I HEART Lois Duncan Wrap-up and Down a Dark Hall Review

Well it's the last day of February, so that means the last day of I HEART Lois Duncan month.  I hope you were exposed to some of the great books she has written, and maybe you'll pick one up to read now!

I've had fun sharing her work with you.  And she has sooooo much more that I didn't highlight.  You know the movie Hotel for Dogs?  Um, she wrote the book! How cool is that to see how she has grown and changed throughout the course of her writing career.  That completely amazes me.  Please check out her website HERE and see all that she has done and continues to do.

Now for the final review.  My favorite book by her is Down a Dark Hall.  I tempted fate and reread it.  I'm always worried when I reread favorite books because what if they didn't stand the test of time.  I'm glad to say that this one did!

In case you don't know what it's about
Kit Gordy sees Blackwood Hall towering over black iron gates, and she can't help thinking, This place is evil. The imposing mansion sends a shiver of fear through her. But Kit settles into a routine, trying to ignore the rumors that the highly exclusive boarding school is haunted.
Then her classmates begin to show extraordinary and unknown talents. The strange dreams, the voices, the lost letters to family and friends, all become overshadowed by the magic around them.
When Kit and her friends realize that Blackwood isn't what it claims to be, it might be too late.

Why I Liked it at 14
Ok I admit, when I was that age I wanted to go to a private school.  And the look of that private school was just like that school that Kit went to.  And to top it off her "dorm" room was the best.  A canopy bed in red velvet! The best.  Ok, ok I liked it for more than that.  I remember it just totally creeping me out.  The idea of being stuck at Blackwood and not being able to leave and stop what was happening was just so frightening!

Why I Liked it Now
I still found it creepy, but in a new way.  As a mom the thought of my daughter going through that alone scared me in a whole new way.  Plus the isolation Kit felt really hit harder for me.  As the story went along I so clearer now alone she was.  The other girls slowly faded into their own worlds, and she was left to cope on her own.  I also appreciated more how the story was crafted.  Although things happened quickly, there was a believability to them because of the setting.  This house cut off from anything else, no phones - just allowed the events in the story to feel real and possible. Reading it now I was able to see the skill Duncan had crafting this story - pulling the reader in, scaring them but not going to far.  I was impressed.

Final thought: Even after 26 years I still HEART Lois Duncan!
Best-stick-with-you image:  The horrible painting
Best for readers who: like a bit of a scare
Best for readers: 12+

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Thanks everyone for joining in!