A review by tori_storydelver
Shadowland by Peter Straub

1.0

I would have thought I read a different book judging by the high rating this book got if it was not for all the reviews mentioning Tom and Del. This book was a chore to get through. The main problem with it is just that it is way too long. I don't normally have a problem with long books, but when there is so much unnecessary filler it really wears on you. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed character who went to school with Tom and Del, the actual main characters of the story. Every time this unnamed guy interjects it distracts from the story and adds absolutely nothing to the book as a whole (except more pages). The ending was nearly unbearable. It drags on and on and on. There were about 5 or 6 places the story could have ended, but nope he just kept going! That was after the story dragged at the beginning in the school and in the middle when they are "learning" magic from a magician who uses actual magic to put on these crazy little theater productions that hardly resemble a magicians show and don't even really use the real magic either. They are literally just little plays that he puts on for 2 kids and a fake audience. It was just awful and I regret reading it.