Dark Sons (YA)

Dark Sons. Nikki Grimes. 2005. Hyperion. 218 pages.

A few weeks ago, I reviewed Nikki Grimes' A Girl Named Mister, a verse novel about how a Christian teen handles her pregnancy by taking comfort from Mary's story.

Dark Sons, like A Girl Named Mister, is a verse novel. It stars a young man, Sam, who is struggling to accept his new reality. His father has left his mom. His dad has fallen in love with a white woman--a young woman--and he is starting a new life, a new family.

Dark Sons is about his struggling to make peace between his past and present. How the father he loved and respected and admired goes missing. How he feels about his father marrying again. How he feels about having a half-brother, David. Where does Sam belong? Has this divorce displaced him forever? Or will he find a place to belong in this new home?

Sam may be confused, but he never falters in his faith. He holds onto his belief in God. He sees God as his Father. The one Father who will never fail him. He identifies with Ishmael's story.

Dark Sons is a verse novel. The book alternates between a modern story (Sam) and an ancient story (Ishmael).

Child of Promise

Long awaited.
Twice promised.
Heir of Canaan.
Born of Sarah.
Son of miracles.
The one intended.
The son
who is
not me. (75)

Newly available in paperback from Zondervan. I really liked this one. I liked both narrators. I liked seeing the bible story through fresh eyes. I liked the poetry.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews