So what was I going to make of Dark Parties? I knew it would be well-written but would the story hold me? Would I be there alongside the protagonists, experiencing their every fear, hope, desire? Would I suspend cooking dinner because I just had to read the next chapter?
Would I be able to write a review without sleepless nights wondering how it would be received by the author, and dare I say it, the publisher, too?
Well, the answer, dear reader, is YES, and for that I owe Sara a huge vote of thanks. And so does the world of YA dystopias.
But enough of the gushing. What's it all about?
Sixteen year old Neva and her best friend, Sanna, are rebels. They live in a society encircled by an electrified dome called the Protectosphere, and have been raised to believe that everything beyond the dome is wasteland and danger. But the society was never big enough to sustain itself and now resources are running out and people are dying.
The girls want out. They want more freedom. They don't want to be married off at 16, serving their country by making babies. So, along with their boyfriends and some of their other friends, they make a vow of chastity.
The novel opens with a secret party where they've blacked out all the windows and sealed round the doors to achieve absolute darkness. This is a Dark Party and it plunges us immediately in the sexually charged, dangerous world of these teen rebels. The darkness provides endless opportunities for illicit couplings but they've all made that vow of celebacy. The air seems to bristle with sexual frison but Neva is determined not to break the rule. One half of her is thrilled at the prospects offered and wants to explore them fully. The other half is fearful. Will she risk her chastity? What might happen?
In the event what happens is she kisses her best friends' boyfriend, and all sorts of problems ensue.
This is a fast paced, plot twisting story. Neva starts to take the rebellion to the next level. Then friends disappear and she fears they have joined the list of the Missing. As the story progresses the plot and the sexual tension increase together. Sara effortlessly guides us through the whole thing, throwing twists at surprising moments and laying on the agony for Neva until you can't believe she will ever be free.
And then comes the final twist, and it's one you won't anticipate.
There are unanswered questions at the end and there is no doubt that Sara has left open the options for a sequel. Let's hope it comes soon. The world of YA dystopia needs more books like this.
The lovely folk at Indigo Books sent me a review copy. If you want one for yourself please buy it via the link below and then Amazon will contribute a small amount to the maintenance of this blog.
