characters maintain that it’s an imprint, kind of a betrothal type matching deal, that’s not sexual in any way, but I still found it to be a little weird.

Spiritual Content
Largely the same as the other Twilight books. The Edward Cullen and his family are “good” vampires who’ve chosen only to feed on animals, not humans. They are at odds with the “bad” vampires who consider themselves superior to the human race and still kill/bite people. Werewolves emerge to protect the people of Forks, WA.

Violent Content
The Volturi are as ruthless as ever, destroying one vampire in the midst of a conflict. The baby emerging from Bella is a bit graphic and bloody– it’s not the usual birth experience.

Drug Content
None.

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