The Summoning (Armstrong novel)

The Summoning

Cover of The Summoning
Author	Kelley Armstrong
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Darkest Powers
Genre	Paranormal Horror Paranormal Romance Urban Fantasy
Publisher	HarperTeen
Publication date	July 1, 2008
Media type	Print (Softcover)
Pages	390 pp
ISBN
Followed by	The Awakening

The Summoning is a novel by Kelley Armstrong, and is the first book in the Darkest Powers series. It was released on July 1, 2008.

Chloe Saunders believes things are finally starting to go right in her life – a boy asks her about the dance, Chloe gets on the directors list for a short, she finally gets her period at age 15, dyes her hair red so she could actually look her age, and commits her first crime. Little did she know, her entire world was about to turn upside down. After an incident at school, the label 'schizophrenic' is slapped on Chloe and she's shipped away to the dreadful Lyle group home for the 'crazies.' There, Chloe meets the jealous Tori, antisocial Derek, hottie Simon, Peter, and her two friends (Rae and Liz) – and realizes that not everything is as it seems.

Chloe Saunders is a white American fifteen-year-old girl who aspires to become a film director and goes to an art school. She is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Although she is given a choice, the options make it clear that Lyle House was forced upon her for an expedient recovery. She is actually a necromancer, someone who is able to see and raise ghosts from the dead. She is taken to Lyle House after seeing a ghost and reacting violently to get away from the ghost. Chloe comes to realize the others' powers, and that they were all placed in Lyle House. She gets along particularly well with Rae and Simon, developing some feelings for Simon later, but she isn't sure about her relationship for Derek. She is contacted several times by her former roommate, Liz, who was transferred, and derives her suspicion from the fact that Liz would have to be a ghost, and therefore dead, for her to speak with Chloe. Chloe escapes Lyle House after learning of its true nature from its ghosts. Near the end Chloe escapes and flees her town so she will not be recognized.

Derek Souza is a white American sixteen-year-old who is described as extremely tall, having black hair, green eyes, and acne problems. He often frightens Chloe due to his strength, but this is later attributed to the fact that he is a werewolf, capable of extreme strength, speed, hearing, scent, and sight. Derek and his foster brother, Simon, share a close bond. Derek at first wants to stay behind while the others make their escape, because he thinks he is dangerous and that Lyle House is where he belongs. Despite hesitance on both sides, he and Chloe become better friends through trying to escape and his helping her with her necromancer problems, and after she witnesses him shapeshifting. He is diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder at Lyle House, and he is there because of an incident months ago caused by his protecting Simon against a racially motivated attack.