Review: Darker Still

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1)

By Leanna Renee Hieber

Published November 8th, 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

317 pages

4 stars - Intriguing Read!!

I was obsessed.

It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen--everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable...utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.

There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.

I've crossed over into his world within the painting, and I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked--bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still.

Review:

This was quite an intriguing and thrilling, if not creepy, book. I've already found the second book in the series and am eager to start it. I really enjoyed the main character, Natalie. She's mute so you read the book through her diary entries. Darker Still pulls you into a world where evil things lurk about and very attractive guys are found inside paintings. You won't want to pass this one up.

Natalie is mute but she isn't stupid, in fact, she's brilliant and incredibly brave. Most of her life Natalie has been treated as if she was weird or dumb until she meets Mrs. Northe, an interesting and different woman, who treats her with respect. But after meeting Mrs. Northe and taking a look at the beatiful painting of a Lord Denbury, Natalie's life changes forever. From then on Natalie enters the world of magic, spirits, evil and love. 

I really enjoyed the characters, especially Mrs. Northe and Lord Denbury. I felt bad for Natalie because of her past and what she's had to go through. But throughout the book, Natalie matures and figures out who she is. She becomes stronger and braver and it was enjoyable to watch her through her journey. Mrs. Northe was incredible and a strong woman, someone I would like to know. The relationships between the characters were great and some very interesting. The whole idea of the painting and the evil spirits was captivating and, at times, creepy. I also enjoyed the diary entries and the articles from the newspaper or the letters from different characters. The whole book felt like something different and something unique. 

Darker Still is definitely a thrilling and unique book that will have you cheering for Natalie and the rest of the characters in their fight against evil. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and finding out what awaits the characters  I definitely recommend you check this book out!

Vanessa