The Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick
Arcadia > December 23rd, 2004, 08:14 PM
The Book of Dead Days
by Marcus Sedgwick
Review by Arcadia
Fifteen years ago, the magician Valerian made a pact with an unnamed evil. Now the time for reckoning is fast approaching, New Year’s Day. Valerian’s assistant is a teenager called Boy. Valerian gives Boy shelter and food, but he treats Boy very badly with beatings and cruelty. Willow is a teenaged girl who befriends Boy. Together they frantically try to help Valerian find a special book that is supposed to contain a secret that will save Valerian from the consequences of his pact.
The atmosphere is threatening and chilling. Boy is a sympathetic character, and the single-minded Valerian is believable. Sedgwick has created a suspenseful and fascinating story that changes direction almost as much as the maze of canals underneath London. The ending, however, was very disappointing. It was too abrupt and left too many questions unanswered, in a setup for the sequel most likely. As much as I enjoyed reading the book, for the atmosphere especially, the ending would deter me from reading it again.
Nevertheless, I would recommend reading The Book of Dead Days not only for the atmosphere but also for the complexity of the plot and the interesting characters.
The book is recommended for ages 10 and up, and I feel that adults would enjoy it, also.