Review: Dark Inside

Dark Inside (Dark Inside #1)
by Jeyn Roberts
Published September 2, 2011 by Macmillan Children's Books
Amazon | Book Depository

Since the beginning of mankind, civilizations have fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs...and now us. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening: An ancient evil has been unleashed, and it's turning everyday people into hunters, killers, and crazies. This is the world Mason, Aries, Clementine, and Michael are living in--or rather, trying to survive. Each is fleeing unspeakable horror, from murderous chaos to brutal natural disasters, and each is traveling the same road in a world gone mad. Amid the throes of the apocalypse and clinging to love and meaning wherever it can be found, these four teens are on a journey into the heart of darkness--and to find each other and a place of safety.

  ♥♥♥

When I started this I thought I was getting into another post-apocalyptic zombie novel and I was in a way, but these zombies are so much more. It all starts with massive earthquakes destroying the West coast of North America and East Asia, but the trouble is only beginning here. Immediately following the natural disasters people become homicidal killing strangers, friends even family members. These people, later termed Baggers, are overtaken by a darkness that is seen by veins in their eyes and at first only seem to kill, but it turns out there is a lot more this darkness inside them.

The way the chapters are split up with each character and one unknown character, left me wanting to skip around and cheat to see what happens next, I’m so glad I didn’t give in though because the way the four main teenagers come together was wonderfully done. It all starts out with the four teens in varying locations struggling to understand what is happening and just to survive to the next day. This left me with a continual feeling of dread waiting for the next terrible thing to happen, but what really stood out in this was the feelings each of these characters went through just to decide if they wanted to try and keep surviving to see the next obstacle.

I think the next book I’ll read will be a bit more cheerful, but I am really looking forward to starting Rage Within and recommend this book, and hopefully series, to those that enjoy apocalypse and zombie novels that are looking for a new book to read.