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Sarah Strange is a character in L. J. Smith's Night World series. She would made her debut in the tenth and final novel, Strange Fate, which was canceled after it was written. Based on several sneak previews released, however, she seemingly has the ability to see the future, which occurs as painful migraines.
Appearance[]
Sarah
Sarah is described as being somewhat naturally beautiful, with "mouse-brown" hair and "aquamarine" hued eyes. Even Ash Redfern remarks how, after being made over by Winfrith Arlin, Sarah looks "frighteningly beautiful", even without makeup, though both he and the shapeshifter Keller also mention how, at first glance, Sarah is rather small and like a "willow wand". However, in her own view, Sarah states her appearance as "slight and fragile looking, with very little on top and nothing at all anywhere else." Many Night People remark that Sarah is very close in spirit to a "dryad", a Greek female nature spirit.
Personality[]
Sarah appears to be a quiet and mindful girl, not thinking much of her looks nor understanding why Mal Harman and Kierlan Drache, her childhood friends, are always around her. Her tendency to keep things to herself also applies to her extraordinary migraines, which are heralded by the scent of roses and silvery bordering to her vision. The migraines increase in intensity until Sarah loses consciousness, and can occur at any time of the day or night. When they happen, the girl will have vivid nightmares, which are in truth visions of the world that will come if Circle Daybreak and the Wild Powers fail to stop the coming darkness (although Sarah is initially unaware of the significance of her visions).
In her own way, Sarah shows compassion and bravery, and holds a vital place among those of Circle Daybreak. Sarah is also said to be a skilled artist, one of her paintings having won a prize and been entered in a state competition.
Unique among all characters of the series, there is a possibility of Sarah having two soulmates rather than one.
History[]
Thicker Than Water[]
Keller mentions Sarah a few times, calling her an "odd girl", but admitting that, should Sarah's visions be true, they "are doomed to a future darker than anything except complete extinction". Keller also recalls the girl's notion that a tree can provide energy merely by touching it; the panther operative takes this advice and attempts to channel her excess energy into a tree located in the local park in the Circle Daybreak settlement of Harmony.
Sarah had also been mentioned to share and explain her visions: she states that the dragons are the true rulers of the next age after the apocalypse, allowing "some" vampires to live so that they can raise humans on farms (called "Houses") as food for the dragons. The dragons had also spared some werewolves as guards, as well as other shapeshifters.
Ash and Mary-Lynnette: Those Who Favor Fire[]
Sarah appears physically in this short story, when the vampire Ash Redfern requests Thierry Descouedres's private helicopter. Sadly, Thierry tells Ash that he has given use of his helicopter over to Sarah, to evacuate her family from West Virginia. Ash recalls that he had previous insulted Sarah, as well as her companions Mal Harman and Kierlan Drache. Disgusted with himself, he approaches Sarah, and asks if he can explain why he wants the helicopter, which Sarah allows; Ash is briefly impressed by the girl's beauty and although he could try to use charm on her to get his way, he decides against doing so. Ultimately, realizing Sarah's fear over what's happening, Ash walks away, intending to save Mary-Lynnette another way, but Sarah stops him, insisting he have the helicopter, determined to help Ash. The two argue back and forth over who should have it; Quinn suggests they flip a coin. Sarah ultimately asks Ash to tell her about his soulmate; he describes Mary-Lynnette's love of forests and plant life at night, and how she refused to allow him to make her a vampire as well.
Apologetically, Ash tries to explain how he had been raised at a vampire enclave, but this only serves to frighten Sarah, appalled at the idea of human servants, even with Quinn trying to defend his friend. He tells Sarah about his soulmate in great detail, citing her as being "kind and brilliant", and how he feels she needs him now. Sarah agrees to give him the helicopter after hearing this, especially as Ash never described what Mary-Lynnette looked like; she feels this is proof that Ash is truly Mary-Lynnette's soulmate. Exceedingly grateful, Ash departs the sanctuary; Sarah requests that he call her and let her know if Mary-Lynnette is all right. Ash appreciates Sarah, but he mentions that her companion, Kierlan, is a fellow "rogue" like himself, and dislikes him.
Strange Fate[]
Thus far, Sarah has appeared in the two sneak preview chapters of Strange Fate that have been released. In the first, printed in the ultimate fan guide, Sarah is shown in class, doodling in her notebook while two classmates, Pamela and Rachel, have a discussion about whom they plan to ask to an upcoming homecoming dance: Mal and Kierlan respectively. In spite of her efforts to ignore them, Sarah clearly overhears the girls talk, especially expressing their disdain for "mousy little" Sarah and how Mal and Kierlan are always around her.
Sarah is mystified herself as to why both young men are always in her company, considering her looks in comparison as being inferior to Pamela and Rachel's. Sarah recalls her, Kierlan and Mal going to dances together, with the two youths arguing mildly over asking Sarah to the dance; they appear to have a friendly rivalry, with Mal and Sarah often try to keep the Drache boy out of trouble.
When one girl, Pamela, mentions wearing a black dress for Mal, Sarah finally speaks, stating that although he wears the color often, he doesn't like it on girls (mentally adding that this has been since the funeral of Sarah's mother). She also warns Rachel that, should she intend to wear white to the dance, Kierlan will likely ruin it with punch. The three are interrupted by their teacher, although Sarah has no regrets about speaking up for her friends. Unfortunately, she is suddenly hit by the scent of roses, the signature warning sign she is going to have a migraine. Unwilling to wait for her teacher to permit her to go, she races out of the classroom to the bathroom, using hot water compresses to alleviate the pain.
This seems to work briefly, but Sarah is quickly hit by another wave of pain. Although Mal follows her into the bathroom and catches her as she falls, Sarah passes out from the agony caused by the migraine, having a vision of a world decimated by dragons and, in particular, a half-burnt, human child named Crispy.
In a revised version of the first chapter, released on L.J. Smith's official website, Sarah is shown having a migraine in her sleep, smelling roses as she slumbers, though she is unable to stop herself from falling unconscious. She then has a vision of Ash Redfern in a cemetery, trying to make amends with a girl from his past, named Madison Emily Adams. At first, Madison reacts with fury, but when Ash tries revealing to her the truth about the Night World, she begins to think he's lost his mind, and even go so far as to harm her.
Sarah witnesses Madison's growing terror, especially when a dragon suddenly appears behind Ash, and her subsequent flight and death from the dragon's black fire. Ash is devastated by Madison's death and turns to face the dragon. However, the Redfern boy instead sees Sarah in a kind of "dream" image, nearly crying from having seen Madison's death, noting Sarah's eyes and that she has the scent of roses about her. He tries to touch her, but sighs when he realizes Sarah is just a vision.
As Ash fades from view, Sarah awakens, realizing, in her painful sleep she had knocked over her alarm clock, making her late for school. In spite of the remaining pain, she reminisces on her dream, and realizes Ash is a vampire, although she is instinctually distrustful and loathing of Ash. Sarah ends the narrative with the intention to run to school in order to be on time.
Trivia[]
- It is possible that, due to her ability to have visions of the future, Sarah is a lost witch.
- The name Sarah comes from the Hebrew Sarai, which means "Princess" or "female noble". In alternate languages, Sarah (or Sara) can also mean "essense", "purity" or "speckled". One of the most famous Sarahs in history is the wife of the Bibical patriarch Abraham, who had made a covenant with God and brought his people to the promised land in Canaan.
- In accordance with the obvious meaning, Sarah's surname, Strange, comes from an Anglo-French term for an outsider, or a foreigner. It was also a barony in Great Britain, created about four times, with two creations of the baron title dying out. The position of Baron Strange is still in use in Great Britain today.
Appearances[]
Novels[]
Short Stories[]
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- ↑ As seen in the short story Ash and Mary-Lynnette: Those Who Favor Fire