Scan barcode
A review by popthebutterfly
The Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Last Shadow Warrior
Author: Sam Subity
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: fantasy readers, Viking lovers, MG readers
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (violence, grief, some scary moments)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Abby Beckett is proud to come from a long line of elite Viking warriors known as the Aesir. She's spent her entire life training to hunt the horrific creatures known as Grendels - the ancient foe of the Aesir - just like her mother did before she died. But there's just one, small problem: No one has seen a Grendel in centuries, and the Viking Council wants to disband the Aesir . . . forever.
When her father is injured in an attack that leaves him in a coma, Abby is forced to take refuge at Vale Hall, a mysterious school in Minnesota where nothing is quite as it seems. She soon discovers the tables have turned and a Grendel is hunting her, but when she tries to alert the Viking Council, they accuse her of making up stories for attention . . . just like her mother did.
Desperate to protect her father and clear her mother's name, Abby goes on a dangerous quest to discover the truth--a journey that brings her face-to-face with some unlikely foes, including a Ping-Pong-playing sea monster with a wicked backhand, and a dark Valkyrie with a fondness for bingo. Abby quickly realizes that someone at the school is trying to stop her progress and destroy the Aesir for good. And only she can unravel the sinister plot before it's too late.
When her father is injured in an attack that leaves him in a coma, Abby is forced to take refuge at Vale Hall, a mysterious school in Minnesota where nothing is quite as it seems. She soon discovers the tables have turned and a Grendel is hunting her, but when she tries to alert the Viking Council, they accuse her of making up stories for attention . . . just like her mother did.
Desperate to protect her father and clear her mother's name, Abby goes on a dangerous quest to discover the truth--a journey that brings her face-to-face with some unlikely foes, including a Ping-Pong-playing sea monster with a wicked backhand, and a dark Valkyrie with a fondness for bingo. Abby quickly realizes that someone at the school is trying to stop her progress and destroy the Aesir for good. And only she can unravel the sinister plot before it's too late.
Review: I really liked this book! It was funny but also had my favorite: Viking folklore! I thought the characters were very well developed and played off each other well. The world building was amazing and the plot kept me interested from beginning to end.
The only issue I had with the book is that the pacing did slow down a bit throughout the book and it broke up the flow of the book.
Verdict: Highly recommend!