In Darkness
by Nick Lake
Trapped under the rubble of the 2010 Haitian earthquake, 15-year-old Shorty looks back upon his life so far. Growing up in the slums of Haiti, his experiences have been characterised by extreme violence, poverty and loss, but he does not lose hope that he will be rescued from the darkness and rubble that now surrounds him.
Shorty’s story is juxtaposed with that of 18th-Century Haitian leader Toussaint l’Ouverture who led the island’s slave population in a rebellion against the French. Like Toussaint, two hundred years later, Shorty is looking for freedom.
This disturbing portrayal of the harsh realities of life for both the 18th and 21st-Century inhabitants of Haiti, does not make for easy reading. However, Lake’s depiction of the deprivations experienced by generations of Haitians makes this a deeply thought-provoking and very memorable novel.
Publisher: Bloomsbury
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Nick Lake
Nick Lake was born in Britain but grew up in Luxembourg, where his father worked for the European Parliament. Nick works in publishing by day and writes in every spare moment he can find. In 2012, his powerful and moving novel In Darkness, about the Haitian earthquake, was published for adults and older teenagers, receiving huge acclaim. Hostage Three is his very different but equally powerful second novel for teenagers. Nick lives near Oxford with his wife and family. His long commute to work gives his imagination time to explore places he's never visited.
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Reading Age: 15+
Interest level: 15+
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