Lead Me To The Dark by James Twyman is a thought-provoking tale of vampire lore and the ongoing battle between human beings and the supernatural. The book starts with an archaeological dig that has its funding cut short, but a mysterious discovery is made that could end up prolonging it. At the same time, protagonist Amy is struggling to balance her work life and being present and supportive to her terminally ill daughter. In addition, Marcus, a vampire, is working to stop the human race discovering their existence, and he has his sights set out on Amy to aid in that. The multiple narratives quickened the pace of the book and gave it an exciting feel. It felt like an action packed movie.
The book has you hooked from page one, it’s exceptionally edited, and I enjoyed how the editing made the prose run smooth and engaging. I was sucked into the vampire’s point of view and engrossed with their motivations. I struggled to put the book down as I was obsessed with the story.
This book is incredibly immersive, and James uses detailed imagery to depict each scene of the book play out. Scenes were graphic, action-based and thrilling. Despite the fantastical and mythical elements of the story it was also realistic. Amy’s strained relationship with her daughter, Lily, combined with her need to save Lily and try and get through the mess she has gotten herself into, was heart-wrenching. Amy starts off by not handling her grief in the best way that her daughter needs, but then evolves throughout the book to put her daughter first, even at the expense of everyone else. James shows the consequences of Amy’s actions and brings it all to a head towards the final chapters in an explosive finale. The underlying themes of the story have many complex layers. Amy appears to be doing everything she can for her daughter’s wellbeing and future, being the best mother she can be. However, this comes at the expense of a vast amount of other people’s wellbeing and safety. Who should get to decide who lives and who dies? James writes real world consequences blended with mythology beautifully, raising the stakes of the story whilst never faulting on entertaining. I enjoyed how James stomps over all your expectations in each scene, and the full on fighting and slaughtering was captivating and horrifying all wrapped into one.
I award 5 stars.