Kirkus Reviews

This second volume in the trilogy that started with Beautiful Creatures (2009) opens in the aftermath of magic Caster Lena Duchannes's climactic 16th birthday. Mourning the uncle who died in the fight between Light and Dark, Lena drifts away from narrator Ethan. When she runs away with her Dark cousin Ridley and mysterious supernatural motorcyclist John Breed, Ethan follows, jealous and heartbroken. Ethan's traveling companions are Mortals: Link, his dopey but loyal best friend, and Liv, a British exchange student training to be a sort of supernatural librarian. The three are outmatched and unprepared for the perils of the Caster underground but survive a number of deadly encounters, largely because outside parties show up at exactly the right moment. Besides its weaker and more hurried plot, this installment lacks its predecessor's sense of place. Nevertheless, readers eager to revisit Ethan and Lena's romantic tension and learn more about the Caster world and the Ravenwood family legacy will find satisfaction here. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

School Library Journal (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)

Gr 7 Up-This engrossing must-have sequel to Beautiful Creatures (Little, Brown, 2009) immediately returns to Gatlin, SC, and the seemingly impossible relationship between Caster girl Lena Duchannes, as yet un-Claimed for Light or Dark, and Ethan Wate, her beloved Mortal. Grieving the recent loss of Uncle Macon and worried that her 17th Moon and family curse will destroy everyone else she loves, Lena pulls away from Ethan and runs off to the Great Barrier with Siren cousin Ridley and mysterious John Breed. But is she headed for nirvana or danger? Plagued by strange visions and accompanied by his loyal friend Link and Keeper-in-Training Liv, Ethan travels the Caster Tunnels running beneath the world determined to save Lena. Along the way he faces shocking revelations about his family and gets help from several unexpected sourcesdevelopments that will further enamor readers. Familiar and favorite characters behave just as remembered, and sometimes even better. New additions, especially clever Liv, enhance the series and its plot, which is a cycle of hope, despair, and possibility. Like her Book of Moons , it gives and takes with equal measure in a great storytelling balance. Mortal and Castor settings aboveground and below reinforce the novel's Southern and gothic tone. Past and present are navigated successfully, offering new information while creating more questions. With allusions to a bigger game afoot and a classic good vs. evil climax that leaves several loose ends (unique, dangerous, and entertaining), this volume will leave readers clamoring for the next installment. Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

ALA Booklist (Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

The anticipated sequel to Beautiful Creatures (2009) picks up where the first book left off. After revealing some of the twists in their tangled relationship, Ethan and his otherworldly Caster girlfriend, Lena, must further delve into her fate. Will she be claimed by the Light or the Darkness? And what can Ethan do to help save her as her journey intensifies? The southern gothic atmosphere, several new characters, and the surprising fate of one old favorite will keep readers going until the next book, which promises new surprises as "18 moons" approaches.

Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Lena, grieving the loss of her uncle, Macon, disappears into the mysterious Caster tunnels with a just-as-mysterious supernatural guy. On his (extremely dangerous) quest to rescue her, Ethan learns secrets about his deceased mother, Macon, and himself. Like Beautiful Creatures, Darkness ends in an exciting Dark vs. Light face-off, but not enough questions are answered to make this volume entirely satisfying.