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The Other Side of Dark

by Sarah Smith (Goodreads Author)

3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 · rating details · 358 ratings · 83 reviews

Since losing both of her parents, fifteen-year-old Katie can see and talk to ghosts, which makes her a loner until fellow student Law sees her drawing of a historic house and together they seek a treasure rumored to be hidden there by illegal slave-traders.

Law Walker knew Katie Mullens before she was crazy. Before her mother died. Law knows Katie’s crazy now, but she’s alw...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published November 2nd 2010 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

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Community Reviews

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Jan 31, 2011 Brodie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to win The Other Side of Dark from my friend and fellow book-blogger, Precious from http://shusky20.blogspot.com. She wrote a fantastic review of this book, so naturally I was excited to dive into my own copy!

And wow, what a story.

The Other Side of Dark is written in alternative POV's - Law Walker, son of well-known African-American history professor - bent on the destruction of Pinebank - and his white, architectural historian mother - bent on the preservation of Pinebank. Ka...more I was lucky enough to win The Other Side of Dark from my friend and fellow book-blogger, Precious from http://shusky20.blogspot.com. She wrote a fantastic review of this book, so naturally I was excited to dive into my own copy!

And wow, what a story.

The Other Side of Dark is written in alternative POV's - Law Walker, son of well-known African-American history professor - bent on the destruction of Pinebank - and his white, architectural historian mother - bent on the preservation of Pinebank. Katie Mullens, orphaned white girl from the poorer side of town, her mum's dead, her dad's dead, she lives with her step-father and see's ghosts. She's convinced she's crazy. So is the rest of the town.

Katie and Law come together in order to save Pinebank, a historical landmark that many people want torn down. As they fight to find reason to stop the demolition, they uncover far more than they imagined and soon it becomes more than just a race to save a house, but a race to uncover the truth, put souls to rest and to save Katie before the ghosts steal her sanity. All the while both teens are battling with their identity. Law wants to follow in his mothers footsteps, he loves houses, he loves architecture, but his father - his reknown father who continually fights for the black man, for reparations, wants Law to take after him. Throughout the book Law struggles to stand up against his father for what he wants and trying to figure out who he really is.

Katie is struggling with the ghosts who haunt her and the horrific images she's forced to witness of the past - of people, of tragedies. The ghosts want something from her and aren't going to leave until they have it. She's also dealing with the fact that both her parents are gone, she still see's her fathers ghost, her step-dad might be finding love again and she's carrying a whole lot of emotional baggage around with her that even she doesn't realise until much later.

The Other Side of Dark has many different kinds of ghosts drifting throughout it's pages. Not just the corperal ghosts that Katie sees, but the ghosts of the past, the ghosts of the mind. The terrible ordeals the slaves endured - their stories never told, their names never known. Trapped in limbo, neither alive nor rested. Nver set free. The ghosts that haunt us - reputations to uphold, failing those you love, not know who you really are or your place in the world. Ghosts of the past - secrets hidden, truths untold.

This book is a real eye opener to issues still present dealing with prejudice and racism. It sheds light on the terrible acts of slavery committed throughout history. Smith paints these images in stark and shocking colours. This is a modern day story haunted by the past. A tale of different people - race, gender, disability, personality, in death and life - and makes you appreciate each individual for who they are. We are all different, but we are all the same. We live, we breath, we love. Our differences should be a beautiful thing - prized, not condemned. (less)

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Dec 27, 2011 PK rated it 5 of 5 stars

Katie Mullens is no longer an ordinary girl. Ever since the unfortunate death of her mother, Katie has been insane. She sees ghosts everywhere- and she can’t help but be haunted by them. Katie is especially haunted by a ghost named George Perkins, a boy with Down Syndrome who has been put in charge of protecting a treasure paid with the blood and sweat of African Slaves. Katie can see these slaves, and the fact she is bound by them, and only the truth can set her free.

Law Walker is the son of a...more Katie Mullens is no longer an ordinary girl. Ever since the unfortunate death of her mother, Katie has been insane. She sees ghosts everywhere- and she can’t help but be haunted by them. Katie is especially haunted by a ghost named George Perkins, a boy with Down Syndrome who has been put in charge of protecting a treasure paid with the blood and sweat of African Slaves. Katie can see these slaves, and the fact she is bound by them, and only the truth can set her free.

Law Walker is the son of a Harvard Professor. He is a geek, prefers to talk more about Terra-Cotta then video games and sports. He is confused about his race, having both black and white blood. He has had a crush on Katie ever since Seventh Grade- and because of his controlling parents, never got the chance to take their friendship further- ‘cause they never wanted him to date a poor white girl. Now they’re in high-school, and when Law sees her scary drawing and realizes that Katie is not insane, but she has a gift. And he will do anything to set her, his people, and himself free.

This book was a complete thrill-ride. Law and Katie struggle to make the right decisions, for their parents, themselves, and their friends. Their relationship is developed extremely well- slow, then rushed, then slowed down again. An almost sexual experience is driven by fear and results in distrust- a beyond ‘real’ scenario. Their search to free the souls of the slaves is done well, and the description- the detail and the feelings are beautiful.

One of the characters that I connected with, honestly, was George. He is alone, confused, and ignorant of the power he has in his hands. Law, just the same, is alone and confused- and throughout the book, he begins to realize where he comes from and the pain is ancestors had to endure to get him to where he is today. He questions his parents, his faith, and what he believes in, and in the end he realizes he is able to make his own decisions, and he is African-American, and being an architect isn’t going to change that. Katie faces truth, death, forgiveness, and freedom, and it completes her. She is the most powerful girl protagonist I have read about in a long time, mostly because isn’t afraid, she faces her past, who she is, and slavery, and she changes the course of the story because of it. It’s simply captivating.(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Cameryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 8th-grade

Ever since Katie’s mom died in a tragic car accident Katie has seen ghosts, obsessively drawing them in her sketch pad almost without her knowing. When she goes to the park one day she meets a kid named George who has Down syndrome and lives with his grandfather in the old house down the street. To her horror she realizes that George has been dead for over a hundred years and his house is scheduled to be demolished within a month.
Law is interested in the old house, too. He is loves old houses an...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Monster added it

Shelves: supernatural-adult

Katie Mullins is a fifteen year old orphan who just wants to be normal. But Katie may never live a peaceful life because she sees ghosts everywhere, and she is compelled to draw portraits of their violent, often gruesome deaths. Living with her sympathetic but relatively new stepfather, she misses her mother desperately, and recieves vague advice from the derelict father she never knew in life.
Law Walkerʼs passion is architecture. He is the biracial son of a powerful African American community l...more

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May 18, 2011 Claire Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: depressing-or-just-plain-sad, fast-paced, mystery, poc-diverse-cast, poc-mc, spooky, speculative-fiction, ya, disability, sci-fi

Ohhhhhhhh, I have a lot of big, undefined feelings about this book. It was new, complicated, dark, smart, atmospheric, multivalent... and maybe somewhat problematic. I wasn't thrilled with Smith's use of George, who has Down Syndrome, as a plot device, but it wasn't totally terrible either.

It's hard to believe that Law is a real teen, but he's a hottie regardless. Katie likes "his button-down shirts and his Buddy Holly glasses; he dresses so conservative and retro, he looks like Clark Kent. He...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Valerie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Quick summary: Katie sees and draws ghosts. Law is a biracial teenager who has a father who pushes him to have as much success as he did, basically fighting for reparations. Law wants nothing more than to get into architecture (against his father's wishes). Katie wants nothing more than to be "normal." An unlikely couple, they are drawn together to save Pinebank from being torn down.
This book captivated me. I was sucked in to both characters pretty much from the beginning. It was a very interes...more

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Feb 15, 2011 Novel Novice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holly Black called The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith “chilling and lush” and I completely agree with her. It’s a lovely combination of contemporary YA, paranormal thriller and historical fiction — and though it may sound like an odd combination, Smith combines them masterfully.

The Other Side of Dark covers a wide variety of subjects, but it never once becomes cumbersome or overwhelming. Each flows nicely into the next. What’s more, Smith avoids any potential to get preachy on some of the sub...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Meg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Law Walker is a conflicted young man. His father is a well-know African-American historian and his mother is a well-known Caucasian architect. His father insists on calling him Lawrence, because he doesn’t like the fact that his son was named after Frederick Law Olmsted, a white man.
Katie Mullens is a poor white girl. She lost her mother in a tragic accident about one year ago, and it has affected her very badly. She is a talented artist, but she tends to draw pictures of people dying; pictures...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Riz rated it 5 of 5 stars

ZOMG!!! Excellent read! I was sucked in from the first page and killed this in two nights (would have been one if I didn't have to work).
Told in first person by two narrators, teenagers in their junior year at Brookline High: Law Walker, son of a prominent African American Harvard history professor and a white architectual historian and preservationist, and Katie Mullens, a orphaned white girl--her dad was killed in Afghanistan when she was an infant, her mother by a driver on a cell phone the...more ZOMG!!! Excellent read! I was sucked in from the first page and killed this in two nights (would have been one if I didn't have to work).
Told in first person by two narrators, teenagers in their junior year at Brookline High: Law Walker, son of a prominent African American Harvard history professor and a white architectual historian and preservationist, and Katie Mullens, a orphaned white girl--her dad was killed in Afghanistan when she was an infant, her mother by a driver on a cell phone the year before--from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks who is convinced she's crazy and doesn't see ghosts, The Other Side of Dark is an engrossing snapshot of two teens trying to save not only a historic building, but their own souls.

OK, a bit melodramatic a description, but Law and Katie put everything on the line, including their lives both in a physical and emotional sense, to save Pinebank and find the truth.

Law is torn between his two races. His father is at the forefront of the reparations movement--scion of a family that can trace itself back to Walker, a slave given his name because he could never successfully run away who refused to surrender his real name, a man who became a preacher and business owner--and a burning critic of the white man's world. His mother is the daughter of a privileged Brattle Street family (for non-Bostonians, Brattle Street is the very refined street in Cambridge which begins in Harvard Square and runs down through the poshest neighborhood in Cambridge, where many Harvard notables, wealthy families, and historical luminaries reside; the well-known prep school, Buckingham, Brown & Nichols is on one of the tributary side streets off of Brattle. The street is lined with beautiful houses from the Colonial period on) who has dedicated her life to preserving historic buildings and worshipping landscape designer Frederick Law Olmstead. His parents battle constantly over history which stands for the issue of race between them, and both stand on opposite sides of the battle to save Pinebank, the stately mansion built overlooking Jamaica Pond by Thomas Perkins, a patriot and businessman who made his money in the Triangle Trade.

Katie is a mess in the aftermath of her mother's death. Her kind if helpless stepfather has retained custody of her and does his best to give her as normal and supportive a life as possible. She's a talented artist--the art teacher, Lucy Rosen, encourages her talent, even though she finds Katie's drawings disturbing since Katie lost her mother. Katie draws dead people, in the moment of their death, and ghosts find Katie.

Law is dealing with the legacy and reality of being a light-skinned African American male in contemporary America. Katie brings his anger, confusion and frustration to a boiling point. Katie is of Irish-American descent with a family history that stretches back to the Potato Famine; her family history recalls the times of NINA (No Irish Need Apply) and when a black man could get a job far easier than a white man of Irish descent. She reminds him that many people have been exploited, not just because of the color of their skin, but because of where they came from.

The other protagonist in the story is Pinebank. Once a majestic mansion that Frederick Law Olmstead made a centerpiece in one of the jewels of the Emerald Necklace of parks Olmstead designed for the city of Boston, built of terracotta brick, and victim of three fires, at the time of the story, Pinebank is a dilapidated shell, condemned and the center of a fight to save the building. Homeless people camp there; teenagers vandalize it; and George, grandson of Thomas Handasyd Perkins, haunts it, guarding the treasure entrusted to him by his grandfather.

Sarah Smith has written an amazing novel that deals with the reality of race from all sides, as well as the legacy of slavery. The South has always been vilified for slavery; this book--like the non-fiction Ten Hills Farm--reminds us that slavery began in the North and was funded and managed by Northern businessmen. Her teenagers are real--utterly believable, caught on the cusp of childhood and adulthood and all of the demands both make upon you. Well-researched without being didactic, this book is also a love letter to Boston and all its wonder and silliness--a snapshot of the passion Bostonians have for their history and their neighborhoods, instilled from childhood. I loved this book--it kept me on the edge of my seat, moved me to tears, and was just a joyful reading experience.

I am recommending it for my library's collection and hope to have Sarah Smith come and speak at some point. (less)

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Dec 20, 2010 Heather Anastasiu rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book wormed it's way inside me. The Other Side of Dark is one of the most poignant and honest fiction books I've read about the haunting (dramatized literally) legacy of slavery, so honest and transparent about all the complex ways we think--the good and the bad--the multiple truths that exist alongside each other in our heads. Our UNlovely motivations. This book makes me want to crack open my hardened chest again and start giving a crap about people, with humility and love.

Katie and Law's...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Donna (Jaevenstar) rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was really hard for me to read. It is told from two different perspectives and switches between story tellers frequently and sometimes right in the middle of the action. While the author did a good job with that, it distracted me from the story. One side of the story was told from the perspective of a young black man who's father is very involved in slave reparations. This young man named Law has a real chip on his shoulder. Considering how privileged he is, I have a hard time dealing...more

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Nov 18, 2010 Amy Rose Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book is utterly amazing. Sarah Smith has touched my soul. And not in a sweet little whispy way.. in a scraping make-you-bleed way... her style of writing is intriguing all on its own. She writes how I think if that makes any sense. There's less attention to perfect grammatical structure and more on conveying what the character is really thinking, saying and feeling. The subject matter is absolutely horrifying and thrilling. I adored Katie from the very start. Anytime I read of a female char...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Melanie Goodman added it

The most interesting ghosts have something to teach us about the past. Sarah Smith’s The Other Side of Dark is a ghost story and a human story with a historical twist. I walked into this book knowing virtually nothing about it and was pleasantly surprised by how much was packed inside. This is an under-buzzed title, but I was thankful for that because I got to uncover all of its secrets on my own. Smith’s book ties in death, family problems, racial issues, architecture, coming of age, and romanc...more The most interesting ghosts have something to teach us about the past. Sarah Smith’s The Other Side of Dark is a ghost story and a human story with a historical twist. I walked into this book knowing virtually nothing about it and was pleasantly surprised by how much was packed inside. This is an under-buzzed title, but I was thankful for that because I got to uncover all of its secrets on my own. Smith’s book ties in death, family problems, racial issues, architecture, coming of age, and romance with an impressive fluidity, all while keeping you in suspense about the history and future of a famous mansion.

Katie has lost her mother and father. While she has a home with her stepfather, she spends much of her time stuck in the past, talking to ghosts and drawing pictures of them. She doesn’t think the ghosts are real, and while others say Katie is crazy, she sometimes worries about her own sanity, too. It turns out, though, that the ghosts are far more real than Katie might want to believe, and they have something to tell her.

Law is the son of a famous reparations scholar. He has grown up hearing about what white people owe the blacks for slavery. While Law respects his father, he also has a hard time living under his formidable shadow. Law’s mother studies historical architecture, a field which Law’s father is not particularly proud of and which Law wants to study himself. Law is torn between his parents, expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, but more interested in those of his mother. When Law has to compete for the Walker Prize, everybody expects him to talk about reparations, but he wants to talk about architecture instead. This becomes especially poignant for him when he finds out that Pinebrook, an important historical mansion, is going to be torn down. Law and his mother want to save it, while Law’s father wants it gone–the mansion is a painful reminder of the slave history that goes along with it.

When Katie begins talking to George, the ghost of a man who died at Pinebrook, she starts learning more about the building’s history. Law, who used to have a crush on Katie, rekindles his connection with her in hopes of sharing her discoveries about Pinebrook’s past. As the two team up to save the building, they both get more involved than they bargained for. The dark history of Pinebrook and the slave owners and ghosts within it will test their beliefs about race and the responsibilities of both whites and blacks in the post-slavery era. It also forces them to confront many painful issues with their families, themselves, and each other.

The Other Side of the Dark may have originally appealed to me because of its gorgeous cover (I’m not above falling for pretty things), but its contents were much deeper and more enriching than I ever expected. I really enjoyed this book and I hope that it will get the attention it deserves.(less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Steffy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really like that book. It touches the hard subject of slavery and mix races alliance so, if you are looking for something funny or light, don’t even consider that book. However if you are looking for a touching story mixing some serious and sadly real event as Slavery, mixed with paranormal (Katie and her ‘gift’ to see ghost) and an underlying romance (Katie and Law) this story is for you.
This story had lots of mixed reviews so I hesitated for a while. Some people found it boring and I can so...more I really like that book. It touches the hard subject of slavery and mix races alliance so, if you are looking for something funny or light, don’t even consider that book. However if you are looking for a touching story mixing some serious and sadly real event as Slavery, mixed with paranormal (Katie and her ‘gift’ to see ghost) and an underlying romance (Katie and Law) this story is for you.
This story had lots of mixed reviews so I hesitated for a while. Some people found it boring and I can somehow see why even if it was not my case at all. it’s true that the story is a bit slow, it’s building slowlg setting History, explaining some slavery facts…If you are not expecting this fiction mixed with hard reality you might find it boring.
The story is set by two protagonists Katie and Law. They couldn’t be more different but at the same time they fit together perfectly.
Katy had a hard life, but she is brave strong and passionate. Her heart is really at the good place and she wants to do what’s right. I really liked Katie and wanted so bad for her life to get back on track.
Law….ah Law, what can I say about him? He is a confused boy. His father is very controlling and Law is just under his grip, doing what is father wants him to do….Defend the black cause, ask for reparation. But Law is confused at a moment he states “I’m too white to be black and I’m too black to be an architect”
Both characters evolve through the story and some event help Law to grow some back bone and to stand up for himself and Katie ‘his white girl” as he call her.
The plot is pretty good and it keeps you guessing up to the end. There is no major flaw in the continuity of the story even if I wished the final would have been more “climatic” and the romance….well it was secondary but also a little anticlimactic too.
In conclusion if you like real History mixed with fantasy I’m sure you will enjoy that book. It’s not a MUST buy but I really think it’s worth it if you get a chance.

(less)

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Feb 11, 2011 Christa L rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: waiting-for-the-next-one, fantasy, ghostly

I love all of Sarah Smith's books so although this is young adult fiction I gave it a try.

The two main characters are students Law Walker and Katie Mullens. Law's father is a successful African American Harvard academic but Law knows he does not want to follow in his father's footsteps. Katie comes from a less well off white family and both her parents are dead. She also sees ghosts.

The book is written in the first person alternating between Katie and Law. I didn't find Law as convincing as Kati...more

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May 21, 2011 Diana Renn rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's so refreshing to find a page-turning mystery for teens -- in this case, a search for a hidden treasure box in a condemned historic house. But it's equally refreshing to find a mystery that confronts history head-on and doesn't shy away from complex topics -- here, the history of slavery in the United States, reparations, and racial identity and racism in America today. Add to the mix an orphaned teen girl (Katie) who sees ghosts and has the gift (or curse) of being able to draw them in maca...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Cassie (GBU Book Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

So I am going to begin with the ending. This books last 50-60 pages or so made the book. Without them this book would probably be down to a C. So try and stick with it I promise it will be worth it. Now back to the beginning, this book was absolutely not what I was expecting. As some of you may know, I hate summaries on the backs of books. They are way to spoilery for me; it’s the reason I write my own. So when I decide to read a book it is usually based on what other people have said about the...more

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Dec 02, 2010 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog

Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith is a book I was not expecting. I started the book pretty much knowing only that it was about two characters, one of whom saw ghosts. There are a lot of place that an author can go with that as a guideline, so I wasn't totally sure what to expect.

It's told in perspectives alternating between Katie, the girl who sees ghosts, and Law, a teenager struggling to meet the expectations of his paren...more Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith is a book I was not expecting. I started the book pretty much knowing only that it was about two characters, one of whom saw ghosts. There are a lot of place that an author can go with that as a guideline, so I wasn't totally sure what to expect.

It's told in perspectives alternating between Katie, the girl who sees ghosts, and Law, a teenager struggling to meet the expectations of his parents- a white mom from a well to do family, and the black father who is THE name in black reparations- what you owe to the black man.

I like multicultural fiction, and have lately been making it a priority to read it more often. But, I didn't pick up this book knowing that, not only were our narrators of different races, but that race was a huge factor into the story as a whole. When I started noticing how focused Law's dad was on what it is the white man owes to the black man, I was a little worried. I don't enjoy reading books that are political agendas lightly disguised as fiction, no matter what the agenda. However, I believe that Smith handled the topic beautifully. She met at the perfect median, where I understood Law, and to a lesser degree, his father, but I never once felt bludgeoned by one view point or another. The ideas of race and reparations are vital, not only to this particular story, but also to the growth and maturation of Law.

I found it interesting that both Katie and Law seemed to find themselves torn between two worlds. Katie's is obvious. She has contact with the dead that alienates people, make them think she's simply crazy. She lives in our world, but must also learn to deal with those from the other side who want her help. Law's struggle is different. He has a white mother and a black father and he feels torn between two races. He isn't black enough to claim what his father has, but isn't really white enough either. He's stuck somewhere in the middle, and he spends the larger part of the book trying to figure out just where and what that is.

Law was my favorite narrator. Although I really liked Katie, and thought her voice was strong and well defined, the passages narrated by Law resonated with me more, and I felt more of a connection to law than to Katie. I think part of this is because everyone knows what it's like to feel like you don't fit in, with family or friends, but not many (if any) people have legitimate contact with ghosts. Although, I must say, Smith's imagery is amazingly vivid. I found myself shivering and looking over my shoulder more than a few times while reading this book, and was awed by the scenes she crafted.

I've already admitted that this book isn't what I expected, but I definitely think it was better. There is a strong sense of history within this novel, and it places a strong importance on the value of the past, our families and discovering who we are, and who we might become. This is a book I am happy to recommend.(less)

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Nov 22, 2010 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, paranormal, young-adult, issues, favorites, arc, 4-5-stars, read-in-2010

Powerful blend of suspense, mystery, and real issues, 4.5 stars

Sarah Smith's young adult debut, THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK, combines just the right amount of mystery, suspense, and ghost story into a historical fiction narrative that packs an emotional punch. Growing up as the son of his black professor father and his white architect mother, Law feels increasingly pulled between them and their professional and racial identities. Ever since her mother died tragically, Katie has also been pulled in tw...more Powerful blend of suspense, mystery, and real issues, 4.5 stars

Sarah Smith's young adult debut, THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK, combines just the right amount of mystery, suspense, and ghost story into a historical fiction narrative that packs an emotional punch. Growing up as the son of his black professor father and his white architect mother, Law feels increasingly pulled between them and their professional and racial identities. Ever since her mother died tragically, Katie has also been pulled in two directions - between the world of the living and that of the dead who she now sees and draws. When Law discovers that Katie knows more than reasonably possible about the old mansion he wants to save from demolition, the two teens are drawn together to learn more about each other, the ugly history that surrounds them, and how their decisions can impact both the past and the present.

While the book's back cover suggested a paranormal romance with some "real" issues mixed in, THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK blew me away with its powerhouse combination of mystery, suspense, and romance to tell a story about self-identity, grief, history, racism , and slavery. Smith expertly uses the supernatural backdrop to demonstrate that the scariest things we can fear are real and human-created, not the ghosts that may surround us. As main characters, Law and Katie are sympathetic and their struggles genuine. The characters' development shows the complexity and awkwardness expected by two teens trying to define themselves in spite of, or in relation to, their parents. Consistent pacing and plotting move the story forward, and a complete story arc wraps up in the last 50 pages with an incredibly moving end. The author also excels in her descriptions about architecture, Katie's drawings, and the ghosts Katie sees. The author's obviously well-researched history about slavery also makes the story even more poignant because of the reader's ability to acknowledge that similar things have happened in our real past.

Though an incredibly strong book overall, the romantic relationship between Law and Katie was not as grabbing as I had hoped; the progression of their emotional and physical intimacy seemed jumpy and unrealistic at times. There were also moments of awkward dialogue, and a few sentences here and there didn't make sense and felt dropped in. These small blips took very little away from the emotional impact of the story, however.

Even if THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK wasn't what I expected, I was delighted and moved when it was so much more. Very rarely do novels so deftly combine an engaging and suspenseful plot with an examination of social and historical issues that impact us all. This is a great book for all readers, especially teens who may be struggling with how their heritage and past defines them and who they want to be. I look forward to any other books that Smith brings us in the future.

Note: This review refers to an advance reader's copy. (less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Dana Davis-avants rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, historical-fiction

This book offers the reader a great variety of subjects (race relations-slavery, ghosts, dating and friendship), hence its appeal. The story of a white orphan girl named Katie Mullens, who sees and talks to ghosts and Law, her black classmate, who wants to be an architect creates a real page turner. Both are very strong characters. Katie lives with her stepfather Phil after her mother's death in an accident and constantly encounters ghosts in her daily life. As an artist, she draws the things sh...more

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May 06, 2013 Jean rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up because I'd recently enjoyed the same author's Chasing Shakespeares enormously. The Other Side of Dark inspires more complicated feelings. I do recommend it; I think it's a brilliant book as well as a very moving one--but in some ways it's not an easy recommendation.

Sarah Smith makes some political decisions I'm not quite comfortable with (it's hard to say more without spoilers). It's also as triggery as can be imagined at times--one of the most painful books I've ever read, an...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Zanzarr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Told in the alternating view points of Katie and Law THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK dabbles in what it means to find ones self. I picked this book up purely because of the title. I was in the mood for something spooky and this was what grabbed my attention. I didn't read anything about it--this means the summary on the inside--until I was maybe fifty pages into the book and began to wonder what in the world I'd picked up. Because it was obviously not your usual, cookie-cut out ghost story.

But that doesn...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Dalia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the ways to evaluate a young adult book, or a children’s book for that matter, is to detemine whether or not an adult, too, would enjoy reading it and would appreciate it. Well, The Other Side of Dark,is certainly such a book.
It is well written, interesting, sensitive, smart, thoughtful, humane, and at times, very touching.
One of the main (but certainly not the only) subject matters of this book is slavery and its long-term traumatic outcomes in American contemporary society. This issue...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Katie is haunted. Law is a sharp-dressing Buddy Holly look-a-like, and they unite over a run down house that they want to preserve for different reasons. This story brought up some really important ideas about race and history, and how we are all haunted by the actions of our ancestors. I could have done without the near sex experience between Law and Katie; they didn't really have any chemistry otherwise, and it wasn't necessary for the story. I think it would have been fine for them to just be...more

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Oct 23, 2010 JL (An Avid Reader's Musings) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, star-book-tours, reviewed, books-read-in-2010

The Other Side of Dark is a ghost story that incorporates romance and history to create an intriguing novel.

Loved: The conclusion of The Other Side of Dark was a stunner and I loved how Smith brought this about. The book started off slow and some of the language was hard to understand. I resisted the urge to put the book down halfway through and I'm glad I did. The ending was totally worth it!

Liked: The historical aspect of the story. As an African American myself, it is nice to read a book that...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Maddy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book that I am reviewing is The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith.
I can kind of compare this to the book the book I tried reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer. That book was sort of a mystery and this book is a mystery about to teens. The Host is I think is about an alien girl but I don’t know for sure. And it’s kind of like the book Twilight By Stephanie Meyer. It is somewhat a mystery because when Bella finds out that Edward is a vampire.

The characterization in The Other Side Of Dark is tha...more The book that I am reviewing is The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith.
I can kind of compare this to the book the book I tried reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer. That book was sort of a mystery and this book is a mystery about to teens. The Host is I think is about an alien girl but I don’t know for sure. And it’s kind of like the book Twilight By Stephanie Meyer. It is somewhat a mystery because when Bella finds out that Edward is a vampire.

The characterization in The Other Side Of Dark is that the two teens law and Katie are quite different. They are both different in their own ways. The literary make-up for law is that he is African American and that he agrees with his mom to save pine bank and is against his dad. On the other hand Katie is American and also wants to save pine bank. She sees ghost and she wants to get the “treasure” from the cellar in pine bank. While law want’s the “treasure” but what he really wants is that he doesn’t want the people to tear down pine bank. This is what happens in the book Katie sees ghost hanging themselves on her staircase. Katie said “ the man is hanging from the stairs again, which means it’s going to be another bad day” (pg.1). this is important because it tells us or the reader that she sees ghosts and she is not just saying that. She actually means she sees ghosts. Law sees Katie at the park and runs over to her because she saw a “monster mouse” and she fell off her bike. Katie says “Your Lawrence Walker”(pg.24). This part of the book is important because if Katie and law wouldst of met they would not be talking about pine bank or going inside of pine bank.

The conflict of this book is that Katie and law want to save pine bank and get the treasure. The plot is that it’s going to lead up to them at a meeting and deciding if they are going to keep pine bank of tear it down. I am not going to tell you what they decide. Considering the big picture I think that it is when Katie goes in the house trying to look for the cellar and treasure. The author really doesn't use literary elements she just tells us that she somehow she finds a way into the house. The reason why I gave this book three stars is because from the beginning of the book to almost the end it was boring, but when It came almost to the end the book got good. I also gave it a three because It was good I liked it but it wouldn't be it was amazing or it wouldn't be didn't like it. That is in my opinion. For the genera of this book it is in fantasy. This could not happen in real life, at least I don’t think.

I would recommend this book if you like mysteries and books like that. Like I said it is boring at first it gets really interesting in the end. It’s not the best book that I ever read but it’s good. I gave it a three out of five stars.
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Jan 21, 2012 Nurshafiqa rated it 3 of 5 stars

i have to admit, this was a really neat book. i was at first very apprehensive about reading it since it was a YA fiction and i'm quite a snob (eek) when it comes to YA books.

it started off quite slowly but builds up fast which resulted in me reading 3/4 of the book in like, a few hours. seriously.

i do not know much about slavery in america, and the harsh brutalities of it. this book shed that much more light on me. the characters were all very likeable, but there's just something missing that m...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely LOVED this book. It has the perfect combination of history, mystery, romance and teenagers doing what they want for themselves instead of following their parents' wishes. The perspectives are fascinating and still very important today. The characters are extremely well-developed and can stand on their own. I won't say that I could truly empathize with either one, but that wasn't the point. The point was realizing that everyone matters, no matter how crazy they seem. That no matter h...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Ricki rated it 3 of 5 stars

This novel is told in two voices. Katie's parents are dead and she sees ghosts. Law has a black father who is overbearing but has a lot of success speaking out about reparations. His white mother is a successful architect. Together, the two form a bond and decide to investigate the ghosts that Katie is seeing. I enjoyed the premise of the book, but found it to move a bit slowly. It would be interesting to use this book in a cross-curricular way, connecting it to history: reparations, slave ships...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

I started this book last night (4/24/12) and I'm almost half through it already. It's not spectacular, but it's slowly evolving as I read it. I wouldn't recommend for well read readers, but it's a great one so far for young readers.
*I finished it. It's predictable, but still interesting. It is filled with history and I can appreciate what it took to make it known in a book for readers to absorb and have fun learning at the same time. That's a talent. I would recommend it, easy read, but not for...more

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About Sarah Smith

Sarah Smith has been interested in ghosts and storytelling since she was four. Her sitter told her Japanese ghost stories at night, which she retold on the schoolbus the next morning. When she heard the story of the haunted house and the Perkins Bequest, she knew she had to write about it. No one knows what became of the real Perkins Bequest. She hopes The Other Side of Dark may help solve the mys

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