Darkness and Demon Song (Marius Grey 2)

In this spooky sequel, young Marius the monster hunter pursues new monsters roaming about his hometown, this time with the help of his not-so-long-lost mother, recently back from the dead. While Marius couldn’t be happier to be reunited and have a partner in the family business, everything is not back to normal, and he can’t ignore the strange things happening around his mom…and they’re getting more creepy and frequent every day.

This is an action-driven, monster-packed adventure. Set in the murky wilds of Louisiana, there’s elements of classic spookiness, including deals with disreputable traders, graveyard shenanigans, and oblivious classmates who don’t know the danger but think Marius’s notoriety is Super Cool.

One of my favorite pieces of magic is the book Marius uses to trap monsters. The idea of facing off against something with fangs and claws with only the book is super cool, feels straight out of a movie, and also terrifying all in one. And yeah, it definitely appeals to the Pokemon collector in me to watch Marius collecting this book of beasties.

The monsters aside, this book is a little light on world-building overall. It is a sequel, so most readers are already coming in with an idea of the setting, but it’d still be nice to answer some questions. How much do “normal” people know about monsters? Did anyone other than Marius notice when his mom came back? Are hunters common or rare?

Pick this up for middle grade adventure/horror with a focus on friendship and making tomorrow better than today.

In this sequel to Brick Dust and Bones, Marius has managed to bring his mother, Kelly, back from the dead. He continues to go to Madame Millet's school, where he has met the enigmatic Lynna, and also hunts monsters, selling them to Papa Harold. His flesh-eating mermaid friend, Rhiannon, still helps support him. When Marius stops by a local restaurant, the Old Coffee Pot, with his mother and Lynna, he manages to free some ghost hunters who are being possessed by spirits, but his mother becomes violently ill. Something is not quite right, and he tries to find out. He seeks the help of a retired demon hunter, Creecher, who sends him on a mission to find out how good he is, and then tells him that his mother is possessed by a demon. He consults Papa Harold, who says that if Marius can capture the Honey Island Swamp monster, he'll help with information so Marius can exorcise his mother. The monster is actually protecting owls on Honey Island, so Marius doesn't capture him. Now, he needs other help to rid his mother of the demon. With the help of Madame Millet, Mama Roux, and Creecher, will he be able to locate part of his mother's soul in Hell and reunite her with it? While this book could conclude Marius' story, there is a bit of demon song wafting through the air at the end that could lead to yet another tale.

What worked:
The whole world accepts the existence of ghosts and other supernatural creatures and Marius has become a reluctant celebrity. He was able to dispose of a particularly nasty creature and rescue his mother from the devil. Darius and Kelly, his mom, are monster hunters and the book opens with them tackling a stronger-than-expected chupacabra. Darius possesses a book with the power to capture monsters within its pages and he later has the
Some middle-grade heroes are reluctant and insecure about their roles but Marius is a confident monster hunter. He still captures monsters alone while his mother is gone but he appreciates that she’s now returned to help. He has an ability to transport himself to different cemeteries which makes moving quickly to other locations quite easy. No need for a car! Marius’s best friend is a mermaid named Rhiannon and he’s most relaxed when he’s anchored in the bayou listening to her songs. Rhiannon’s suggestions to help Marius often include killing and eating the problems which adds a touch of levity to the story.
The most intriguing part of the story is Darius’s mom because there’s obviously something wrong with her. She behaves and speaks strangely at times but then can’t remember what just happened. Marius is afraid to ask for help because he’s not sure what might happen to Kelly if news of her condition gets out. However, it’s hard to help her if he can’t identify the problem. It’s an impossible decision. Ask for help and risk losing his mother or do things on his own to risk his mother losing her soul.
What didn’t work as well:
A great deal happened in the first book and it feels like readers are joining a party that’s already started. We quickly learn that Marius is a monster hunter and his mother has just returned from spending two years with the devil. She’s changed because of the experience and it would be nice to have more information about what happened. As always, the easy solution is to read the first book and fill in some of those gaps.
The final verdict:
The author’s skillful descriptions of Marius’s life as a monster hunter will capture the imagination of young readers. His protective feelings for his mother lead to difficult, emotional decisions that may challenge Marius beyond his abilities. Overall, this is an exciting adventure in the bayou and I recommend you give it a shot.