Review

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber is a sweeping gothic tale of love and magic.

Natalie Stewart is a young lady in Manhattan during the 1880s who is trying to cope in a world where she can’t speak. After a tragedy in her childhood, Natalie stopped speaking and has spent her time learning to communicate through sign-language and writing notes.  She is content in her world, but wishes for something more. She wants love and a path in life of her very own. She asks her father for a job at the museum where he works and he gives her a job that changes her whole life.

After meeting a woman, Mrs. Northe, who is at once a kindred spirit, Natalie is thrust into a world of magic, demons, and handsome young lords trapped in paintings.

I loved the world that Ms. Hieber has created. There is a fight between good and evil underneath the surface of New York society. Natalie isn’t a part of that society, but she is a part of the fight between good and evil and in her quest to right the wrong done to Lord Denbury, she meets members of that society. Natalie wants to fit in, but her lack of speech and her family’s station make it hard for her.

I loved the dramatic feel of the book. It is reminiscent of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde. There is little light and gaiety to the story.  Darker Still moves at a rather quick pace and mainly takes place at the museum, in Lord Denbury’s painting, and in Natalie’s nightmares.

The book is written in first person as a diary. We get to know all of the events from Natalie’s perspective. I loved her reaction to meeting the Lord in the painting, Jonathon Whitby. There is a definite innocence about the book and though I would have loved more in the romantic sense, it was perfect for the age group that the book is marketed toward (12 and up).  If you are looking for sexual tension or exploration, this book is not for you.

The plot is moved forward by Natalie’s dreams. I loved the way that she could interact with Jonathon in her dreams and that they were able to spend that time planning how to rescue him from inside the painting. They also are able to explore the feelings happening between them with no one knowing.

The book has a fantastic set of secondary characters and I’m hoping that we learn more about them as the series progresses. I’m especially interested in knowing more about Mrs. Northe.

Reviewed by Carrie