Shadow Weaver (Shadow Weaver #1)

by Marcykate Connolly (Author)

Shadow Weaver (Shadow Weaver #1)
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: Shadow Weaver

Fans of Serafina and the Black Cloak and The Night Gardener will devour Shadow Weaver, the first in a dark middle-grade fantasy duology that's filled with shadows, danger, magic, and has the feel of a new classic.

Emmeline's gift of controlling shadows has isolated her from the rest of the world, but she's grown to be content, hidden away in her mansion with Dar, her own shadow, as her only company.

Disaster strikes when a noble family visits their home and offers to take Emmeline away and cure her of magic. Desperate not to lose her shadows, she turns to Dar who proposes a deal: Dar will change the noble's mind, if Emmeline will help her become flesh as she once was. Emmeline agrees but the next morning the man in charge is in a coma and all that the witness saw was a long shadow with no one nearby to cast it. Scared to face punishment, Emmeline and Dar run away.

With the noble's guards on her trail, Emmeline's only hope of clearing her name is to escape capture and perform the ritual that will set Dar free. But Emmeline's not sure she can trust Dar anymore, and it's hard to keep secrets from someone who can never leave your side.

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Starred Review
[Connolly's] use of language and suspense is captivating, resulting in a gripping tale that is wholly original. Dark, yet dazzling, this first installment in a planned duology is sure to popular. A perfect choice for fans of Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6--Emmeline's magical shadow-weaving makes her an outcast despite her aristocratic class, which is why she's always been especially grateful for her "shadow," Dar, whose whispers protect her--and discourage her from making other friends. When Emmeline's parents threaten to send her away after she causes an accident, Dar helps her escape. But is Dar truly Emmeline's shadow, or something more sinister? When Dar begins whispering about a ceremony that will give her a real body, Emmeline must decide how far she'll go to help her closest companion whose dominant personality leaves Emmeline struggling for a sense of herself. Though some readers may question the protagonist's seemingly naive trust in her manipulative friend, their unusual relationship may spark discussion about the destructive potential of certain types of intimacy and relationships. As Emmeline explores the outside world, she must shake off her passivity and disassociate herself from her "shadow" with the help of her new friend, light-weaving Lucas. Connolly's descriptions of magic, especially of Emmeline's shadow-play, are vivid and invigorating. The looming threat of an off-stage magic-eating villain leaves the novel somewhat open-ended, with the potential for a sequel. VERDICT Readers looking for a supernatural twist on toxic friendships will appreciate this complex and compelling read.--Katherine Magyarody, Texas A&M University, College Station

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Marcykate Connolly

MarcyKate Connolly is a New York Times bestselling children's book author who lives in New England with her family and a grumble of short-nosed dogs. She can be lured out from her writing cave with the promise of caffeine and new books. When she was in 4th grade, she and her neighbors saw an unidentified flying object zig-zag across the sky over their backyard and she's been preparing to write a book like The Thirteenth Circle ever since. She's also the author of several middle grade fantasy novels including Monstrous and the Shadow Weaver series, and a young adult duology (Twin Daggers and Heartless Heirs).

Kathryn Holmes is the author of multiple books for kids and teens, including the Class Critters chapter book series and the young adult novels The Distance Between Lost and Found and How It Feels to Fly. The Thirteenth Circle is her middle-grade debut. Kathryn grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, daughter, and piles upon piles of books. A graduate of The New School's MFA in Creative Writing program, Kathryn works as a freelance dance journalist, among other writing gigs.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781492667988
Lexile Measure
730
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Sourcebooks Young Readers
Publication date
December 20, 2018
Series
Shadow Weaver
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
Library of Congress categories
Magic
Fantasy
Shadows
Shades and shadows

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