Dark Labyrinths

Children's Literature - Amanda Ledbetter

Michael Goodman takes us on a world-wide tour covering eleven very different labyrinths in this book in the "Scary Places" series. For each of the intriguing stops on this tour, we learn its origin, gain a brief glimpse at its uses throughout history, and receive some ominous facts about the labyrinth. The origins of the labyrinths are as diverse as their structure and purpose, which include mining, burial, transportation, shelter, and safety. The short description of each labyrinth serves as an introduction, whetting our appetites to delve even further into the mystery, and the artwork includes photographs and drawings that give us a glimpse at what we would see if we were to visit the labyrinth. While billed as a book dedicated to scary locales, the sites mentioned do not bring up bone-chilling terror. Ghost sightings are discussed and do add to the fear factor, but the overwhelming feel of the book is more about mystery than horror. This aspect makes the book a gentle read for children. For adolescents interested in doing more research, the book includes a glossary, bibliography, and other sources for more reading. Reviewer: Amanda Ledbetter