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A review by myst
Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
4.0
In the beginning, the main character was a bit irksome, with his inferiority complex about his size coming into play a few times. Yes, he’s young and naïve, but he’s performed a few feats he wouldn’t have been able to otherwise due to his small stature, which has saved his hide more than once. Is he really that blind to his unique abilities? Also, as the story progresses, Shade’s outsider status becomes more pronounced with each new encounter with other bats, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He just wants to belong. Speaking of which…
The heart of the story can be summed up in one quote, really:
“The only reason they were nice to me was this thing on my forearm. It didn’t have anything to do with me. They were just like those Graywings we met, you remember? They liked you, and hated me because of the band. And these other bats weren’t any different. Liked me, hated you because you didn’t have a band. It’s just a piece of metal after all.”
At its core, Silverwing addresses human issues through the plight of the protagonist bats. It deals with issues of otherness and the need to belong. Who’d a thunk these night creatures could be so compelling? Kenneth Oppel certainly did. This trilogy looks promising!
The heart of the story can be summed up in one quote, really:
“The only reason they were nice to me was this thing on my forearm. It didn’t have anything to do with me. They were just like those Graywings we met, you remember? They liked you, and hated me because of the band. And these other bats weren’t any different. Liked me, hated you because you didn’t have a band. It’s just a piece of metal after all.”
At its core, Silverwing addresses human issues through the plight of the protagonist bats. It deals with issues of otherness and the need to belong. Who’d a thunk these night creatures could be so compelling? Kenneth Oppel certainly did. This trilogy looks promising!