Darkness Becomes Her

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Simon Pulse, 2011
288 pages
approximate age level: 13+

Ari hasn’t had an easy life growing up in foster care or being ostracized at school because of her teal eyes and strange silver hair that always regrows every time she tries to cut it. So when she finally graduates high school, Ari doesn’t decide travel or head to college like most teens, but instead tries to find out answers about her past. Her first stop is the mental institution where her mother tragically killed herself when Ari was just a baby and in her mother's small box of possessions, Ari finds a note warning her an unnamed evil is after her and telling her to run. When a strange warrior attacks her with a sword in broad daylight, Ari knows that she needs answers about her past, and fast, and the only place she can find the answers is New 2, a rebuilt New Orleans with its own dark secrets.

Darkness Becomes Her is a fast moving fantasy and draws readers in almost immediately as the main mystery is introduced on the first page – Ari, herself. Ari is a relatable heroine: she's strong-willed, brave, and she can really throw a punch, yet she's not above getting butterflies in her stomach over a handsome guy. We root for her in her quest for the truth about her past and though she makes some decisions that would never be wise in the real world, like heading off alone to a dangerous city, she’s resourceful and self-assured and still a good role model for teen girls.

In addition, New 2 is a captivating setting and Keaton masterfully creates a sense of believable wonder and foreboding. Fans of supernatural romance will enjoy the large cast of mythical characters that appear, as everything from Greek gods to werewolves and vampires enter the plot with various agendas. There’s never a dull moment since whole book takes place in something like a week, but this quick time frame makes the strong relationships that develop between Ari and the kids she meets in New 2 a bit unbelievable.

Darkness Becomes Her ends with a satisfying conclusion, but there are plenty of loose ends left and readers will be anxious for the sequel, A Beautiful Evil, which is set to be released in February, 2012.

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