Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick

ISBN: 978-0-7613-6221-0
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (October 1, 2010)

336 p.

Reading Level: Grade 9^th to 12^th, a good book for reluctant readers.

 

 Summary:

Christian lives in Winter, Wisconsin, with his Uncle Hank, the small town’s sheriff. His mother and father disappeared when he was small, but clues and “visions” left by his mother make Christian think that his parents, his mother especially, are trapped in “the sideways place.” He’s a pariah at school because his classmates and the town in general believe he had something to do with his first grade teacher’s attempted suicide and his aunt’s death. As the story progresses, he realizes he has powers which bring out the darkness in a person. When Christian sleepwalks and paints swastikas on a barn belonging to the most distinguished member of the town, Christian realizes something is wrong. From there he starts to have waking nightmares where he is present during a horrific incident, through the eyes of a young Jewish boy. Delving into his town’s history, he learns of its past and how the community at large would rather that some matters never be looked into or talked about. What he learns throughout this masterfully crafted story will keep readers on the edge of their seats, clamoring for more.

 

Critical Evaluation:

The tone of this novel is one of constant foreboding because the suspense the reader feels in awaiting matters to be explained and resolved is a constant. Christian’s character progression is challenged at every turn by his peers and adults until he is able to connect with his therapist, Dr. Rainier, who finally helps him, if not understand, then at least face his demons, be they in his mind or in reality. As Sparks writes, this novel “brilliantly strikes a compelling balance between fantasy and contemporary fiction. Readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting to find out what happens next and will clamor for a sequel to follow Christian into the sideways place.” (Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/888205-312/draw_the_dark.html.csp). Not only does Christian uncover truths about himself, but he also uncovers dark truths about his town. His visions and his unintentional voyeurism in the past lead him to paint images of what he sees, such as swastikas, which constantly haunt him. I was not expecting this book to have the underlying theme of the need to look to the past in order to explain the present. A major lesson of this story is to not bury truths, for they have a way of getting out. One major lesson the author stressed, being a child of Holocaust survivors herself, is in the passage that states,

One thing we Jews need to remember is that life isn’t lived in the past. So many Jews define their Jewishness only around the Holocaust, but our history stretches for thousands of years. So we should remember, we shouldn’t forget, and we should abide by the past’s lessons, but we can’t remain there. (p. 329).

Learning and discovering the past is what made Christian into a stronger, braver soul. I hope there will be a sequel where he grows from a teen into an adult in his search for his parents.

Reader’s Annotation:

What is the cloying evil surrounding Winter, Wisconsin? What will Christian have to let go within himself to help those trapped in the past and the surrounding, antagonistic townsfolk?

Author Biography:

Ilsa J. Bick is the author of many short stories and novels, most notably for the long- running science-fiction series, Star Trek. Although this novel is her first young-adult book, she has been awarded the 2011 Westchester Fiction Award. Before she was a writer, she was a child/adolescent and forensic psychiatrist. Additionally, she holds a “degree in literature and film studies, and has presented and written widely on applied psychoanalysis and film.” (Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilsa_J._Bick).

Bick, on her website, answers reader’s questions and discusses what it’s like to be a Jewish minority in a small Midwestern town and the trials that she faced, big or small. As a Jewish woman myself who lived in the Midwest during junior high school, I can say that she paints a much kinder picture than I would be willing to offer, but she also seems to enjoy living in a small town.

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

Creative writing, a blend between suspense, horror, and history.

Booktalking Ideas:

-Discuss how it must have felt to be a Jewish person in a town in which the German POW camp helped relatives of your fellow townsfolk.

-How did the dark history of Winter impact the present day relations between Christian and the town along with Dr. Rainier and the townsfolk?

Read-Alikes:

-The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston.
-The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff.

Challenge Issue:

The level of violence and some of the language could theoretically be challenged,
but within the context and historical significance all of the scenes can stand on their own merit.

Reason to include in blog:

I admit that I picked this up because of the beautiful cover where a red barn stands prominently displayed, while a darkened yellow sky is in the background and the title bleeds in what appears to be black paint. Once I started reading it, though, I couldn’t put it down. It was such a suspensefully written book that I felt the need to jump ahead in order to see what was coming. The blend of horror and history is one that is not often seen, and I thought it would be a great recent title to add to this blog.

References:

Bick, I. J. (2010). Draw the dark. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Lab.

Bick, I. (n.d.).  Paperback writer: The online home for Ilsa J. Bick. Retrieved from

http://www.ilsajbick.com/?page_id=999

Ilsa J. Bick. (2011). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilsa_J._Bick

Sparks, L. (2010). Draw the dark. School Library Journal. Retrieved from

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/888205-312/draw_the_dark.html.csp