Servants of the Storm

Gr 9 Up—A year after Hurricane Josephine wreaked havoc on Savannah, Georgia and claimed her best friend Carly's life, Dovey is still trying to come to grips with that horrible night and its aftermath. Believing that she recently spotted Carly at one of their old haunts, the protagonist stops taking the medication that has kept her numb to her surroundings and grief. All around her, Dovey begins to see that all is not well in her city and a pervasive demonic presence has taken over her school, town, and even family. She joins forces with otherworldly Isaac, who has secrets of his own, and boy-next-door Baker to save Carly from being enslaved by a demon for eternity. Dawson infuses her Savannah setting with dark corners and an eerie atmosphere in this Southern Gothic tale. The author also excels at world-building, creating an intriguing mythology around demons, their servants, and natural disasters. Details about Savannah's underbelly and its tourist trappings, along with a realistic portrayal of its diversity is also refreshing. However, unreliable narrator Dovey and the cast of secondary characters never rise above their caricature status, and the unresolved conclusion lacks punch. Only patient readers will make it through to the last few chapters and will most likely feel cheated by the effort.—Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal