The children of the Lost by David Whitley

This is the second YA novel in The Midnight Charter trilogy.

Lily had made her decision to leave the city walls of Agora and after making an agreement with the Director of Receipts on the condition that she takes Mark with her. Lily had seen this as a chance for her to escape the dreadful streets of Agora and a chance for her to find out the truth behind the dark secrets that are in their lives and also an opportunity to find her vanished parents.

Lily and Mark now find themselves outside the walls of the city. Lily had grown up to believe that there was nothing beyond the city walls and at first finds it difficult to accept where she is. Mark who was not in on the decision to leave Agora is angry with Lily for taking him with her screams and shouts to be let back in Agora. Mark does not believe in the destiny that is foreseen in The Midnight Charter he thinks it is just a plot to get rid of Lily from the city. Eventually Lily and Mark decide to venture away from Agora to look for food, but they hope to find more people.

When Mark and Lily are attacked and Lily is hurt by a beast in the forest, they are rescued by a man called Father Wolfram and a young lad called Owain. They take them back to Father Wolfram’s sanctuary to heal Lily. In a village called Aecer in the land of Giseth. Lily and Mark are surprised when they are asked for nothing in return for the help and food they are given. They are told they are helped because it was the right thing to do. Lily and Mark are introduced to The Speaker of the village who tells them that she is the mother of the village and that she devotes her time to its well-being, heart and soul. She tells Lily that she hopes she will come to love the village as much as she does. Lily does settle into the village and compared to Agora, Aecer is paradise to her. The people are kind and gentle and the adult age is sixteen so Lily and Mark are treated like children. While Lily settles, Mark is restless and he still wants to return to Agora.

When the village sheep begin to act strangely and Mark finds himself sleep walking and causing himself harm. Lily and Mark learn this is what is known as the Nightmare. The Nightmare prays on people’s weaknesses and on their selfish desires. It starts as a bad dream, and then it takes over unlike a normal nightmare it can not be contained in the dreamers head. The nightmare does not end just because the dreamer wakes up. Mark and Lily are told that the Nightmare is stronger in the forest and they perform rituals to keep it out of the village so they are safer if they stay in the village.

But when a mysterious women dressed in green, appears to both Lily and Mark in their dreams, urging them to find The Children of the Lost will Lily and Mark be prepared to leave the village and go back into the forest and face the Nightmare?

Who are The Children of the Lost?

Will this lead Lily to find her parents?

Will Mark find his way back into Agora?

The Children of the Lost is another brilliant novel by David Whitley that again will appeal to both older children and adults alike. With a cast of interesting characters and focusing more on the two main characters Lily and Mark the story just gets more and more enchanting as the plot line moves along. The book ends on a cliff hanger that leaves the reader waiting eagerly for volume three.

For more information about the author, click the following link: http://www.davidwhitley.co.uk