Night Creatures book 2
a review by Nalini Haynes
Spoiler for Burn Bright, the first in the series.
Naif, also called Retra, is a teenager who, in the previous book Burn Bright, escaped from her home on the island of Grave to Ixion. Ixion appears to be the ideal world for teenagers; parties, drugs for those who want them and some who don’t, everything given to them including fresh clothes every day. As with everything, there is a price. At the close of Burn Bright, Naif discovered that the teenagers who are ‘withdrawn’ from Ixion society are absorbed by Night Creatures, the monsters who live in the dark on Ixion. The Night Creatures then become Ripers, the senior cast of beings on Ixion. Early in Angel Arias, Naif and her friends return to Ixion.
Naif and some of her friends escaped from Ixion at the close of Burn Bright, leaving to live on Ruzalia’s (the pirate’s) island. Ruzalia helps Naif and Markes return to Grave in an attempt to discover the link between Grave and Ixion. Their illicit journey into Grave reveals more to Grave society than they ever dreamed. Angel Arias is dystopian science fiction, set on another planet colonised by a number of disparate species.
Very much a coming of age story, Angel Arias follows Naif as she grows up and seeks to
free her friends. This is Logan’s Run for YA of the 21st century. Highly recommended to fans of young adult and dystopian fiction.
Originally published in Dark Matter issue 6, November 2011. This blog has been pre-dated to reflect the date of original publication.
