GUEST WRITER KAYLEE MILLEN RECOMMENDS ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK BY CHRIS WHITAKER
This story follows a thirteen-year-old pirate and the beekeeper who saves his life. Patch is a one-eyed, headstrong kid looking to make his mark. Feeling invisible in his small Missouri town, Patch stumbles on a chance to be the hero when he spots local girl Misty being kidnapped in the woods. Attempting to save her, Patch is knocked unconscious. He wakes in the dark, far from the woods, far from home, not knowing if he’ll ever make it back again.
Devastated by his disappearance, Patch’s best friend, Saint, vows to find him. Little does she know her commitment to saving him will last a lifetime.
“Saint wanted to ask what it was like, to lose the thing that defined you. But perhaps she knew: it left you someone else. A stranger you had no choice but to tolerate, and see each day and feel and fear.” – All the Colours of the Dark, Chris Whitaker
My favourite read of 2024, All the Colours of the Dark, explores themes of loyalty and hope, and how they are both power and poison. This dual-perspective novel shows us the all-consuming bond between Patch and Saint over the course of 25 years. Despite being a dark thriller, there is love and light that bring dimension to this serial mystery. This novel is perfect for teens ready to explore contemporary mystery thrillers while seeking the depth and character development of literary fiction. Author Chris Whitaker writes like he’s falling, like we’re all falling. The ground is closing in faster and faster, but we can’t help hoping someone will catch us, or maybe that the ground won’t be so bad.
Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping, murder, and domestic abuse
Kaylee Millen is a B.Ed student at UNB. She loves pottery, her dogs, and books that make her cry. She hopes to get her future E.L.A. students to read books that make them cry, too.