Midnight's Choice

This is a sequel to Switchers, Kate Thompson's first novel for children. A reader who has not read Switchers may find it difficult to get beyond the first four pages, but this would be a great pity for here is an exciting adventure allied with a story which presents some profound reflections on human nature. Thompson takes up the story where Switchers stopped, as Tess contemplates the decision she must make by her fifteenth birthday. By then she must make up her mind whether to stay in human form or to take the form of another living being for the rest of her life, for Tess has the ability to Switch. A difficulty presented by the first book is dealt with here. This relates to why Switchers always choose to change into relatively benign creatures and why they use their extraordinary power for the benefit of others. Midnight's Choice presents the dark side of Switching when Tess meets Martin, for here is a Switcher who glories in the corrupt power which his ability can bring. Martin is not interested in saving life; he can become the ultimate predator. In vampire Martin's company Tess experiences the hypnotic excitement of stalking the streets of Dublin in search of human blood, and she almost forgets that she first met martin when she needed help to rescue her other Switcher friend, Kevin, who was captured in the shape of a phoenix by the zoo. Tess struggles between the clashing powers of these two mythical creatures. Through her, quite literally at one point, the old war between darkness and light, good and evil, is again waged, and it is only her hard fought for maturity which enables her to come to a decision which eventually stills the battle.