I intended to leave a bit of time between the Dark is Rising series, but I was just too keen to revisit this series so I picked up The Dark is Rising, the second in the series (and from which the series derives its title) and promptly got absorbed into the story.

The Dark is Rising shifts in tone and changes main characters, which could make it a shock to those used to the “Enid Blyton with Magic” feel of Over Sea, Under Stone. In The Dark is Rising, Will learns (the day before his 11th birthday) that he is an Old One, part of a magical group of people engaged in a struggle with the dark. Due to his unique status, he’s immediately launched into a key battle against the Dark and tasked to gather the six signs of power.

Will was an interesting character. I can see how, if we’re not privy to his side of the story, he does seem like an eleven-year-old with whims and fancies, but at the same time, Will does appear very mature for his age. At times, his actions seem to come from impulses older than himself – sometimes that makes him feel less realistic (like, he’s saying things he himself doesn’t know where it comes from), but mostly it underscores the gravity of his position.

The term “Old One” was an apt one for Will because of his maturity and also because the book seems to be much darker and less suitable for young children compared to the first in its series. Or maybe I shouldn’t say “less suitable”, I should say “more likely to frighten” because there’s nothing wrong with a bit of a fright while reading, right? I felt like the Drew children got to enjoy their holiday while going on their quest, while Will was immediately thrust into a dangerous world. The stakes have definitely been raised here and while we see Merriman again, he doesn’t play as protective a role as before.

The plot of The Dark is Rising is centred around the twelve days of Christmas, with the Dark gaining power as the season passes. Here, the excitement of snow quickly passes and begins to feel threatening and I know I’m repeating myself but this book is definitely more exciting because it’s more dangerous.

At the same time, Cooper doesn’t skimp on the mythology. In fact, I think she might have packed in more reference to the various myths, with references to a mysterious lady, Herne the Hunter, Wayland the Smith, as well as old Christmas traditions. I definitely did not catch them all and I imagine that it might be fun to one day really immerse myself in the British myths and then try to figure out all the influences that are in this book (or even series).

Overall, this was a fun read. I was definitely surprised at how different this book was from the first, and I can’t quite guess/remember what the rest of the books are like. I suppose I’ll find out more soon – unless someone can recommend me a few books on Arthurian legends and British myths that I can read before continuing the series!

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