The Beast is an Animal

by Peternelle van Arsdale

[Beth C.]

Alys was there when the soul eaters claimed the adults in her village. In fact, she was breaking the rules, and was out wandering when they came. She did not stop them. She survived, along with the other children, and lives in a pious place. As the soul eaters begin to take children as well, Alys has to decide if she will become one of them, or end their stealing of souls.

Alys was an interesting character - one who is not only a blend of good and bad, but who recognizes it and fights with it, and even occasionally loses to that side she fears. And the story makes it very clear that there is a draw to the bad choices humans have - the power one can feel when taking those actions can be enough to compel even the strongest person to commit an act that they find - afterward - to be heinous. I particularly like that this is a child, and then a teenager, who is exploring these depths, because kids are those most likely to see the world in black/white, rather than the shades of gray it most often is.

The world within the story is recognizable, in that vague "it was a long time ago" kind of way. The folks in the town Alys and her friends end up in are sinister in a Scarlet Letter sort of way - those who are pious on the outside, but cruel and often hateful on the inside. Honestly, so much of it seemed appropriate to the current events - not necessarily the soul eaters, but those in power who seek to use their religion as a battering ram against others. I may be slammed for that comment, but it is absolutely a part of the story.

Overall, it's a cautionary tale - about those in power, and those who have power. About standing up for others, and doing the right thing. And above all, about a girl named Alys, who learns that sometimes even those who seek to destroy begin out of love.