Shadow
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- £4.49
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
Adventure, romance, and magic fill this tale of a girl who longs for love and freedom, and above all, to know herself. In a time of kings, queens, and conspiracy, it's impossible to know whom one can trust. . . . In a kingdom far away and long ago, it was prophesied at her birth that the queen would die before her sixteenth birthday. So Shadow, an orphan girl the same age as the young queen, was given the duty to watch her every move. And as prophesies do tend to come true, the queen is poisoned days before her birthday. When the castle is thrown into chaos, Shadow escapes with a young knight, whom she believes was betrothed to the queen. Unsure of why she is following Sir Kenway, but determined to run as far from her longtime prison as possible, Shadow sets off on an adventure with the handsome knight. But the kingdom is dying around them, and Shadow senses there are unknown forces at work. As mystery and romantic tension build, will Shadow uncover her own destiny?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Moss (Winnie's War) slips off target with a stiff and colorless fantasy. Due to a prophecy that Queen Audrey will die before her 16th birthday, Shadow must spend her life by the vain and selfish Audrey's side, though she's not exactly sure why ( My role.... was established long ago and no one dared question it now ). When Audrey is poisoned shortly before the fated birthday, Shadow is swept into hiding by the queen's suitor, Sir Kenway. Kenway reveals he's been sworn to keep Shadow safe and bring her to a witch in the mountains. Shadow discovers that the regent, the queen's cousin, is corrupt, and the country is slowly dying because the resident nature spirit is in mourning; naturally, Shadow is the only one who can solve both of these problems. Although the basic story has promise and some interesting mystical elements, the characters are flat and unsympathetic, and the romantic pair have scant chemistry. Shadow is passive, selfish, and apathetic throughout the story, distancing readers from what could have been a transformative journey of forgiveness and redemption. Ages 10 18.
