Starting the Next Chapter: Review

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: March 2005
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 330
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

The Midnighters of Bixby, Oklahoma, know that their town is full of secrets. These five teenagers are the only ones who know about the mysterious hour at midnight when the world freezes, except for them and the creatures that inhabit the darkness.

But they do not know why earlier generations of Midnighters all disappeared, or why they are now the only Midnighters in town. As they learn more about the secret hour's twists and turns, they uncover terrifying mysteries woven into the very fabric of Bixby's history, and a conspiracy that touches both the midnight hour and the world of daylight.

At the same time, the Midnighters' own secrets start to emerge, including some that were never meant to come to light, changing the fragile dynamics among the five.

This time Jessica Day is not the only Midnighter in mortal danger, and if the group can't find a way to come together, they could lose one of their own — forever.

A story of courage, shadowy perils, and unexpected destiny, the secret hour is the first volume of the mesmerizing Midnighters trilogy by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

Though I had to stop and start many times (work, sleep, life, etc) I read this book quickly. The more I learn about the individual Midnighters, the more I'm interested in their fate.

Des is still my favorite character. There was a lot going on with her in through most of this book, so that was great. It became less from her perspective toward the end, but the action in the plot didn't really concern her, so while I missed her, I understood the necessity. Unlike the others, who are coupled up somewhat, Des is her own person, even before all the mess with Jessica. She continues to be herself, but I found it interesting how she reacted to Madeline and what Madeline's existence (or lack-there-of) in Bixby meant.

The dynamics between Melissa and Rex changed through this story and I found myself liking them more. Though I probably wouldn't want to be super-close with Melissa, she did grow as a character, which is always fun to watch. That didn't mean she stopped being Melissa, but I understood her better. And while Rex was still pretty neutral, what happens to him in this book makes me want to read more about him to see how he's dealing and what the changes in him mean for the group. More character growth expected.

Another character that grew was Jessica. I mentioned in the review for The Secret Hour that she seemed a tad out of character while with Jonathan. This quirk continued, but the way it played out in this book seemed more like growth and less like OOC-ness. While she was still fairly flat while near Des, Melissa, and Rex, possibly because they are each strong personalities, she was consistent in being bold around Jonathan. Jessica's relationship with her sister, Beth, also played into this story, which was a great way to learn about both of them. I think Jessica may actually be less passive than I originally thought and is only really herself when comfortable, which seemed to be only when Beth or Jonathan were involved. I also liked seeing how her midnight power affected her, which was interesting considering my view of her. There were very subtle hints about something being off with Jessica, something about her eyes, and these hints were in the first book also. I'm anticipating what that means, hoping I'm not reading too much into it.

Jonathan is steady through this book, not really changing any but having a couple hero moments. Beth was a great addition. Madeline was a completely new character and her story along with the new revelations about the darklings and the humans that work with them was both interesting and sad.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Touching Darkness, even more than The Secret Hour, it's not one of those series that just carries me away. Maybe I'm just picky. It might be that Westerfeld ties up all the loose ends at the end of one book and starts new ones at the beginning of the next, so the flow of the series doesn't compel you to find the next book. Or it might be that the world of these books is so similar to our own that I don't really find myself engrossed. Still, I am impressed with what Westerfeld is doing in this series and really loving the characters. I also have high hopes for the trilogy's conclusion, Blue Noon, and will be reading it as soon as I can.