Shadows, Robin McKinley
Shadows, Robin McKinley
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Shadows

Author: Robin McKinley

Narrator: Jennifer Jill Araya

Unabridged: 11 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 04/11/2023


Synopsis

A compelling and inventive novel set in a world where science and magic are at odds

Maggie knows something's off about Val, her mom's new husband. Val is from Oldworld, where they still use magic, and he won't have any tech in his office-shed behind the house. But—more importantly—what are the huge, horrible, jagged, jumpy shadows following him around? Magic is illegal in Newworld, which is all about science. The magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie's great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago.

Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He's from Oldworld too—and he's heard of Maggie's stepfather, and has a guess about Val's shadows. Maggie doesn't want to know . . . until earth-shattering events force her to depend on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage.

In this dangerously unstable world, neither science nor magic has the necessary answers, but a truce between them is impossible. And although the two are supposed to be incompatible, Maggie's discovering the world will need both to survive.

About Robin McKinley

Robin McKinley has won various awards and citations for her writing, including the Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown, a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature for Sunshine. Her other books include the New York Times bestseller Spindle's End; two novel-length retellings of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and Rose Daughter; Deerskin, another novel-length fairy-tale retelling, of Charles Perrault's Donkeyskin; and a retelling of the Robin Hood legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ on November 21, 2017

3.5 stars. Robin McKinley's books have gotten more difficult to read over the years. Beauty, The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown are all fairly straightforward, charming fantasies. I don't think it's a coincidence that those early McKinley novels are my favorites. As time went on, incomprehens......more

Goodreads review by Alienor on December 04, 2013

I wanted to like it. But... well, no. - McKinley writes about animals and 'critters' very well, but I feel she's getting a little lazy in the process. Whatever happens, throw in some dogs, cats, and other creatures and you'll be protected. - the narrator is an origami aficionada, and accordingly it fe......more

Goodreads review by Meg on September 25, 2013

I should start with a disclaimer, I was predisposed to like this book. I adore Robin McKinley, I’ve read Rose Daughter something like fourteen times, it was my go-to comfort read when I was in high school. That said, Shadows was fantastic all over the place. It’s full of patented Robin McKinley magi......more

Goodreads review by Jessica on November 08, 2013

I kept hearing John Cleese in my head, "And now for something completely different!" So different! McKinley's last book, PEGASUS was a lush depiction of a magical land where the royal family are all paired up with pegasii, but it's covering up a darker deception. Here is a contemporary story of a te......more

Goodreads review by Karen on October 14, 2013

Here’s something I hope you know about me by now: Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors. Ever. I’ve read everything she’s written at least twice, and some of her books I’ve reread more times than I can count. So from the first page of “Shadows,” I fell right back in with McKinley’s writing st......more