In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Post 1)

Books have always been a way for authors to communicate their thoughts to us through words on a page. In this novel there is showing of family feuds and the natural process of the world, with this tied with the realm of the supernatural much can be understood and linked with ours and other novels. I find is surprising that such a book book was written by a 13 year old and was published when she was 15. She helps me with my inspiration with my own writing that it may reach the markets one day.

"Aubrey is the only vampire I know who prefers using a knife to using his mind, teeth, or hands. I touch the scar I bear on my left shoulder, the scar given to me only a few days after I died, created by the same blade that took my brothers life. The scar that I swore, on the day it was dealt, to avenge, along with my brothers death." (Atwater-Rhodes, 78-79) Aubrey is actually the main characters undead brother, so here we are dealing with. Family feud between siblings, which most of us who have siblings can understand. Though I believe our feuds are not other our siblings killing someone but other small things like TV channels or who gets the last cookie. Like in such showings sibling rivalry exists, such as in Supernatural season 2 episode "Simon Says". In which what happens is there are two siblings, a good and bad twin per say, of which are in a rivalry. The bad twin kills their birth mother, their doctor, as well as his brother's girlfriend. The good twin is mad that the bad twin is killing these people and they come into a confliction, each trying to convince the other to join their side. In the end the good brother can't stand his brother and kills him with a shot to the head. May be in my novel the main character will kill her brother cause of the anger within her.

Also mentioned within the novels page is the worlds natural order which is, "the stronger will rule over the weak". We see examples of this everyday, small corporations going out of business cause of bigger companies, bullies harassing weaker kids at school, every big weeds choking out small flowers in a garden. "'The world is evil, Risika. Wolves hunt the stragglers in a group of deer. Vultures devour the fallen. Hyenas destroy the weak. Humans kill that which they fear. Survive and be strong, or die, cornered by your prey, trembling because the night is dark.'" (Atwater-Rhodes, 75) Risika's, the main character's, undead mother is telling her daughter about the order of the hunt. If she doesn't rise above her prey, she will be killed by her prey, meaning the humans will hunt her down and kill her. Through this speech we can tell her mother is unforgiving, a brute, and harsh. With these characteristics she is strong and she looks down on Risika as a weakling, who she will prey on. Perhaps Risika will rise up in power against her mother and take her down.

I believe that later in my novel Risika will rise into power over her own family and others and take them down. She may even be the vampire over lord of Aubrey's land, after she kill him.



The GoodReads page for In the Forests of the Night with back of the book, reviews ans ratings.
GoodReads for In the Forests of the Night 

The wiki page for In the Forests of Night with info on book, author, and series.
Wiki page for In the Forests of Night