Author: MarcyKate Connolly
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Source: Hardback: Goodreads First Read
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 paws
Emmeline is a lonely girl, she feels isolated from the world because of her gift, one that causes those around her to fear her. She has grown content with being hidden away in the castle with only the shadows to keep her company. One day a nobleman arrives at the estate offering a cure for her talent meaning she will lose her gift. When this noble visiting her family estate mysteriously falls into a coma, Emmeline is blamed, and she runs away. Her shadow Dar proposes a deal to protect Emmeline as long as she helps make Dar a human girl again. Emmeline agrees and together they dash into the nearby woods where she hides within the shadows and stumbles upon a boy with light magic. She begins her life living with them trying to figure out how to clear her name, help Dar and hope her new friends will not discover her secrets.
I was really excited when I won this novel from the Goodreads giveaways, and I admit it took me a little while before I was able to really sit down and read it. It starts out a little slow, but then begins to pick up the pace as Emmeline runs away. The idea is interesting with every 25 years a comet passes over and blessed a certain number of children with various gifts. It was also interesting that Emmeline manipulates shadows as opposed to a gift we generally see in fantasy novels like earth magic or fire. Shadow magic is something unique and adds an interesting spin on the story.
I enjoyed how Emmeline and Lucas' bond begins to grow that they practice their magic together and discover they are more powerful when they work together. It is an interesting take on relationship between light and dark. She doesn't know who to trust or how to really let her guard down after spending most of her life isolated from people. I think this is something young readers can related to, feeling isolated as if they don't belong, nothing in common with others around them etc. The story does develop somewhat slow but I believe it is leading up to something more in a later novel. It sets a good background for any additional novels.
The story is geared towards middle school aged children, so the writing is somewhat simplistic, but it makes for an exciting and easy read. Children of this age would enjoy reading those book and I could see them devouring it. I personally was able to read it within the day and found myself, as a 30 year old woman, engrossed in these characters. I wanted more, I wanted to see more magic and hoped to see Doyle's wind magic playing with the light and shadows of Lucas and Emmeline, maybe we will see this later in another book.
The enchanting tale of Shadow Weaver is story that begs for readership regardless of age. It is a cute book that has friendship, betrayal, excitement, magic and so much more. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel.
No comments:
Post a Comment