“Every time I think I’m making progress, something happens to remind me I’m still just a pawn in someone else’s game.”
— Chloe's recurring frustration with her lack of control over her life and destiny.
Archivist's Choice
The Calling
Kelley Armstrong (2012)
Genre
Fantasy / Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
270 min
Key Themes
See below
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Hunted by a shadowy organization and stranded in the wilderness after a helicopter crash, teenage skin-walker Maya must use her animalistic powers and her friends' talents to survive and uncover the truth.
Synopsis
Maya Delaney, a skin-walker with special abilities, and her friends flee their homes during a suspicious forest fire. Their escape ends when they are kidnapped and then crash-land in the Vancouver Island wilderness. With no supplies, they rely on their unique talents and growing supernatural powers to survive the environment and evade their pursuers. As they navigate the dangerous landscape, they learn more about their gifts, their captors, and the Edison Group. Amidst the struggle, alliances form, and they face betrayals and sacrifices, all while searching for answers about their origins and the forces hunting them. Maya also deals with her romance with Rafe, who reveals his own supernatural nature, adding another layer to their desperate journey.
Reading time
270 min
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Fast
Mood
Suspenseful, Adventurous, Romantic, Thrilling
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy YA urban fantasy with a strong focus on supernatural powers, survival, and a touch of romance.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer fantasy without a significant 'chosen one' or 'special group' trope, or are looking for a standalone novel.
Plot Summary
The Aftermath and the Escape
After the forest fire that destroyed Salmon Creek, Maya Delaney, Daniel, Nicole, and Serena evacuate. Maya is still processing her identity as a skin-walker and the fact that the fire was set by the Edison Group. They find temporary shelter in Daniel's uncle's remote cabin. Here, they try to understand the traumatic events and their supernatural abilities. Maya works to control her new skin-walker powers, while the group discusses their next move, knowing the Edison Group is likely hunting them.
Kidnapped and Crashed
Their short break ends when the Edison Group finds them. Armed agents capture Maya and her friends, along with other supernaturals from Salmon Creek, including Rafe and his family. They are loaded onto a helicopter, likely for transport to an Edison Group facility. During the flight, a struggle or malfunction causes a crash in a remote, heavily forested wilderness. The crash is violent, leaving survivors disoriented, injured, and stranded, with the Edison Group still a threat.
Survival in the Wilderness
After the helicopter crash, Maya, Daniel, Nicole, Serena, and Rafe are in the dense wilderness of Vancouver Island. They are cut off from communication, have limited supplies, and are injured. Their survival depends on their intelligence and developing supernatural abilities. Maya's heightened senses and connection to animals, Daniel's strength, Nicole's healing, and Serena's empathy become important for finding food, water, and shelter. Rafe, with his own powers, also helps, though he is more cautious.
Rafe's Revelation and Shifting
As the group navigates the dangerous wilderness, Rafe reveals he is also a skin-walker, a fact he had hidden. This changes the group dynamic, offering Maya a potential mentor and a better understanding of her abilities. During a dangerous encounter with a bear, or a moment of extreme stress, Maya has her first full Shift, transforming into a cougar. This moment confirms her identity as a skin-walker and gives her a new sense of power and connection to the wild, but also great responsibility.
The Edison Group's Pursuit
Despite their remote location, the Edison Group continues its pursuit. The survivors find evidence of their trackers—discarded equipment, subtle signs. This constant threat pushes the group to move faster and be more careful, always watching their backs. Tension rises as they realize the Edison Group has advanced technology and a large network, making escape seem unlikely. The wilderness, while offering some cover, also makes them vulnerable to hunters who know the land.
Alliances and Conflicts
During their difficult journey, Maya and her friends meet other supernaturals who have escaped or are hiding from the Edison Group. Some are allies, offering temporary help or information, while others are wary or hostile. These encounters show the widespread reach of the Edison Group and the fragmented nature of the supernatural community. Internal conflicts also arise within Maya's group, caused by fear, stress, and different ideas on what to do, testing their bonds and trust.
The Search for Answers
As they trek through the wilderness, Maya, with Rafe's help, learns more about her skin-walker heritage and the history of her kind. She learns about the traditions, responsibilities, and dangers of their powers. At the same time, the group tries to understand the Edison Group's operations and goals. They suspect the organization is not just capturing supernaturals but experimenting on them, aiming to control or weaponize their abilities, making their escape even more important.
A Glimmer of Hope
After weeks of difficult travel and constant danger, the group finds a hidden community or a contact who might help them. This discovery offers hope, a potential sanctuary, or a way to get resources and information that could help them against the Edison Group. However, the path to this new haven has its own challenges and requires a leap of faith, as they must decide whether to trust these new individuals or risk further exposure.
Confrontation and Sacrifice
The Edison Group eventually corners Maya and her friends. A tense and violent confrontation follows, forcing the supernaturals to use their powers to defend themselves. The fight is brutal, showing the ruthlessness of the Edison Group and the growing strength of Maya and her allies. During this clash, the group suffers losses or makes sacrifices to ensure the escape of others. This event strengthens their resolve to fight back and shows the high stakes of their struggle.
The Road Ahead
Having barely escaped the Edison Group again, Maya and her remaining friends are hurt but not defeated. They have endured a difficult journey, faced dangers, and discovered more about themselves and their powers. While they are not yet safe, they have gained valuable experience and formed stronger bonds. The novel ends with them having found a temporary refuge or a new mission, understanding that their fight against the Edison Group is not over, but they are now better prepared and more united to face what comes next.
Principal Figures
Maya Delaney
The Protagonist
Maya transforms from a confused and reluctant supernatural into a powerful and more confident skin-walker, embracing her abilities and leadership role.
Daniel
The Love Interest / Supporting
Daniel deepens his commitment to Maya and the group, becoming more adept at using his powers in combat and survival scenarios.
Nicole
The Supporting
Nicole grows more confident in her healing powers, using them to sustain the group through increasingly dire circumstances.
Serena
The Supporting
Serena learns to better control and utilize her empathetic abilities, becoming a crucial emotional anchor and threat detector for the group.
Rafe
The Supporting
Rafe moves from a solitary and guarded individual to a more integrated and supportive member of the group, particularly in mentoring Maya.
The Edison Group Agents
The Antagonists
They remain a constant, unyielding threat, representing the external danger the protagonists must overcome.
Murray
The Mentioned / Supporting
His role is limited to providing a temporary safe haven at the beginning of their journey.
Themes & Insights
Identity and Self-Acceptance
Maya's journey in 'The Calling' is about her struggle and eventual acceptance of her skin-walker identity. At first, her powers are overwhelming and scary, a secret she fears will push people away. But as she must rely on them to survive in the wilderness, and especially after her first full Shift into a cougar, she begins to understand and accept this part of herself. This theme is reflected in Rafe's initial reluctance to reveal his own nature, and his eventual openness, suggesting that true strength comes from accepting who you are, even if it is unusual and dangerous.
“It wasn't just a part of me. It was me. The animal, the human, the connection to the wild. All of it.”
Survival and Resilience
The novel is about the characters' will to survive against great odds. Stranded in a hostile wilderness after a helicopter crash, with limited resources and the constant threat of the Edison Group, Maya and her friends are pushed to their physical and mental limits. They must adapt, learn new skills, and use their developing supernatural abilities to find food, shelter, and avoid capture. This theme highlights their resourcefulness, their ability to endure hardship, and their collective strength when facing difficulty. Every decision, from finding water to navigating terrain, is a matter of life or death.
“We had nothing but each other, our wits, and whatever strange, powerful gifts we were still figuring out. And that had to be enough.”
Trust and Betrayal
As Maya and her friends navigate the dangerous supernatural world, trust is very important. They must decide who to confide in, who to rely on for help, and who might betray them to the Edison Group. Rafe's initial secrecy about his skin-walker nature creates tension, while encounters with other supernaturals force the group to quickly judge their loyalties. The constant threat of capture means that misplaced trust could lead to serious problems, making their friendships and loyalty even more important for survival.
“In this world, trust was a luxury we couldn't always afford, but it was also the only thing that could save us.”
The Price of Power
The supernatural abilities of Maya and her friends are both their greatest assets and their biggest weaknesses. While their powers help them survive and defend themselves, they also make them targets for the Edison Group, who want to use or control them. The characters experience the physical and psychological toll of using their powers, such as Serena's emotional exhaustion or the dangers of Maya's Shift. This theme explores the idea that special abilities come with responsibilities and often a high personal cost, forcing the characters to weigh the benefits against the risks.
“Every time I used it, every time I shifted, it felt like a part of me was being remade, and the cost was always high.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
The MacGuffin (Edison Group's Goal)
The overarching, yet mysterious, objective of the Edison Group.
While not a tangible object, the Edison Group's ultimate goal to capture, experiment on, and control supernaturals functions as a MacGuffin. It drives the entire plot, propelling Maya and her friends into constant flight and danger, yet its full scope and specific methods remain largely enigmatic. This mystery keeps the antagonists formidable and the stakes high, constantly reminding the protagonists of the unseen forces they are up against without fully revealing the 'why' until later in the series.
The Wilderness as a Character
The Vancouver Island wilderness acts as both an obstacle and a sanctuary.
The remote Vancouver Island wilderness serves as a dynamic plot device. It is both an antagonist, presenting harsh environmental challenges like lack of food, water, and dangerous wildlife, and a temporary ally, providing camouflage and opportunities for the supernaturals to hone their abilities away from human eyes. The natural setting forces the characters to rely on their primal instincts and powers, accelerating their development and creating a constant, palpable sense of danger and isolation.
The Helicopter Crash
A catastrophic event that isolates the protagonists and heightens the stakes.
The helicopter crash is a pivotal plot device that serves several functions. Firstly, it physically isolates Maya and her friends from civilization and any immediate help, forcing them into a pure survival scenario. Secondly, it escalates the stakes dramatically, demonstrating the ruthlessness of the Edison Group (if deliberate) or the sheer danger of their situation (if accidental). Lastly, it acts as a catalyst for the characters to fully embrace and rely on their supernatural abilities, as conventional means of survival are stripped away.
The Shift
Maya's first full transformation into an animal, marking a major character development.
Maya's first full Shift into a cougar is a powerful plot device marking a significant turning point in her character arc. It symbolizes her full acceptance of her skin-walker identity and the awakening of her true power. This event is not merely a display of ability but a profound internal transformation, solidifying her connection to the wild and providing her with new perspectives and capabilities that are crucial for the group's survival. It also sets her apart as a unique and powerful individual within the supernatural community.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“It’s hard to be a hero when you’re constantly wondering if you’re the villain in someone else’s story.”
— Chloe grappling with moral ambiguity and the perception of her actions.
“Sometimes the greatest strength isn’t in fighting, but in knowing when to run.”
— Chloe learning the value of strategic retreat and self-preservation.
“Love isn't supposed to be a cage, but sometimes it feels like the bars are made of your own heart.”
— Chloe reflecting on the restrictive aspects of her relationships and feelings.
“The world doesn’t care if you’re ready. It just keeps spinning.”
— Chloe's realization that events don't wait for her personal preparedness.
“We all have monsters inside us. The trick is learning to control them, not deny them.”
— Chloe's internal struggle with her powers and darker impulses.
“Hope is a dangerous thing. It makes you vulnerable.”
— Chloe's cynical view on hope after repeated disappointments.
“You can’t choose your family, but you can choose who you fight for.”
— Chloe's evolving understanding of loyalty and chosen bonds.
“Every secret has a price, and someone always pays it.”
— Chloe's experience with the consequences of hidden truths.
“Sometimes the only way to find your path is to get lost first.”
— Chloe's journey of self-discovery through confusion and challenges.
“Fear can be a weapon, if you know how to wield it.”
— Chloe learning to use her own fear or the fear of others to her advantage.
“The strongest walls are the ones we build around our hearts.”
— Chloe observing how people protect themselves emotionally.
“Truth isn't always what you want it to be. Sometimes it's just what is.”
— Chloe confronting harsh realities about her past and the supernatural world.
“Being different doesn't make you broken. It makes you powerful.”
— Chloe embracing her unique abilities and identity.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
At the start of 'The Calling,' Maya and her friends are forced to evacuate their homes due to a forest fire they strongly suspect was intentionally started. This immediate danger sets the stage for their subsequent kidnapping, propelling them into the perilous wilderness.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
