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A review by booksnorkel
Outside the Gates by Molly Gloss
4.0
This book was recommended to me by my boss.
A strangely morose tale of a young boy who is kicked out of his village which is protected from the rest of the world by large foreboding gate. The boy has a shadow, to talk to animals. In this world anyone who has a special talent is exiled into the wild. There are many people who live outside of the gates and one of them befriends the boy and teaches his to live off the earth. Eventually you find that not all shadowed people are kind, and not all use their gifts for good. Can Vren save himself and everyone with a shadow from those who would use them for ill? Harrowing and short this book took me about two hours to read, but it was worth it.
The writing style of this book is worth mentioning. The main character is referred to as 'the boy' except in time when he has to do something that is uniquely human. The time and place are not well described but that adds to the mystery and makes it more realistic. He is not described, nor is his age given, the story is hazy but that just adds to it. Age and concept of self would be lost if you were kicked out of your home at an early age, and how much of your home would you want to remember if they gave you up so easily.
A strangely morose tale of a young boy who is kicked out of his village which is protected from the rest of the world by large foreboding gate. The boy has a shadow, to talk to animals. In this world anyone who has a special talent is exiled into the wild. There are many people who live outside of the gates and one of them befriends the boy and teaches his to live off the earth. Eventually you find that not all shadowed people are kind, and not all use their gifts for good. Can Vren save himself and everyone with a shadow from those who would use them for ill? Harrowing and short this book took me about two hours to read, but it was worth it.
The writing style of this book is worth mentioning. The main character is referred to as 'the boy' except in time when he has to do something that is uniquely human. The time and place are not well described but that adds to the mystery and makes it more realistic. He is not described, nor is his age given, the story is hazy but that just adds to it. Age and concept of self would be lost if you were kicked out of your home at an early age, and how much of your home would you want to remember if they gave you up so easily.