The Gathering

by Isobelle Carmody, Peter Hardy (Read by)

Overview

Something is wrong at Cheshunt. Nathanial feels it the moment he arrives. It is not the model neighbourhood it appears to be—strange things happen, despite the curfew.

And soon Nathanial learns that his presence is no accident. As the dark calls its own, so does the light draw its champions, and Nathanial finds he must confront phantoms from his own past in his battle to stop the Gathering and its creator.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781489082695
Publisher:	Bolinda Audio
Publication date:	12/01/2015
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 6.75(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	12 - 14 Years

Editorial Reviews

Carmody, an Australian author previously unpublished here, is certain to ensnare readers with this superbly crafted novel. Her plot has all the ingredients of a supernatural horror tale: a new kid arrives in a strange, Stepford-like village and joins up with a group of fellow students who undertake a cosmic battle against a mysterious evil force. But Carmody transcends the genre by relating the story through an unusually lifelike narrator, and she gives it urgency by suggesting that its supernatural elements can be interpreted as symbols for the tensions and painful mysteries of ordinary life, the dark causalities between the sins of the past and present crises. The foreboding atmosphere achieves a nearly visceral intensity as Nathaniel, the narrator, describes ever more specific phenomena--a pervasive stench from the town slaughterhouse; the erratic behavior of his well-trained dog, who meets a grotesque fate; the uncanny similarities between the school principal and the charismatic dancing teacher of a previous generation. The suspense never slackens, and the resolutions of the many conflicts are powerfully wrought. Utterly riveting. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Carmody's first U.S. publication offers a story of suspense and horror, a timeless story of good versus evil-in this case, pitting children against adults. Nathaniel, dragged to Cheshut by his seemingly unsettled mother, senses immediately the darkness that envelopes the town but struggles to believe that evil can exist in such proportions. Blinded by their desire to create a safe place to raise their children and by their own disbelief in the reality of evil, the adults of the town, including Nathaniel's mother, are oblivious to the darkness that threatens them. Nathaniel and four other youths answer the "Call" to attempt a "Healing" by "Forging" their individual "symbols" into a "Chain." Carmody is a skillful storyteller, and her novel presents many opportunities to explore symbolism and metaphor. Beware, however: The Gathering is darkly disturbing and violent. Teaching it will require careful preparation. It is, nevertheless, worth the effort.

The ALAN Review - Lisa J. McClure

Gr 7-10-Vile odors, feral dogs, fascistic school monitors, and a demonic principal combine to convince Nathaniel, 15, that something is terribly wrong in his new town. As part of a class assignment, he probes into local history and discovers the shocking truth about the death of a school janitor years ago. The evil from that chilling incident still grips Cheshunt and is now rapidly gaining power. Nathaniel finds himself drawn to a group of misfits at school and they are soon involved in a struggle against the terrible forces that seek total control of the community. Suspense builds slowly and creates an atmosphere of grim foreboding. However, Nathaniel is the only one of the young people whose personality is distinct, and the fantasy elements in the plot are not fully developed. The principal is, of course, pure evil. The other adults are mostly unaware of the epic battle shaping up around them. Only when evil is about to triumph do the young people at last understand the true nature of their power. It is this last-minute insight, however, that makes the chilling climax a success. The message-that love, loyalty, and true friendship can conquer jealousy and hatred-will not be lost on readers. What will attract and hold them, though, are the superbly crafted elements of horror, which are the story's real strength.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC

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