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Shadows
Ilsa J. Bick
Quercus 2012
Shadows is the second book in the series that began with Ashes. As such, this review contains spoilers for the first book (you can find a review for Ashes here). You have been warned.
It’s tough being a teenager. All those strange changes, urges and suspicion
that you might be completely different to everyone else. In Alex’s world, it’s even tougher – because
those changes might be the everyday hormonal shifts of the teenage years or
they might alterations that change you into something entirely different,
entirely awful and entirely terrifying.
As the Changed (or Chuckies) roam unchecked, the world that Alex now inhabits
is polarised: old and young; power-hungry and lost. Alex, on finding herself
seemingly led into a trap, is now the prisoner of a group of Changed who seem
eerily cognisant while Tom, having found shelter with an older couple is again
alone – until coming across an old man and a dangerous plan. Chris and Lena
struggle through a snow-stricken countryside, attempting to locate an Amish
settlement and Peter, recently abducted, finds himself at the mercy of a figure
more terrifying than all of the Changed put together. Linking them all is an epic struggle for
dominance and nothing is certain
bar the fact that all roads lead to Rule.
Alex has really come into her own. Always tough, she (thanks, in part, to her
time in Rule) now has skills that aid both herself and those she comes into
contact with. Oddly, they also seem to
make her useful to the Changed who now hold her. Her main concern in Shadows is trying to stay
one step ahead of her captors and thereby remain, er, uneaten but at the same
time she’s desperately trying to figure out how recent events are
inter-related. Of all the characters,
she is the one who comes closest to seeing the big picture in terms of Rule and
its surrounds. Ironic, as she is the
only character not actively travelling with someone closely linked to the
town. At least, not that she’s aware
off. She remains a compelling character
– one whom you’d definitely want on your side – although by this point in
Bick’s story likability has become null and void. It’s all about survival and Alex remains almost coldly focused, if not unkind, throughout her story.
Tom comes into his own in Shadows.
As a believable as a traumatised soldier as he is a young man fighting
to get back to the girl he cares for, his determination is palpable and his
distrust of those around him satisfying in a book where double-speak is order
of the day. Tom is an interesting mix of
conscience and practicality but at heart seems inherently good – which makes
his character development towards the end of the book incredibly moving. His is an interesting situation in that he
is unwilling to trust those he finds himself with but sees little choice but to
go along with their spurious and possibly fatal plotting. Chris and Lena
also have much reason to distrust their companion, but are so busy trying
to survive a treacherous journey that their story becomes one of basic
survival. Cleverly, it is with these
two, more than the rest, that Bick explores the science of the Change and looks
at the fear that it may not be over.
Lastly, Peter languishes in a prison that is as much made of irony as of
bars. Victim of the terrifying Finn he
finds himself used as a tool in a ghastly experiment and his circumstances are hands down the most
horrific. His situation is
fascinatingly awful.
Story-wise, Shadows is a sprawling, monstrous thing. Character after character after character emerge
from the woodwork and keeping track of them is often confusing and
difficult. At the heart of the story
lies Rule, in this book represented largely by two older men, Nathan and Weller. Both seem intent on drawing all ends towards
the middle and their dealings with Rule, Chris, Lena
and Tom comprise of misinformation layered upon half-truths layered upon
lies layered upon a sly cunning that is as chilling as any of the actual
Changed. Terrifyingly, there is also the
suggestion that both men may be tied to Finn and his band of Militia. At times Shadows is confusing. In fact, it’s fairly confusing throughout – leaving the reader as nonplussed
as the characters. This is a style that will work better for some readers than others but which represents bold, often clever writing nonetheless. Genre-wise, Shadows
has firmly moved this series from the realm of post-apocalyptic fiction to that
of pure horror. Not for the
faint-hearted, Bick has proved herself to be a mistress of the truly
distressing and the scenes of torture, violence and attack are bone-chilling to
say the least.
As with the best horror, Bick asks readers to decide who the
real monsters are in her world. The
Changed with their grisly appetite and immoral lifestyle, or the old men, gone to
seed, who suddenly find power once more within their grasp. It’s terribly effective and will have readers
bemoaning humanity while paradoxically rooting for it to triumph. The closing chapters are as unrelentingly
bleak and brutal as the rest of the book yet set up some fascinating conundrums for Monsters, the third and final book of the series. A must for horror fans (although, you might
want to take notes to aid in tracking the multiple and complex story lines) this
is something different for YA and a worthy follow-up to the hugely successful Ashes.
This review was brought to you by Splendibird. Thank you to Quercus for providing us with a copy to review. Shadows is available now. Ilsa Bick will also be dropping into The Mountains of Instead at
the end of the month to discuss her vision for the series.
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