Keep in a Cold, Dark Place

Review: KEEP IN A COLD, DARK PLACE by Michael F. Stewart

Fascinating, delightful, inspiring, yet supremely sad and subtly scary: KEEP IN A COLD, DARK PLACE is all of this and more. The story of a poorly-thriving, hardscratch existence of a potato-farming family, living just outside of a tiny town which itself can barely stay alive, this setting so reminded me of the Great Depression, and of the Dust Bowl so capably elucidated by author John Steinbeck. Yet this is contemporary, so it seems somehow worse.

 Thirteen-year-old Limphetta ("Limpy") can never satisfy her rough  Irish immigrant father nor her older brothers. Her mother died during Limpy' s birth, and so all the housework devolves to her, in addition to much of the farm work, and schooling. She just wants to create art, and to be loved. When she "coincidentally" unearths an antique box entombed under the barn' s cellar, Limpy, like Pandora, unleashes evil with good intentions. Maybe there is a real reason their farm has always been considered "cursed."

I need people I know to read this so I can discuss how clever it was. I can't do it here, in a review, as I'll ruin the impact for the next reader. Hurrumph. 

In short, the genre is like a blend of American Great Depression literature + coming of age + a reinvisioned fairy tale. Essentially, NOT what I was expecting. 

I love the protagonist. I wasn't so sure about the father but, come the end, I thought I understood him. 

The book has left me with lots to think about - always the sign of a decent children's novel.

Adult fans of the movie(s) Gremlins will find something to smile at within the pages of Keep in a Cold, Dark Place. Michael Stewart takes the furry to fury fuzzballs we all knew and loved, and twists their story just a bit to make it suitable for middle-grade fiction. Coos, cackles, and hijinks ensue when a young girl discovers something in family’s cellar that will have a permanent impact on everyone’s lives. 

Taking place on a small potato farm in a small, podunk town with a Great Depression air about it, Keep In a Cold, Dark place crosses a few genre lines. Limphetta - Limpy - is only in 8th grade, but she's no stranger to hard work and reaching for dreams that don't seem achievable. From the calluses on her hands to the clothes that never fit her just right, to the family that seems to hold her very birth against her, she's someone to instantly feel for. She's the poor kid in every class that gets teased mercilessly for things beyond her control. She's the dreamer all the teachers hope to see succeed.

Keep in a Cold, Dark Place is ultimately a story about facing your fears. Limpy’s story is a classic one, where you can change out almost any particular element and still get the same message.  Because it is middle-grade fiction, you know everything is going to turn out okay. There’s a certain comfort to that. I’m someone who loves to watch the world burn in my books, but occasionally a bit of “warm’n’fuzzy” is welcome. 

A quick, easy read that will satiate the monstrous yearnings of your middle-grade reader, Keep in a Cold, Dark Place is worth picking up. The cover is cute and fitting. The story will appeal to both kids and adults. Michael Stewart knows how to stitch together a tale.

Reminiscent of the Gremlins, but more gruesome, 'Keep in a Cold, Dark Place' is a perfect story about the opening of Pandora's Box and the cutest little furry creatures that make your heart weep...that is, until they grow into something more 'fangy' than furry. Once I saw the cover, I just knew I had to read this book - reading the summary was only a formality born from habit here, but it did confirm that my impulsive reaction was not a mistake.

The story begins harmless enough, introducing our female main character, Limpy, and her really not so nice family, easily having us sympathize with her dream about leaving her father's potato farm in order to visit art school. When Limpy discovers a strange box with even stranger eggs in it beneath the potato sacks in the storage cellar, this triggers an avalanche of weird events. At first, Limpy is delighted about the fuzzy furry big-eyed creature hatching from one of the eggs. She adopts the little buddy, names him 'Chup' (loved that hint) and vows to care for him like a mother.

However, not long after Chup's siblings hatch from their eggs, and the little guys start playing tricks. Limpy tries to cover for them as best she can, but soon things get out of hand and it's not just harmless little tricks anymore. With the help of an unexpected friend, Limpy learns that Chup and his pals are growing into some very deadly ancient creatures which are bound to kill her and her family if she doesn't stop them...

The second main theme of this book, apart from the obvious creature feature, is family - its ups and downs, its cruelty towards each other, but also its bond of loyalty and sense of belonging, whether we like it or not. In this regard, the ending does have a slightly corny taste, but it works so well that it didn't bother me at all.

Featuring my favorite kind of creature, combined with a likable coming-of-age story and a well-balanced mixture of humor and horror, this book was a perfect read for me. I would love to see this made into a movie...or, skip the movie and go straight for the merchandise so that I can get my own little Chuppie!

Fans of "Goosebumps" will enjoy, "Keep in a Cold Dark Place." Limpy is a young girl with dreams of getting off her father's potato farm and having free time for art and school, but her strict father believes in nothing but work and practicality. Limpy discover Gremlin-like creatures living in the potatoes in the basement, along with an inscription that says, keep in a cold, dark place. Can these "cursed" creatures bring a wave of change to Limpy's family? (Spoiler alert: yes.) 

The intriguing aspect of the novel is the interesting setting. The universe Limpy's story is set in a Grapes of Wrath-esque, depression-era agrarian culture, but with all our modern world conveniences and technology. Without intending to, this book can help the reader understand the farming lifestyle and the value of agricultural workers. It's a charming, easy read.