The Other Side of Dark

Sarah Smith

Nov 2010 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Katie Mullens is known as the weird kid. Dead dad. Dead mom. Loner. Maybe crazy. Always drawing in her sketch pad, and she talks to herself—or at least that’s what it looks like. But Katie is talking to real people…they’re just dead. Law Walker is drawn to Katie when he sees the sketch she’s made of a historic home—the way it looked before it burned. Law soon discovers that Katie’s sight goes beyond death, and what she sees reveals the strange, twisted history of a famous Boston family’s connection to the illegal post-emancipation slave trade.

Past, present. Living, dead. Black, white. This is a powerhouse debut about ugly histories, unlikely romances, and seeing people—alive and otherwise—for who they really are.

Ratings and reviews

The themes of this book of are those of loss, family, romance, and mystery. Sarah Smith combines ghosts and historical facts in the story to make it even more interesting, and it goes along perfectly with the themes. Katie, the main character, lost her mother, and now is able to see ghosts. Law, the other main character, is African American, his father wants to control everything in his life, even what he wants to do when he grows up, he then meets Katie again and becomes involved in the mystery behind Pinebank, a house that is about to be demolished, but has a secret and should be saved. When the two of them come together, they learn to be brave and stand up for themselves. Also, Smith balances the themes as the story continues. The mystery becomes more intense as the story progresses, Katie and Law discover that there is a chest hidden in Pinebank, and they want to know what is inside it, as they try to find a way to get it, their lives become more complicated. Katie has to deal with people thinking she is weird and perturbed because of what she draws and Law’s dad has nothing better to do than talk about reparations for slaves and forcing him to write about that for a speech. As this is happening Katie and Law realize they have feelings for each other but do not know if the other feels the same way. Smith incorporates historical facts in the story in such a way that it does not make the story boring, it brings excitement to it. She talks about the Underground Railroad, Law Olmsted and many more people who were opposed to slavery, creating the story more thrilling. Something that could have been better is the way she explained Katie’s past. It took to long for her to do so and was left inconclusive. I recommend this book completely. Romance and mystery go along perfectly in the story. The paranormal content is even more exciting, giving the story a dark mood and scenery.

The story was so intricate and powerful. Being both white and black myself, I really resonated with how Law felt. I found myself experiencing all of the same emotions as the characters. That of course is due in huge part to the author's writing. I couldn't put the book down. I read it in a day!

About the author

Sarah Smith has a BA and PhD in English Literature from Harvard University. She is the author of a three-novel mystery series set in turn of the century Boston and Paris. This is her YA debut. She lives in Brookline, Massachusetts. Visit her online at sarahsmith.com.