The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Reviewed by Aimee

Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language:  Hell and damn are used frequently.  The “s” word is used a handful of times.  Other words are used like prick, sucks, perv, and screwed.  References to swearing are made.  “He swore,””she slurred a nasty name at me.”

Violence:  Daniel is abused as a child.  His father beats him regularly.  He has a fractured skull.  A lady is found dead with her throat ripped open.  Blood is found on the doorstep and a child is found missing.  Jude attacks Daniel, hitting him.  Jude is knocked to the ground.  Mangled bodies are turning up everywhere.  It is remembered how Jude was attacked and almost killed.  Gracie’s arms are pinned forcefully.  Gracie slams her fist into someone’s back.  Someone is stabbed in the side with a knife and bleeds.  Two wolves fight, tearing, ripping and biting.  There is blood.  A wolf is stabbed in chest with a silver knife.

Sexual Content:  Reference is made to “virgin eyes”.  The dancers are making gyrating movements.  A woman’s breasts lean against a man.  Gracie is standing in front of open window with a pink bra on.  Gracie and Daniel kiss.  Jude and April kiss.  Someone has their shirt off.  Daniel talks about using women.  There is more kissing.  “Anything that burned inside him was purely testosterone based.”  A man forces himself on Gracie, pinning her arms and kissing her.  He says, “I knew you would like it rough.”  Gracie finds Daniel naked.

Adult Themes:   Drug abuse, dealing drugs and alcohol use for under-aged kids are all part of this book.  There is fighting parents and child abuse.  The religious views of heaven VS hell are discussed.  Blame and guilt over a death is touched on.

Synopsis

Gracie is the daughter of the local pastor.  She and her family spend much time serving others and doing good deeds.  Gracie has always been bothered by the night Daniel left their family and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.  Daniel left without a word and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.  Then one day, Daniel shows up at school and Gracie is thrown into a confusing situation.  Her brother makes her promise to stay away from Daniel, but it just doesn’t seem right.  There are so many unanswered questions.  Gracie is drawn to Daniel and wants to help him.  But if she does, what will she lose?  Her brother?  Her family?  Her soul?

This is a paranormal read, with the teenage girl loving a werewolf boy.  It had a different angle with the girl being the daughter of a pastor.  I appreciated Gracie’s soft heart and desire to please people combined with a strength to make decisions based on what she felt was right.  I like the idea in the end that true, unselfish love, freely given, can change everything.  There was definitely a climatic buildup through the book with an ending that leaves you hanging.  My gripe?  Mostly the swearing.  Otherwise it was a compelling read.  School Library Journal give a recommended reading level of 9th grade and up.  Booklist says 7th -11th grade.  My opinion would be upper high school level reading based on language and sexual content.