Review: The Darkest Evening of the Year

By Rachel Jacques

It’s no secret that Dean Koontz has a thing for dogs, especially golden retrievers. Not only does he mention his golden “Gerdie” on the back cover of each of his novels, but more than one of his best sellers, including One Door Away from Heaven and Watchers, has man’s best friend as a lead character. Koontz’ newest novel for 2007 The Darkest Evening of the Year is another story that gives powers and emotions to a golden who not only has brilliant, unbelievable skills but also may possess powers and a more human spirit than expected.

Amy Redwing is young and attractive, dedicated to the rescue of all dogs and keeps a deep secret about her past from everyone until her life becomes too complicated to ignore her previous misfortune. Brian McCarthy loves Amy; their relationship is solid, intimate, and caring. However, he also is not entirely honest about his past. It takes Amy to help him overcome his insecurities and fight for what he has lost.

Complicating and destroying the life of Brian is his ex-girlfriend Vanessa. Her chaotic and destructive lifestyle, that includes burning houses and murdering strangers for pure entertainment, is not conducive to the raising of their daughter. Unfortunately, Brian is incapable of intervening due to the transient lifestyle of Vanessa and her denial of visitation to Brian. Vanessa’s dangerous connections and deadly tendencies have always prevented Brian from involving police, but she is finally ready to rid herself of the responsibility of caring for the child, and begins to lead Brian on a wild goose chase that she promises will end in the return of his daughter.

The lives and pasts of Brian and Amy begin to interweave as the book progresses. Each chapter is short but full of action and follows only one character at a time. With each chapter covering only one character and their actions at a time, suspense is built and it gives the story a fast pace.

Above all else this novel is about hope. Each character has his or her kind of hope that they are awaiting and it comes it many forms. For the lead character Amy, hope comes as an intelligent-beyond-belief golden retriever, Nickie, who Amy rescues in the beginning and by the end turns out to be something that Amy lost long ago.

“Your life was chaos, and Nickie brought order to it, order and hope.”

To Brian, hope is the chance to be reunited with his daughter, whose psychotic, pyromaniac mother is holding her hostage. Brian’s daughter, maniacally nicknamed “Piggy” by her mother, holds onto a small token called her “forever shiny thing,” which represents hope for her.

Piggy, who is autistic, believes of her shining object that “when you have hope you are ready for anything.”

The ending is simultaneously satisfying and disappointing. Kootz’ use of deus ex machina to save the lead characters is a bit lazy and unbelievable, but I never said this was his greatest work. The Darkest Evening of the Year, regardless of its weak finish, is a touching and addicting novel until its end.