The efforts of the National Park Service to set up dark-sky preserves gives Bogard reason for optimism, and his conversations with outdoor lighting experts indicate that feasible energy-reducing approaches are available. What’s needed is awareness, which the author provides in an appealing, reader-friendly way.Īn engaging blend of personal story, hard science and a bit of history.Ī Peabody Award–winning NPR science reporter chronicles the life of a turn-of-the-century scientist and how her quest led to significant revelations about the meaning of order, chaos, and her own existence. Bogard fondly and movingly remembers times when night was really dark, but he fears that such experiences will be unknown to most of humanity. The loss, as he explains, is not merely an aesthetic or even a spiritual one artificial lighting may be having serious impacts on our health and on the environment. The author talked to researchers who see a link between lighting and cancer and to naturalists who note the impact of artificial outdoor lighting on other species, such as birds, bats and bees.
Among the places he visited are not only the cities of Las Vegas, Paris, Florence and New York, but also Walden Pond, small towns and remote places such as Death Valley, Chaco Canyon, the Canary Islands and the Isle of Sark. The kingdom of Kandala is so far away from our reality, and yet so very close.Ī captivating story with fully fleshed characters and a world that echoes our own, Defy the Night is a fine addition to Brigid Kemmerer’s enchanting collection.An ardent opponent of light pollution chronicles how the darkness of night is disappearing around much of the world, why that matters, and what can and should be done about it.īogard (Creative Nonfiction/James Madison Univ.) travels around the world to its brightest and darkest places, looking up at the night sky. This book can be seen as a companion piece to the anthology Let There Be Night: Testimony on Behalf of the Dark (2008), in which the author gathered 29 individual voices on the subject here, the voice is his own but with generous quotes from scientists and activists whom he has sought out in his travels. She may have started working on this novel prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, but current readers can’t help but draw the parallels which actually make the story even more relatable and enticing. In the acknowledgments at the end, Kemmerer admits that, despite the element of an illness devastating the world she created, this isn’t a pandemic book. There are quite a few action scenes included, but, thankfully for the intended YA audience, the book doesn’t feature too much heavily graphic violence. Still, a few twists and unexpected revelations keep things exciting, and there are many points throughout where readers will feel genuine worry for the safety of the characters-a sign of masterful immersive storytelling. The book flies along rapidly until Tessa’s arrival at the palace, after which it seems to become slower and doesn’t pick up again until the final quarter. The chemistry between Tessa and Corrick can’t be denied, and the interesting dynamic of forbidden love raises the stakes. The detailed world building makes Defy the Night an effective form of escape for readers, as does the enthralling love story. Corrick’s dialogue, in particular, feels natural and witty, helping to establish him as more than just the cruel King’s Justice.
#THE END OF THE NIGHT BOOK SKIN#
While Tessa shines as a brave and altruistic saviour of the people, Corrick seems to shed another skin with each passing chapter, revealing the complexities that make him so human. Kemmerer is truly skilled at creating real characters you can’t help but root for. One a lowly orphaned apothecary’s apprentice, and the other the ruthless younger brother of the king, Tessa and Corrick join forces to find a way to save the people while simultaneously preventing a bloody rebellion.
#THE END OF THE NIGHT BOOK SERIES#
After global success with her mega Cursebreaker series (which sprouted the beloved A Curse So Dark and Lonely) and several other young adult sensations, Brigid Kemmerer has blessed fans with Defy the Night, the first book of a highly anticipated new series.ĭual protagonists Tessa Cade and Prince Corrick of Kandala narrate their star-crossed story, set in a kingdom that is slowly being ravaged by a mystery illness.
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