Darkness Before Dawn

by Sharon M. Draper

Book Overview

Hope shines in the face of fear in this conclusion to Sharon M. Draper's award-winning Hazelwood High trilogy.

In her senior year, things are finally looking a little brighter for Keisha. Still haunted by the suicide of her ex-boyfriend, Andy, she finds comfort in the attentions of the new track coach, twenty-three-year-old Jonathan Hathaway, the principal's son. How can Keisha not be swept off her feet by a tall, dark, handsome "lemon...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689830807
• ISBN13: 9780689830808
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Has Keisha found happiness at last

This was another great book in the Hazelwood High Trilogy. I hope one day Keisha finds a good guy in college or beyond. R.I.P. Rob and Andy

Christian's Review

In the book a girl named Keisha has just lost her boyfriend. Andy killed himself because he and his best friends Rob, Tyrone, and B.J were in a car accident. Rob was the only one that didn't make it out of the car and he burned to death. Andy felt that it was his fault so he walked around with all this on his shoulders until he killed himself. Keisha had just broken up with Andy because of all his problems. That summer Keisha took Andy's little brother with her to the cookout. The cookout was something that the high school does every year and the students come and bring their little brothers and sisters. This summer, Keisha saw a guy that she thought was hot, so the summer passed and the new school year came. When she saw him, she acted as if she hadn't noticed him, but she did and she really liked him. At the same time, Leon liked her but she really had not paid any attion to that until one day she gave him a ride home and his dad started to say all this embracing stuff. So the conflict is she has to choose a boy (Leon) or a man (Jonathan). I chose this book because I read the first book and I liked it, so I just continued to read them. No one recommended it to me but when I first started everyone would say that's a good book. I chose the book because I read the back. I like the author cause she knows how to express her feelings. I would recommend this book to any one in high school and middle school. This book is really good but at first it is boring but it gets good in the middle I feel as though it gets good and you can relate to the emotion. It was easy to read cause she is just out in the open. She doesn't make things that are simple so confusing. The end was good. I was satisfied with the resolution.

Mallory

Keisha is the senior class president of her high school. She had been going through some really difficult times the past year when her ex-boyfriend unexpectedly kills himself. The principal's 23 year old son is the new trak coach and he has his eye on Keisha. Slowly Keisha begins to find comfort in 23 year old Johnatan. Her parents and friends think there is something strange about Keisha and Johnathans realationship. Keisha is happy and loves the way Johnathan treats her like a women and not a high schooler. So Keisha breaks her parents rules and continues to see him. Suddenly Keisha's relationship with Johnathan takes a turn for the worst. Johnathan takes Keisha to his appartment and when Keisha doesn't coperate with Johnathan's plans that's when the big trouble starts. He tries to rape Keisha and he attempts to kill her with his jack knife. I highly recommend this book. It may be a little boring in the begining but once your get a little further into it, your hooked. It also has a great moral/lesson to it. Another thing it shows how sexual preditors can be anywhere and it can happen to anyone. I enjoyed reading this book and think its a great book for teenage girls to read.

She saw the darkness before the light

Keisha Montgomery, a senior at Hazelwood High School, has lurked in nothing but darkness since the death of her friend Robby, and boyfriend Andy. It seems like the whole world is crashing down on her and she will be next to be eliminated by the darkness. She can't get over the pain, hurt, and guilt that has subsided her and for a long time she hasn't seen any light, hope, or happiness. But then, Jonathan Hathaway, a twenty-year-old college student and son of Hazelwood High's principal, enters Keisha's life. Keisha is taken aback by this very handsome, sweet, poetic, and mature man who seems to charm her with every word. At first Keisha pays no mind to this man, thinking he is a mere college student who is too old for her anyway, but John seems truly interested in her. He is unlike the other high school boys-he's mature, writes poetry, and is interested in the same things Keisha is interested in. He looks at her a lot, always stops to speak with her, and is a gentleman to Keisha. Soon she realizes that Jonathan Hathaway is something different, something special, and something she can't afford to waste. Despite her parents' explicit disapproval, Keisha goes out to spend time with Jonathan. Her parents tell her that he is too old, and after the first time it is the last. But Keisha lies to her parents and goes out with him anyway. Keisha's parents truly love her, and she is precious and not quite grown yet although she's eighteen, but Keisha uses her age as an excuse to do whatever she wants. She is blind to what can happen when alone with an older man she doesn't know the truth about. What adds to the superbness of this book is how Keisha's friends and family all give warning signs about Jonathan. Leon, the boy with the crush on Keisha, doesn't like Jonathan because he's "too nice with younger girls". Jalani, Keisha's newest friend, constantly warns Keisha about Jonathan. Keisha's parents inform her that she's young and vulnerable and Jonathan may not be safe, but Keisha doesn't want to listen to anybody. The constant disapproval by Keisha's peers and family intimates that Jonathan is not what Keisha thinks he is and that soon Keisha will realize her peril. Once again, Keisha Montgomery plunges into darkness. She falls into a trap and doesn't realize how much danger she's in. She can't believe how stupid she must have been to trust Jonathan Hathaway's seemingly caring personality, which is totally fake and an act to get Keisha into the situations he has placed many young girls. Why does Keisha fall into darkness? Does she ever get out? Does she ever see the light? Find out by reading this exceptional novel, Darkness Before Dawn, by Sharon M. Draper.

this book hepled me alot

before i read this book, i didnt have a clue as to what type of things guys can do out there in the world. When Kiesha thought Jonathan was the cure for her problems, i thought she was right. but when i read on, i was obviously wrong. I took advice from this book such as me now listening to my parents and friends thoughts and feelings. a couple of weeks before i read this book, i had ran off with an 18 year old, and im only 12. my mom was hurt when she found out. i felt alful and now i know how keisha's mom and dad felt. when Edna showed up and saved Kiesha after she ran out of Jonathans apartment, i knew that if you helped someone, then they will show up and help you. i loved this book and sharon m. draper. i hope to one day be as good as a writer as her. r.i.p andy

One teen's triumph over the darkness in her life

This story is told from first person or from the main character Keisha. Keisha recollects the darkness that has happened in her life from her junior to senior year. She is trying to cope with the death of her ex-boyfiend Andy, while in the process trying to discover who she is. She finds herself attactive to the principal's son, Jonathan who is doing observations at her school. Keisha deceives her parents by going out with Jonathan against their wishes. She finds herself in a position in which she has to deal with. Jonathan wants more from her sexually than she wanted to give. Keisha manages to escape but is forced to overcome the fear. With help of her friends, Keisha manages to pull through by looking what the future entails for her. I think this is a great book to read!!! It is a good follow-up book for "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book deals with typical issues that teens deal with today. There is no language nor nudity presented in this book. Nor is the moral in the book preached but simply presented. The characters are well developed and true-to-life. It is a "must to read" book!