About This Book
The White Darkness is a gripping middle-grade novel about Symone, a fourteen-year-old girl obsessed with Antarctic explorer Captain Oates. Her uncle, Victor, shares an even deeper, more dangerous obsession: the mythical Symme's Hole, an entrance to a hollow Earth. What Symone believes is a dream vacation to Antarctica quickly devolves into a terrifying struggle for survival as Victor's delusions put them both in extreme peril. This book explores themes of trust, deception, mental health, and the incredible resilience of the human spirit against the backdrop of one of the world's most unforgiving landscapes. It's suitable for ages 10-14, offering a complex narrative and intense adventure.
Taken to Antarctica by the man she thinks of as her uncle for what she believes to be a vacation, Symone--a troubled fourteen year old--discovers that he is dangerously obsessed with seeking Symme's Hole, an opening that supposedly leads into the center of a hollow Earth.
peril_danger
Scary Scenes
deception
Discussion Prompts
1
How does Symone's initial obsession with Titus Oates prepare her, or not prepare her, for the realities of Antarctica?
2
Discuss the nature of Victor's obsession. At what point does a passion become dangerous?
3
How does Symone's understanding of her uncle change throughout the story? What does she learn about trust and deception?
4
What role does the 'hollow Earth' theory play in the narrative, both literally and metaphorically?
5
How does the extreme setting of Antarctica contribute to the themes and mood of the book?
6
What qualities does Symone demonstrate that help her survive? How does she grow as a character?
External Reviews
Google Books
4.5/5 (2 ratings)
Awards
1 award
If Your Family Enjoyed This
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share how this book landed with your family.