Darkness Before Dawn

Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon Draper

This book completes the Hazelwood High trilogy. In Forged by Fire, we met Andy, his closest friends and his girlfriend Keisha. Their teenage world is rocked when Andy and his basketball buddies decide to go out drinking and Andy gets behind the wheel of a car. Andy’s best friend, Rob, dies when Andy hits a retaining wall head on.

In Tears of a Tiger, we met Gerald, his mom and his half-sister, Angel. Gerald happens to be a peer of Andy although not in Andy’s close circle of basketball friends. In this book, we learn more about the child ,neglected and abused, that became the teenage Gerald from the first book.

It Darkness Before Dawn, Andy’s girlfriend, Keisha takes center stage, but characters from the previous novels are still present and lending their support. They are still reeling from the effects of Rob’s death and Andy’s suicide. Gerald and his incoming, freshman, sister, Angel, are also recovering from abuse suffered.

If that were not enough, now Keisha must suffer some more.

Andy’s death has left hollow place in Keisha’s life. She had known Andy since kindergarten, and she is not prepared to fill that hollow spot with another boy. She intends to attack her senior year at Hazelwood High with gusto, ace her tests, and apply to colleges. Because her best friend Rhonda is seriously dating Andy’s friend, Tyrone, Keisha ends up being a third wheel much of the time. She fills her days by spending time with Monty, Andy’s seven-year-old brother. And she spends time with Rob’s younger sister, Joyelle. These three form the group of kids most affected by the teenage deaths the previous year. They support each other

Keisha thinks she is not ready to love again until Jonathon Hathaway shows an intense interest in her. Jonathon is Hazelwood High’s principal’s son and new cross country coach. He is a college man, mature and worldly. He is traveled and educated. And he makes Keisha feel like a woman rather than a high school girl. She should realize something is wrong when she feels compelled to start sneaking around.

This book reads a lot like the teen romances I read in high school like Fifteen by Beverly Cleary. There are two boys and one is wrong and one is right but the heroine never knows which one to choose even though the reader is privy to important information. As an adult I think, why can’t the heroine see it coming… the danger lights are glaring in her face.

This book also reminds me of an after school special. It covers rape, anorexia, death, suicide, abuse, molestation, alcohol and homelessness. It is a bit overwhelming for one group of kids. And it comes with study questions at the back. I’ll add that a rape doesn’t actually occur. Keisha fights back to survive – rather easily I might add. This is not a graphic novel. But definitely meant for teenagers.

The book’s target audience is reluctant readers and more specifically African Americans. However, other than the character’s names, it doesn’t feel decidedly African American. It does not feel inner city. Gerald seems to be the only inner city character. The rest feel suburban and privileged. Not to say that there are not privileged African Americans, but I don't think they would gravitate to this kind of book.

I understand that the book is used in high school literature classes. I would say definitely not college prep because it sure doesn’t read like literature.