Whether the darkness is corrupting and tempting them into violence and anger or whether it’s the banal consequence of being trapped within the town’s limits is never fully explained. Later on in the novel, it is suggested that sudden outbursts of anger between Robbie and his girlfriend along with all the chaos and violence throughout the town is the result of the darkness’ pressence in their minds. In one early scene when Robbie and his friends approach the edge of town, the darkness shows them apparent hallucinations or illuisions that take the form of each characters loved ones that have passed away. However, that doesn’t lessen the threat that it posses to Robbie and the rest of Walden. Instead it is an ambigous presence in the form of the darkness. Unlike most novels, there is no tangiable villian in the novel. Their attempts have varying degrees of failure and minor sucesses. They also attempt to find out the cause/origin of the darkness and whether the rest of the world exists beyond it. The main plot of the novel focuses on Robbie, his friends, and an assortment of fellow citizens, trying to find a way past the darkness. The fact that he’s not some over the top action hero or natural born leader or jackass makes the narration made him a likeable character as well as a believable one. He’s an ‘every man’ for the most part, albeit a bit of a stoner, who’s thrust into extradordinary situation when the darkness arrives in town. He has loyalty to his lfriends and to a greater extent the town of Walden. He’s an average guy, delivery boy I think, who’s simply trying to get through life with his girlfriend much like every other 20-something. What drew me into the story was the personality of the narrator, Robbie.
This is the first book I’ve ever read by Brian Keene.
The darkness not only poses a physical threat if anyone attempts to leave town, it also has a strange and dangerous effect on the minds of the citizens of Walden. Premise: One day the citizens of Walden wake up to find their town in perpetual darkness and with no way to communicate with the outside world. Darkness on the Edge of Town by Brian Keene
0 kommentar(er)
