Reviewer: Sharon Brunner
Kelsey Matthews’ The One of Them is a story about good versus evil and the struggles of having supernatural gifts. The main character in the story is Robert Donoghue, who begins having terrifying nightmares. He fears he is losing his mind. Cody and Trista are his best friends. He meets other characters such as Anthony, Nina, Paige, Alex, and Bryant, beings he meets in another dimension. The story takes place in Marquette, Michigan and other places around the world where portals exist. Robert is given instructions to meet in the woods and find a tower. He enters that building and is taken to another dimension. At this location, he discovers he has special, powerful gifts, such as creating fires and moving things with his mind. Robert is torn on who to trust, Anthony or Nina. Nina has a strong connection with his father. A battle is fought between good and bad forces in an alternative location and people lose their lives. Robert’s life is saved by a new friend, and he returns to Marquette, trying to lead a normal life.
Two of the themes in the book are fear of the unknown and loyalty. Robert had a great fear of his new abilities, especially setting fires, and had to learn how to use them. The strange dreams he had took him to unknown places and he is disturbed by flashbacks and his mind being taken over. He would be talking to his friend Cody and then space out and is taken back to another dimension. He struggled to grasp reality. His friend Cody definitely demonstrated loyalty to Robert. He stayed with his friend through all the weird things Robert was going through. Robert tried to remain loyal to Anthony and Nina while trying to figure out who was telling him the truth. Robert’s father wanted to hang onto his relationship with his son even though he was a spectral being who died years ago.
I was reminded of the 2012 movie “Avengers” when reading this book. Earth’s strongest heroes unite to learn how to fight as a team to stop the enemy, Loki, and his alien army from enslaving humanity. Robert and his peers are trained in fighting to prepare for their battle against Nina and her army. They had to fight to save human lives. The movie and book series “The Hunger Games” also came to mind when reading this book. Two teenagers, each from one of the twelve Districts of Panem, are chosen to fight to the death. The war between Nina and her team and Anthony and his team was to the death.
Matthews brought to life the possibility of teenagers coming into their own concerning their special gifts and the struggles faced when discovering said gifts. Robert is tested by the use of a stone with specific symbols on it. He is sought by two sides, good and evil. Matthews did a good job of creating situations in which the goals and interests of the characters are in question. Robert, as the narrator of this book, introduces the feelings and thoughts of a troubled teen. As most people can attest, being a teenager can be difficult without the addition of supernatural abilities. Matthews The One of Them provides a supernatural tale of discoveries and deceit, nastiness and doubt, while a teenager must save his city and the world.
Title: One of Them
Author: Kelsey Matthews
