Content levels
Trigger warnings
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Keara runs away rather than sacrifice Caw, the darkbeast she has been bound to all her life, and, pursued by the Inquisitors who would punish her for heresy, she joins a performing troupe of Travelers.
Is Darkbeast appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
Middle grade fantasy about a girl who refuses to sacrifice her magical animal companion and becomes a fugitive. Features pursuit by religious authorities and themes of defying unjust traditions, with mild peril but age-appropriate content.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include animal death, religious persecution, and abandonment.
Who'll love this
Kids will love the bond between Keara and her darkbeast Caw, and the adventure of joining a traveling performer troupe while on the run.