PG- Dark Is a Color (some v)

Lapka is the author of three young adult books: two based on the daughter of scientists who is taken to live on an alien planet where the sun never sets, and one about a girl's religious discoveries in Hawaii during her parent's divorce. Lapka's style includes a good blend of action and introspection; she is careful not to make her characters do highly improbable things (just slightly improbable), yet she doesn't leave them helpless, either. She includes Christian imagery and themes in her works, but they do not overwhelm the writing itself. In all, she is a good writer of young adult fiction who deserves more attention than she receives.

Caro didn't want to move to Clytie, but her scientist parents wanted to study the strange planet, so Caro and her little sister Becka are now living on a world where the sun never sets. As it circles around the sun, Clytie turns its face like a flower, always keeping one side light, the other dark. But Dark isn't just the absense of light- Dark is a Color, one that Caro and her closest friends are going to learn more about than they ever wanted to know after their parents disappear into the End region, the twilight side of Clytie. This young adult novel was surprisingly good, though a bit more violent and full of intrigue than one would normally expect. The 11-14 age range would probably appreciate it more than younger readers. The characters are convincingly drawn, the alien setting is different without being incomprehensible, and the plot is quite strong. Thematically, there are some strong Christian elements buried in the story, but they didn't seem to be overwhelming or irritating. Unfortunately, this book is currently out of print.

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