The Dark Water

Gr 9 Up—In The Well's End (Putnam, 2014), Mia Kish fell down a well as a young child, forever changing her life. At the end of that first installment, she willingly dives into another well, once again altering her life as she and her friends discover an underground civilization. This work picks up right where the first book left off but takes a decidedly different turn. Instead of a thriller that takes Mia on the run from clandestine but terrestrial enemies, this book sees her and her friends in the middle of a civil war between clans of underground people, with all factions seeking to control The Source of the water. It is the only cure for a rapidly spreading viral outbreak aboveground that is killing everyone who comes in contact with it. Mia discovers she may be the only hope for both Topside and the newfound world below. Fishman builds on the momentum of his first entry, and the action comes even faster this time around. Readers learn much more about the Water and how Mia fits into its purpose, but unfortunately there is not much growth for the characters making the journey with her. Teens will find it easy to feel invested in Jimmy and Odessa's compelling adventure, but they won't find the other secondary protagonists' travails emotionally impacting. Still, readers will be eager to see where the series goes from here.