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A review by nickthebooktoker
Timberdark by Darren Charlton
3.0
Timberdark is the sequel and concluding part to Darren Charlton's YA zombie/romance novel Wranglestone. It picks up where we left Peter and Cooper, who must now deal with their transition to modern life after living away from civilisation for so long.
The most notable thing for me is a distinct change in pace from the first novel. Whilst the events of Wranglestone develop quickly, sometimes perhaps to its detriment, Timberdark has the opposite problem—not enough action and a distinctly slower pace. In a way, this is fitting, as the boys start working mundane jobs, trying to adapt to the banality of the modern life that is simply reality for us readers. However, this does make the story less engaging and the stakes seem much lower than the first book.
As the story develops, Charlton really hones in on an anti-capitalist agenda, which makes sense but feels heavy-handed. Whilst we had hints of this in the previous novel, Charlton really spells it out for us in Timberdark, particularly with a monologue towards the end of the novel. It's an interesting take, and fitting for a dystopian novel because it encourages us to question whether our reality is the real dystopia (as corny as that may sound). All in all, I'm glad this social commentary is developed but could have been executed with more nuance.
One thing Charlton gets right is Peter and Cooper's romance. The way he describes the experience of being in love, even when there are challenges, feels raw and real. It's just unfortunate that the main conflict is a drawn-out mystery that finally unravels in an almost non-sensical fashion, with characters making assumptions and revelations that didn't make much sense to me. This time around, the novel's strength definitely lies in the romance—and it's what you will be rooting for by the end of the book.
Many thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for providing me with a Digital Review Copy.
The most notable thing for me is a distinct change in pace from the first novel. Whilst the events of Wranglestone develop quickly, sometimes perhaps to its detriment, Timberdark has the opposite problem—not enough action and a distinctly slower pace. In a way, this is fitting, as the boys start working mundane jobs, trying to adapt to the banality of the modern life that is simply reality for us readers. However, this does make the story less engaging and the stakes seem much lower than the first book.
As the story develops, Charlton really hones in on an anti-capitalist agenda, which makes sense but feels heavy-handed. Whilst we had hints of this in the previous novel, Charlton really spells it out for us in Timberdark, particularly with a monologue towards the end of the novel. It's an interesting take, and fitting for a dystopian novel because it encourages us to question whether our reality is the real dystopia (as corny as that may sound). All in all, I'm glad this social commentary is developed but could have been executed with more nuance.
One thing Charlton gets right is Peter and Cooper's romance. The way he describes the experience of being in love, even when there are challenges, feels raw and real. It's just unfortunate that the main conflict is a drawn-out mystery that finally unravels in an almost non-sensical fashion, with characters making assumptions and revelations that didn't make much sense to me. This time around, the novel's strength definitely lies in the romance—and it's what you will be rooting for by the end of the book.
Many thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for providing me with a Digital Review Copy.