Nightshade City: an unexpected world

   

 From the very beginning of the book Nightshade City the tone and narration is very mysterious. You are thrown into a strange world, not knowing what is going on. The prologue especially leaves you with many questions about the story, such as who are the characters in the prologue are and when it takes place in the timeline. These are some of the questions that made me want to keep reading to find the answers. The curiosity and mystery in the book is one of the main reasons this book is a very fun read.

    The first two characters you are introduced to after the prologue are Victor and Vincent, two brothers. The brothers, after many pages of subtle description can be concluded to be intelligent and dynamic rodents, on the run from a underground society governed by rats. Even in the first chapter the author is able to humanize rats and make them seem almost just like us. Over time, it is revealed through context clues that this underground rat society lies directly beneath a city inhabited by humans, or Topsiders as they are called by the rat society. The city is the source of all of their food and the rats strange names for human objects or festivals, immerse you into the viewpoint of the rats. The story Nightshade City is told in third person, and does not focus solely on one character. The narrator frequently jumps between characters both bad and good, either introducing a new one, or continuing the storyline of a familiar character. The narrator helps express thoughts and goals each characters has, hinting at the possibility of character narratives coming together. The book's hinting and mystery leave you in anticipation, waiting for the next intriguing missing detail the book will throw at you.

    When two main characters, Victor and Vincent, are first introduced they are found running from the authorities in an attempt to avoid being drafted into Killdeer's Kill Army. The two brothers barely escape with their lives and flee to Topside, the rat word for above-ground, when the younger brother Victor questions why they are escaping. Vincent recalls his promise to their parents to protect Victor after they were separated during a flood that devastated Nightshade City and assures him that their parents would not have wanted them to join the Kill Army. This scene sets up the story nicely and hints at multiple adventures ahead for the brothers, one being to reunite with the rest of their family. The other being that the brothers see their escape as a sign that they must make a change in Nightshade City by revolting against the cruel leaders in power. The hinting and foreshadowing in the story set the scene for an exciting adventure to bring justice in an unexpected world.

    Although rats are often thought of as vermin, I think this story is a good reminder through the personification of rats, of the big impact humans have on our environment as well as the effect humans have on animals, which is frequently shown throughout the story. The thrilling and peculiar plot, and the stunning artwork helps paint a detailed image of the setting and characters, and helps immerse the reader even more into the story. I would highly recommend this book to readers who like an adventurous plot as well as fascinating fictional storytelling that will keep you reading.