Scan barcode
kendallbridgete's review against another edition
4.0
11-year-old Olive Dunwoody moves into the old McMartin house on Linden Street. There are so many old and mysterious objects around the house, including numerous paintings that cannot be removed from the wall. Olive finds an old pair of glasses and discovers that when she wears them, she can travel into the paintings to a strange world called Elsewhere. Things feel “off” in the Dunwoody house, almost as if the house itself is keeping secrets. Olive meets a young boy named Morton; trapped in a painting of a spooky forest, she helps Morton escape into a painting of his house on his street—Linden Street, where Olive now lives (and Morton’s house is the house of her current next-door neighbor). Olive meets three talking cats, who used to belong to the McMartin family; despite their ability to talk, the cats are very cryptic and clearly keeping many secrets themselves about the house, the paintings, and their former masters. Will Olive be able to uncover the secrets of the paintings? Should she try to help the mysterious people who live in Elsewhere? Can she trust the talking cats? Will Olive be able to overcome the sinister powers in the house that want her and her parents to leave?
everydayreading's review against another edition
This book did very little for me.
kcarella's review against another edition
5.0
This book was wonderful! I can't wait to read the next in the series! :) Lots of mystery and great characters too!
voraciouslycurious's review against another edition
4.0
A delightful YA book with a great main character whose curiosity and tenacity lead her to discover the magical and dangerous secrets hiding in her new house. A quick, fun read and the first book in a series I plan on finishing ASAP!
mycouscous's review against another edition
3.0
A fun audiobook and entry to a fantasy series with a real-world setting. Guard cats, enchanted paintings, and daft parents all make for an interesting, if elementary read. Not the best fantasy and not something I'll continue, but deliciously creepy in parts.
booksandbosox's review against another edition
4.0
http://librarianosnark.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-shadows.html
lost_by_resolve's review against another edition
5.0
Read this with my 8 year old and we loved it! Just real quality storytelling with magic and suspense. Sometimes reminded me of Coraline. A little spooky for some kids. We're reading the full series now!
beecheralyson's review against another edition
5.0
I think I have written this review 3 times. I am hoping that GoodReads processes it this time.
I have had this book on my TBR pile for several months after I heard a librarian friend book talk it. After reading it, I was certainly not disappointed in it. West has done an exceptional job with this debut novel. The story is about Olive, an 11 year old girl, who moves into an old home with her parents. Her parents are both accomplished mathematicians and she is the *odd* one for not being a math whiz but being more creative. Shortly after moving into the home she begins to notice that there is something strange about the pictures on the wall. Not only can you not you not remove them from the walls, but something seems to be happening in the pictures. Armed with her determination and curiosity, a pair of enchanted glasses that she finds in an old drawer, and a trio of talking cats, Olive sets off to solve the mystery of the paintings. The story does a nice job of revealing just enough to keep the reader interested but not too much at one time. And for children who enjoy a story with a bit of a scare factor...this is just right scary (though children who are frightened easily might not want to read it). I certainly hope that there is a sequel to this book.
I have had this book on my TBR pile for several months after I heard a librarian friend book talk it. After reading it, I was certainly not disappointed in it. West has done an exceptional job with this debut novel. The story is about Olive, an 11 year old girl, who moves into an old home with her parents. Her parents are both accomplished mathematicians and she is the *odd* one for not being a math whiz but being more creative. Shortly after moving into the home she begins to notice that there is something strange about the pictures on the wall. Not only can you not you not remove them from the walls, but something seems to be happening in the pictures. Armed with her determination and curiosity, a pair of enchanted glasses that she finds in an old drawer, and a trio of talking cats, Olive sets off to solve the mystery of the paintings. The story does a nice job of revealing just enough to keep the reader interested but not too much at one time. And for children who enjoy a story with a bit of a scare factor...this is just right scary (though children who are frightened easily might not want to read it). I certainly hope that there is a sequel to this book.