There Is a Door in This Darkness
by Kristin Cashore
Dutton Books, 2024. 372 pages.
Review written October 8, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review
It was a bit surreal to read this book a month before the 2024 election with Donald Trump running against Kamala Harris, because the events of the book mainly take place in the week of the 2020 election with Joe Biden running against Donald Trump. And they flashback at times to the 2016 election, very much with the sense of “Not again!” So let’s just say that the “Not again!” feeling was heightened for me, reading it now.
And let me stop right there and say that there’s absolutely no effort made to present a politically “balanced” perspective in this book. The book mostly calls Trump “the monster,” but at one point, if I remember correctly, he’s called “the pouting pustule.” (There was another colorful one that I don’t remember and couldn’t find after the fact. Wish I’d marked them!) I personally enjoyed reading about characters whose perspective pretty much matches mine. But if you’re a Trump fan, read this book only if you want an alternate perspective, not presented gently. Hey, you’ve been warned.
Beyond that, this book had a lot of nuance and warmth, exploring grief and friendship during the pandemic.
The book takes place in Boston during the pandemic, before and after the 2020 presidential election, featuring Wilhelmina, who graduated from high school the past June and now is taking a year off to help out her family during the pandemic. Her two younger siblings need monitoring for online school, and two elderly aunts are staying with their family. Her father has asthma, so they’re strictly wearing masks and being careful about where they go, and Wilhelmina feels a little overwhelmed by so many people in their small apartment.
On top of that, her two best friends, Judy and Bee, get to do things together, because their families are in the same pandemic bubble so their younger siblings in the same grade can do school together. Wilhelmina feels left out, but feels guilty for feeling left out.
And on top of that, Wilhelmina is still deeply grieving her third and favorite aunt, Aunt Frankie, who died a couple years ago and left her lots of wisdom – plus a great big hole in her heart.
And then, after she’s driven Aunt Margaret to an eye appointment, strange things start happening. Like a message coming down from the sky. And an elevator opening to the wrong place. And more. And these strange things throw her together with a guy named James whose parents own the donut shop in the same building as Aunt Margaret’s eye doctor. He has strange things happen, too. Is it some kind of message? What are they supposed to do?
The story is told at a leisurely pace that at first made me impatient, but soon had me savoring it. There are alternating chapters with the present – during election week – and the past, especially time Wilhelmina had with her three aunts, spending most summers with them in Pennsylvania.
It’s all very lovely, mostly Wilhelmina dealing with Frankie’s death, but with more themes woven in, including finding hope and seeing good even in people who voted for the monster.
The romance is gently and beautifully done. Not only is there no sex in this teen romance, but since it’s during the pandemic, there’s no kissing, either.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that Wilhelmina has a condition that causes her a lot of pain in moving her body. So that’s one more thing she’s dealing with.
Here’s how the book begins:
Frankie used to make the world shine, or at least that’s how Wilhelmina Hart remembered it.
This book is about how Wilhelmina learns to shine.
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Teen/there_is_a_door_in_this_darkness.html
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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.
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