In an eclipsed, the world is drowned in haunting shadows until the waterfalls of light return; much like the light of Alexis and his mental and elemental lives, both colliding at a great sacrifice to himself. The moments of a star (the sun over Stonehenge) shrouded in darkness, during an eclipse, can see the return of the sun, see us be step back into the light or descending further into darkness.
The Earth may grow or wither, a fire may ignite or extinguish, the air grow still or coming storming in, the water reflecting our true souls and hopes or tormenting us with the depth of its shadows. This resembles the individual and collective fights of our four elementals, Alexis, Blaise, Caeli and Demi, not to mention Incantus and Mortem, as they battle to save elementals from being imprinted by Mortem. A shadow wielding elemental seeking to plunge the world into darkness, whilst the elementals must fight to keep it in the world of light and sunsets, as the Battle of Stonehenge begins.
The Dark That Hides Us has burrowed its way, deep into my mind, heart and soul. It is an elemental tale of epic debating battles, fragile fated love, finding your own family and reflects on how we view ourselves. What parts we show the world we see and people we know and what we struggle to keep battling inside our own minds, on our own or with others, much like Alexis. This is apart of the potent, validate and intellectually compassionate and understanding representation by Andy Darcy Theo of mental health, finding love even if we believe we aren’t worthy or won’t find it, and how not all family begins or ends in blood.
Andy Darcy Theo is on fire (pun intended) with the highly anticipated and fascinating, exhilarating yet exceptionally written sequel to The Light That Blinds Us. It is elementals magical yet ultimately human book, as Andy further developing and guiding us into his elemental world. Andy and his elementals shows us that even if our mental health or life feels surrounded by darkness, there is hope, we even if takes small steps, or we don’t see it ever being good again.
The power that Andy has in creating characters and experiences that see genuine representations of mental health, love, family, finding out and showing off who we are and the future is amazing in itself. Readers feel validated in our internal battles, and inspired and brave enough to start to learn to love and find ourselves and start to heal from our mental health (and elemental) battlefields is not easy. Andy shows us how this doesn’t make us less, or alone but rather that we are human and it’s okay not to be okay.
There is light tranquility leading up to and dark intensity during the Battle of Stonehenge, as we see the individual and collective personal battles, whether it’s romantic feelings, family dynamics or their mental health for and between our elementals, we see a battle where they must fight for the things and people they love and believe in. There are unexpected shocks of devastation and injury, both physically and mentally, new levels of power, and conflict of light and darkness as they fight off Mortem’s dark enemy. The climatic build up of the reveal of Mortem’s plan for the eclipse at the end of The Light That Blinds Us builds up and explodes into one of the greatest fantasy battles I have ever read, spanning different character dynamics, relationships, strengths and struggles as the prophecy of light and darkness must be answered.
Alexis’ own battles, both on the surface at the eclipse of Stonehenge, the one in the dark floor of his mind and emotions, see him and Andy telling us to keep fighting, reducing the stigma surrounding innate battles of mental health and trauma. Andy encourages his readers to embrace it as a superpower, (especially when we see Blaise’s origin story and perspectives(. And as something that isn’t dark, that doesn’t consume or overpower us as the light, hope of living, laughing, loving whilst healing our minds is possible. Even if it seems hopeless, even if it gets worse before it gets better.
Andy’s background in clinical psychology and his own compassionate empathic and supportive personality is even more extensively woven into The Dark That Hides Us. It provides a force, healing and life changing sea of awareness of underrepresented areas in fantasy novels, including mental health.
We also see Alexis still battling his own mental health, after the reveals of his connections to Mortem, his own brush with the darker side of his mind and powers, wanting to show his best friend how much he loves her and finding new family. Let’s also note Blaise, who joins Alexis as a narrator for The Dark That Hides Us. Blaise is still the bright cheerful optimistic spark we know and love, but we also begin to see his more vulnerable side, his fears and insecurities of feeling he has to the best to be loved, and wondering what real love and connection with others is, and whether he’s worthy of it.
It’s interesting yet heartbreaking as we learn more about Blaise, the treatment from his parents, and his struggle to express and accept love from others, and keep his flame burning as he’s confronted with the darkness he fears, unlike Alexis who fears what he feels or finds in the darkness, Blaise is afraid of feeling alone or useless, not seeing how amazing he is. The brother relationship between Alexis and Blaise continues to grow, seeing them bond and represent healthy non toxic male characters in fantasy novels.
The Dark That Hides Us is a book, that I will never let go off, and will never stop telling others about this marvellous exciting masterpiece of a story, that helps like a hug but also a dagger at the same time, in a life changing way. It’s one story, that has ruined touched me and helped me with my own mental health and dreams of the future. It’s a sequel that will change your life and become apart of your personality and journey, long after you’ve finished reading.
the girl and the city of books 
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