Darkened

Name: Darkened
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781951824013

✍️ Daniel Sacketos

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$24.99

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A high schooler survives a fatal accident in a haunted forest and gains supernatural power.

This novel explores the aftermath of a fatal forest incident through the eyes of Danny. It focuses on how an unexplained survival leads to a dark transformation and a quest for vengeance. The story connects a 1692 witchcraft execution to modern-day revenge, showing how history repeats itself in violent ways.

Key Themes

Witch's Creek legend Supernatural revenge Historical trauma

Literary Context

The narrative is set in the United States, specifically the town of Sherbrooke. It bridges the year 1692 with the present day, utilizing American folklore surrounding witchcraft trials and secluded forest settings to create a sense of isolated dread.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Nathaniel Hawthorne · Stephen King · Shirley Jackson · Poppy Z. Brite

👻

Ghost Stories

🏛 D.A.S Book 📅 2020 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781951824013

📝 Description: Darkened

Daniel Sacketos presents a horror narrative rooted in the 1692 tragedy of Sherbrooke. The story begins with the burning of an innocent young woman for witchcraft, which forever names the local forest Witch's Creek. This historical event casts a long shadow over the present day, where residents treat the legend as mere folklore. Danny, a high school student desperate to escape his hometown and its prejudices, finds himself trapped in the woods after a violent altercation with bullies. He should have died there. Instead, he returns home unscathed, though his injuries were clearly fatal. The text examines how this impossible survival alters Danny’s identity. He is no longer the victim of bullying but a vessel for something sinisterly supernatural. The narrative follows his descent into revenge against those who wronged him. Sacketos draws on gothic traditions of haunted landscapes and the blurred line between divine intervention and dark forces. The book suits readers who enjoy stories about moral corruption and the consequences of past sins. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted supernatural tales or clear resolutions. The plot relies heavily on the specific geography of Sherbrooke and the legend of Witch's Creek. Sacketos establishes a tone of creeping dread rather than sudden shock. The structure moves from historical exposition to present-day action, linking the past tragedy directly to Danny’s current transformation. This approach grounds the supernatural elements in a tangible, albeit cursed, setting.

💎 Our verdict on Darkened

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Sacketos effectively crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread, leveraging the specific geography of Sherbrooke to anchor his supernatural elements in tangible history. The narrative skillfully parallels the 1692 witchcraft executions with modern bullying, creating a thematic resonance that elevates the plot beyond simple horror tropes. The protagonist’s impossible survival serves as a potent metaphor for the corrosive nature of vengeance. While the structure relies heavily on historical exposition to build context, it successfully establishes a tone of inevitable doom. This title best suits readers who enjoy complex moral ambiguities and gothic settings where the past actively haunts the present, rather than those seeking light supernatural fare or clear resolutions.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate the slow-burn tension of gothic horror and the thematic weight of historical repetition will find this narrative compelling. It appeals to those interested in how past sins manifest in present-day violence, offering a dark exploration of moral corruption. The book is ideal for enthusiasts of psychological terror who enjoy stories where the landscape itself holds memory and malice. Those seeking visceral revenge plots intertwined with supernatural elements will appreciate the protagonist’s transformation from victim to vessel of vengeance. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of ignoring local legends and the destructive power of unresolved trauma.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Sacketos effectively crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread, leveraging the specific geography of Sherbrooke to anchor his supernatural elements in tangible history. The narrative skillfully parallels the 1692 witchcraft executions with modern bullying, creating a thematic resonance that elevates the plot beyond simple horror tropes. The protagonist’s impossible survival serves as a potent metaphor for the corrosive nature of vengeance. While the structure relies heavily on historical exposition to build context, it successfully establishes a tone of inevitable doom. This title best suits readers who enjoy complex moral ambiguities and gothic settings where the past actively haunts the present, rather than those seeking light supernatural fare or clear resolutions.