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annorabrady's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The world and characters felt fleshed out and well-loved. The actions and reactions of each character were appropriate for the situation and their personality. The mystery was compelling and well-resolved.
I particularly like that Sierra didn't abandon her friends with the discovery of the mystery, as is often a problem in stories, especially young adult books. Sierra not only keeps her friends, she turns to them, she involves them in solving the mystery, and she still manages to keep her social life going. It makes her seem more real and makes her friendships seem as valuable as she claims they are.
There are a few times where things feel just a little too easy. And that's why I didn't give this a full 5 star review. But, for the most part, things feel properly earned.
I particularly like that Sierra didn't abandon her friends with the discovery of the mystery, as is often a problem in stories, especially young adult books. Sierra not only keeps her friends, she turns to them, she involves them in solving the mystery, and she still manages to keep her social life going. It makes her seem more real and makes her friendships seem as valuable as she claims they are.
There are a few times where things feel just a little too easy. And that's why I didn't give this a full 5 star review. But, for the most part, things feel properly earned.
Graphic: Sexism, Death, Stalking, Misogyny, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, and Gaslighting
mattyb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism and Grief
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
SHADOWSHAPER blends real and fantastical elements, grounding it in specific locations in Brooklyn, NY. I'm unfamiliar with that city and I don't know which ones were real and which were made up for the setting. The characters share a local culture but late in the book they have a conversation about how their backgrounds differ even within this one place.
The details about the Shadowshapers as a group are revealed agonizingly slowly. It's a pace where Sierra was more stressed than I was because what I took as a slow burn, Sierra (rightfully) understood as actively being denied a piece of her culture and knowledge of a massively influential force within her family because she's a girl. She ends up feeling like an outsider in her own family, needing help from a boy who happens to know more because he was given access to this knowledge when she was kept out. I felt her frustration at the exclusion, and her determination to keep going with whatever she had.
I read this as an audiobook, and the narrator's performance helped with my immersion into the story. The ending works well, tying off this story while leaving room for more as the series continues. I'm interested in what's next for the Shadowshapers and I plan to keep reading the series.
The details about the Shadowshapers as a group are revealed agonizingly slowly. It's a pace where Sierra was more stressed than I was because what I took as a slow burn, Sierra (rightfully) understood as actively being denied a piece of her culture and knowledge of a massively influential force within her family because she's a girl. She ends up feeling like an outsider in her own family, needing help from a boy who happens to know more because he was given access to this knowledge when she was kept out. I felt her frustration at the exclusion, and her determination to keep going with whatever she had.
I read this as an audiobook, and the narrator's performance helped with my immersion into the story. The ending works well, tying off this story while leaving room for more as the series continues. I'm interested in what's next for the Shadowshapers and I plan to keep reading the series.
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Dementia, Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Ableism, Car accident, and Alcohol
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, and Racism
Minor: Ableism, Sexism, and Misogyny
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