The Dark Lord Clementine
Sarah Jean Horwitz
Algonquin Young Readers
Published October 1, 2019
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About The Dark Lord Clementine
The new face of big evil is a little . . . small.
Dastardly deeds aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one hears the name “Clementine,” but as the sole heir of the infamous Dark Lord Elithor, twelve-year-old Clementine Morcerous has been groomed since birth to be the best (worst?) Evil Overlord she can be. But everything changes the day the Dark Lord Elithor is cursed by a mysterious rival.
Now, Clementine must not only search for a way to break the curse, but also take on the full responsibilities of the Dark Lord. As Clementine forms her first friendships, discovers more about her own magic than she ever dared to explore, and is called upon to break her father’s code of good and evil, she starts to question the very life she’s been fighting for. What if the Dark Lord Clementine doesn’t want to be dark after all?
My Review
What a cute book! The story world is quirky and adorable, and the writing is fun but with a lot of emotion packed into it. I giggled through some scenes and had teary eyes in others. It was so easy to identify with Clementine’s wish to do the right thing while also battling her loneliness and her longing to find her own place in life.
The relationships pulled me into the story, too. Clementine gets to know a village boy and a traveling hunter, and through them gains something she’s never experienced before: friendship. She also learns to trust herself and to view her dad in a different way– to see his flaws and love him anyway, but also to challenge him where she believes he’s wrong.
It reminded me a little bit of THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON, though it’s a little less dark than that one is. I think fans of that story would definitely enjoy THE DARK LORD CLEMENTINE, though.
If you’re a fan of fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, you really want to check out THE DARK LORD CLEMENTINE.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 10 up.
Representation
Not much character description other than Clementine’s color-changing hair. 🙂
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
Some clear attraction between Clementine and a village boy.
Spiritual Content
Use of spells and magic. Mythical creatures like satyrs and unicorns.
Violent Content
A few descriptions of battle, nothing gory.
Drug Content
None.
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