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The Shadow Society #1
The Shadow Society
Darcy Jones doesn't remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn't have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn't happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.
Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn't thought possible. But Conn's interest in her is confusing. It doesn't line up with the way he first looked at her.
As if she were his enemy.
When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can't rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades' latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .
In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won't soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.
Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn't thought possible. But Conn's interest in her is confusing. It doesn't line up with the way he first looked at her.
As if she were his enemy.
When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can't rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades' latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .
In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won't soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2012
About the author
Marie Rutkoski
24 books8,286 followersMarie Rutkoski is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for children and young adults, including THE HOLLOW HEART (September 14, 2021). Her debut for adults, REAL EASY (January 18, 2022), is a psychological thriller.
Born in Illinois, Marie holds degrees from the University of Iowa and Harvard University. She is currently a professor at Brooklyn College and lives in Brooklyn with her family.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marier...
(photo credit: Beowulf Sheehan)
Born in Illinois, Marie holds degrees from the University of Iowa and Harvard University. She is currently a professor at Brooklyn College and lives in Brooklyn with her family.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marier...
(photo credit: Beowulf Sheehan)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 665 reviews
November 28, 2012
These days every time I go to pick up another Paranormal Romance I know I'll end up with some form of vampire, werewolf, zombie or ghost. And while there is nothing wrong any of those types of characters, it tends to get a little "tell me something I don't know, would ya?" I wanted something different, creative and imaginative. So when I first discovered The Shadow Society, I was really excited to read a novel that featured an entirely new Paranormal creature: Shades, children of the shadows (badass tagline, right?).
Now even though in my bio it says I love reading Paranormal Romances, I am so picky with that genre because it has the biggest habit of falling into tropes that either annoy me or disturb me. At first I thought that would be The Shadow Society's fate as well. When our main character, Darcy, an orphan with a mysterious past, meets the new boy at school, Conn, they lock eyes and she finds herself thinking about him from that point forward. Do you see where this could have gone? Straight to my Did Not Finish list, that's where. But then I noticed something. Darcy and Conn started spending good, ol' fashion time together, getting to know each other without claiming their undying love. And just when I thought this would be a simple cutesy novel, betrayals, revelations, and mysteries ensue and I found myself wrapped up in the plot.
If there is one thing that I have to commend Rutkoski on, it's how the novel is crafted around one real life story involving a knife and a fish tank. When Darcy discovers that she is really a Shade from an alternate dimension and that her kind are terrorists, she is heartbroken. All her life she has wanted to know about her past she couldn't seem to remember, but the longer she spends in the alternate division the more she discovers that it's filled with more that just shadows. I could easily sympathize with Darcy and loved how the book was told through her point-of-view. She doesn't always make the best decisions in the novel, but unlike other heroines, I have to give her credit for trying to fix her mistakes.
The highlight of the novel is easily the secondary characters. They were hilarious with vibrant personalities, especially Jims. I LOVED him so hard. I only wish I could have seen a lot more of him and Darcy's friends. Conn, the love interest, was a confusing character for majority of the novel. It's understandable given his role in the plot (which I won't spoil for you even if you beg!), but it made it harder to connect with him. However, I did enjoy the romance and readers can rest assured that insta-love is absent from The Shadow Society. And while it is an important factor in the story, it never drove the plot, which I liked.
Of course, this isn't a perfect novel. There were a few times where the story did slow down significantly and while I wasn't bored, it could be an issue for other readers. I also found the third boy's romantic interests in Darcy a bit unnecessary. She already had two admirers, one who reminded me of Blake from Onyx (if you've read Onyx, you'll know that isn't a compliment to that character), and Conn, the good guy. And no, there wasn't a love triangle. Then there was the issue of the friends somehow finding the alternate dimension and making a life there in such a short amount of time. But when Jims referred to himself as "Daddy," I quickly let that little issue slide. LOL. And finally, I felt that the ending's resolution ended a little too swiftly for my liking after so much build-up.
If someone were to ask me if I'd recommend The Shadow Society, I think I would tell them to sample the first few chapters first. The Shadow Society gives me the same feelings Throne of Glass did in that it's very readable with an interesting premise. It won't change your life, but being a standalone read, it works well for one of those rainy days where you want to read something a little lighter with a satisfying ending.
ARC was provided by Macmillan. Thank you!
Want to enter for a chance to win the ARC? Visit Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
August 3, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! It definitely wasn't perfect and dragged at some points, but overall I really really liked it. Conn & Darcy are really great characters and I loved seeing all the characters grow & change in this book. Also such an interesting concept for a book! SO GUHD.
June 29, 2015
Sooooo good! Full REVIEW HERE! Check it out! http://awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com/2...
October 17, 2014
The Shadow Society begins on a very clichéd note: hot new guy who our protagonist is immediately attracted to, who invades all her thoughts, and seems to be enchanted by her--the plain Jane. Let's just say I did not have high hopes after this. But fortunately, and as a big relief, things turn around quite drastically once we get over this beginning slump. This is when we find ourselves into a very intriguing and unique premise involving alternate dimensions.
Alternate dimensions are not something I have often come upon in YA, I love the concept, it's brimming with endless possibilities. This is what I enjoyed the most in this novel. The concept is well done, there are some holes--mostly grey areas--but I found it quite fascinating overall. The explanation that caused the dimensional divide is both scary and thought provoking, and the differences between the two are as vast as I like to imagine they would be--butterfly effect and all. Furthermore, Marie created this new world with a lot of details and cinematic descriptions that had me easily portraying this alternate Chicago. It's beautiful and dangerous. The notion of shades is so very neat as well--how they live, what they can do, how they're considered evil and a thing to fear. Being able to disappear... who hasn't thought of that at least once? After gaining this knowledge about this world so unlike our own, we get an explanation for the stale beginning which gets us to understand Conn's initial attitude towards Darcy, changing my opinion of it all for the better.
The story follows Darcy quite closely, there are some secondary characters, but other than the two love interests that forms our cliché triangle (we couldn't get away from them all), there aren't a whole lot of secondary character interaction--which is a shame because the ones we do meet briefly are a memorable bunch. At least, Darcy leads the show very well. I liked her personality. She's flawed, and she makes mistakes, but she's not oblivious to them. Her relationship with Conn is actually built, not born from passion and lust. This is partly due to Conn himself. I was never too sure where he stood. His character is intricate; he wants to be loyal and true, but to whom? Him being any kind of relationship with a shade is a definite unusual and strongly frowned upon idea, seeing as they're the enemy race. Although there wasn't a strong "forbidden love" tone I usually like from these romances, I thought their relationship growth was realistic, and perfectly combined with an obvious connection.
After the not so exciting beginning, I'm happy to have found the book well paced. There is a ton going on once they arrive in the alternate world, from spying, to learning newly discovered ghosting abilities, to researching forgotten past; I was kept thoroughly entertained. The anti-climatic ending was a tad disappointing, though. The resolve was too easy for my taste, with some conveniences that were a little… implausible.
It's not a perfect novel, but not one I would pass up either. I think my biggest problem lies in both extremities: the beginning and ending, which is where I often find is the most important to compel the reader. However, the originality of it alone is well worth it.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Alternate dimensions are not something I have often come upon in YA, I love the concept, it's brimming with endless possibilities. This is what I enjoyed the most in this novel. The concept is well done, there are some holes--mostly grey areas--but I found it quite fascinating overall. The explanation that caused the dimensional divide is both scary and thought provoking, and the differences between the two are as vast as I like to imagine they would be--butterfly effect and all. Furthermore, Marie created this new world with a lot of details and cinematic descriptions that had me easily portraying this alternate Chicago. It's beautiful and dangerous. The notion of shades is so very neat as well--how they live, what they can do, how they're considered evil and a thing to fear. Being able to disappear... who hasn't thought of that at least once? After gaining this knowledge about this world so unlike our own, we get an explanation for the stale beginning which gets us to understand Conn's initial attitude towards Darcy, changing my opinion of it all for the better.
The story follows Darcy quite closely, there are some secondary characters, but other than the two love interests that forms our cliché triangle (we couldn't get away from them all), there aren't a whole lot of secondary character interaction--which is a shame because the ones we do meet briefly are a memorable bunch. At least, Darcy leads the show very well. I liked her personality. She's flawed, and she makes mistakes, but she's not oblivious to them. Her relationship with Conn is actually built, not born from passion and lust. This is partly due to Conn himself. I was never too sure where he stood. His character is intricate; he wants to be loyal and true, but to whom? Him being any kind of relationship with a shade is a definite unusual and strongly frowned upon idea, seeing as they're the enemy race. Although there wasn't a strong "forbidden love" tone I usually like from these romances, I thought their relationship growth was realistic, and perfectly combined with an obvious connection.
After the not so exciting beginning, I'm happy to have found the book well paced. There is a ton going on once they arrive in the alternate world, from spying, to learning newly discovered ghosting abilities, to researching forgotten past; I was kept thoroughly entertained. The anti-climatic ending was a tad disappointing, though. The resolve was too easy for my taste, with some conveniences that were a little… implausible.
It's not a perfect novel, but not one I would pass up either. I think my biggest problem lies in both extremities: the beginning and ending, which is where I often find is the most important to compel the reader. However, the originality of it alone is well worth it.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
December 8, 2015
A very low 4-star -- better than the several I've recently given threes to but not as good as many I've four-starred, including the author's earlier The Cabinet of Wonders.
I liked the initial concept and I liked Darcy and her friends even though they seemed a little too good to be true (okay, she is an orphan with a sad past, but her foster mother is nice and she has great friends and does well at school and is very talented at art).
And I thought the ending was pretty strong.
The middle, on the other hand, was pretty much a slog. Too much angsting over boys. Too much watching Darcy fail to master her Shade powers. Too much pouting Orion, who seems to disappear from the story and be ultimately pointless, but maybe Rutkoski had something in mind for a sequel? I would have liked way less of this and more time with .
Hmm. I may have talked myself down to 3 stars again. I was bored for ~50% of the book.
I liked the initial concept and I liked Darcy and her friends even though they seemed a little too good to be true (okay, she is an orphan with a sad past, but her foster mother is nice and she has great friends and does well at school and is very talented at art).
And I thought the ending was pretty strong.
The middle, on the other hand, was pretty much a slog. Too much angsting over boys. Too much watching Darcy fail to master her Shade powers. Too much pouting Orion, who seems to disappear from the story and be ultimately pointless, but maybe Rutkoski had something in mind for a sequel? I would have liked way less of this and more time with .
Hmm. I may have talked myself down to 3 stars again. I was bored for ~50% of the book.
February 9, 2017
This book was okay.
September 10, 2012
can't begin to tell you how much I love this book. I wish more books like this were published more often, Finally a new idea, something that is not overdone and not copied!!! THANK GOD!
What I loved most about this book, if you have not guessed it by now, is the plot. This is a plot that is well done and beautifully written. It's heart-pounding, exciting, and just pure fun all together. In the story, Darcy is not who she thinks she is. She is something more and once that secret is out, Darcy is caught in the middle between the good guys and the bad guys. Or so we think...
I admire how wonderful it was to keep both the reader and the main character out of the loop. This is the most exciting part. Going along with the character, taking out the pieces, and deciding for ourselves how we should we feel.
The characters themselves are so redeemable it's amazing. I love a character who has been or was being steered the wrong way and BOOM! Changed for love. A love that is forbidden but so darn right. I LOVE it so much. And to see others start to see things clearly for the first time, it feels amazing, awestruck. The beauty of them going against everything they know, it's just so freaking cool!
The Shadow Society is an dynamic story! Well told with a wonderful world building, you can't help but be sucked in the beauty of it. The engrossing details of action and love, it fiercely shoots adrenaline to the reader. The Shadow Society is awesome!
What I loved most about this book, if you have not guessed it by now, is the plot. This is a plot that is well done and beautifully written. It's heart-pounding, exciting, and just pure fun all together. In the story, Darcy is not who she thinks she is. She is something more and once that secret is out, Darcy is caught in the middle between the good guys and the bad guys. Or so we think...
I admire how wonderful it was to keep both the reader and the main character out of the loop. This is the most exciting part. Going along with the character, taking out the pieces, and deciding for ourselves how we should we feel.
The characters themselves are so redeemable it's amazing. I love a character who has been or was being steered the wrong way and BOOM! Changed for love. A love that is forbidden but so darn right. I LOVE it so much. And to see others start to see things clearly for the first time, it feels amazing, awestruck. The beauty of them going against everything they know, it's just so freaking cool!
The Shadow Society is an dynamic story! Well told with a wonderful world building, you can't help but be sucked in the beauty of it. The engrossing details of action and love, it fiercely shoots adrenaline to the reader. The Shadow Society is awesome!
March 1, 2013
I began the Shadow Society with some hesitation having seen bloggers, whose opinions I've really grown to appreciate, hadn't been very happy with it. I was aware of the cliched "new guy at school that girl can't stop obsessing over", but I felt that was something that wouldn't bother me, I'd be fine with that. Maybe low expectations paid off again, but this book was really for me. I was completely engrossed in it.
Darcy was abandoned outside a fire station when she was just five years old and has no recollections of her life before then. She has went from foster home to foster home her whole life, and is only now, settled enough with her foster mother to still going to the same school for the second year in a row.
She notices Conn on the first morning back to school, hard not to when there's a complete stranger staring at you like they hate you. Over the next few days, he starts trying to get to know her, and volunteers to be her partner for a science project. But his actions contradict the look in his eyes and he cringes at her touch. But as he seems to be warming up to her more, she realises that she's starting to like him too. And she kisses him. Suddenly, he's slapped handcuffs on her and all hell breaks loose. Darcy's life is torn apart again as she discovers that she's not human, she's a shade, and she's from an alter world.
Darcy has always had a difficult life in the foster care system and there's always seemed to be something a little off about her. But things get so much worse for her when she's arrested by Conn, who's a member of the IIB and taken to the alter world where everyone hates her and looks at her with disgust, and they just want to lock her up for the rest of her life.
Darcy is a strong willed character. It's tough and must be really scary, she has no one. Yet, she fights back against both systems that seem to just want to take her freedom away, the humans of the IIB and her own kind, the shades of the Shadow Society. She doesn't care about their war, she doesn't want to be on either side, she just wants to do what's right.
And while Conn does appear to be the bad guy, I liked him from the start. He's young, but tough, and excellent at his job. He listens to his gut and goes with what he believes in.
Darcy's friends are wonderful. Jims, Lily and Raphael, they're not present for most of the book but enough for me to get to like them and see how good they are. And while it was a tad on the unbelievable side, I still enjoyed the part they play in the ending of this book and the impact they have.
Overall, I was mostly happy with the world building, I would have liked some more information on exactly how the alter world was created. The split in worlds was caused by the Great Chicago Fire, but how, and why? And the people who live in the alter, how do they come to be there, are they people from the original world? The people in the alter world are aware of the original world, but not vice versa. This lack of knowledge didn't impact on my enjoyment of the story but it did leave me extremely curious.
The Shadow Society is a stand alone book, something I haven't read for quite a while. I'm happy about that in one way, no long wait for a sequel, but still slightly sad, as it would have been nice to have some more time with Conn and Darcy.
Darcy was abandoned outside a fire station when she was just five years old and has no recollections of her life before then. She has went from foster home to foster home her whole life, and is only now, settled enough with her foster mother to still going to the same school for the second year in a row.
She notices Conn on the first morning back to school, hard not to when there's a complete stranger staring at you like they hate you. Over the next few days, he starts trying to get to know her, and volunteers to be her partner for a science project. But his actions contradict the look in his eyes and he cringes at her touch. But as he seems to be warming up to her more, she realises that she's starting to like him too. And she kisses him. Suddenly, he's slapped handcuffs on her and all hell breaks loose. Darcy's life is torn apart again as she discovers that she's not human, she's a shade, and she's from an alter world.
Darcy has always had a difficult life in the foster care system and there's always seemed to be something a little off about her. But things get so much worse for her when she's arrested by Conn, who's a member of the IIB and taken to the alter world where everyone hates her and looks at her with disgust, and they just want to lock her up for the rest of her life.
Darcy is a strong willed character. It's tough and must be really scary, she has no one. Yet, she fights back against both systems that seem to just want to take her freedom away, the humans of the IIB and her own kind, the shades of the Shadow Society. She doesn't care about their war, she doesn't want to be on either side, she just wants to do what's right.
And while Conn does appear to be the bad guy, I liked him from the start. He's young, but tough, and excellent at his job. He listens to his gut and goes with what he believes in.
Darcy's friends are wonderful. Jims, Lily and Raphael, they're not present for most of the book but enough for me to get to like them and see how good they are. And while it was a tad on the unbelievable side, I still enjoyed the part they play in the ending of this book and the impact they have.
Overall, I was mostly happy with the world building, I would have liked some more information on exactly how the alter world was created. The split in worlds was caused by the Great Chicago Fire, but how, and why? And the people who live in the alter, how do they come to be there, are they people from the original world? The people in the alter world are aware of the original world, but not vice versa. This lack of knowledge didn't impact on my enjoyment of the story but it did leave me extremely curious.
The Shadow Society is a stand alone book, something I haven't read for quite a while. I'm happy about that in one way, no long wait for a sequel, but still slightly sad, as it would have been nice to have some more time with Conn and Darcy.
February 9, 2015
Actual rating 3.75
March 16, 2015
3.5
this book started out as a 2 and then worked its way up to a 3.5.
at first, i was unbelievably disappointed by how much i wasn't feeling this book because it's MARIE RUTKOSKI and she's a WRITING QUEEN (see: the winner's curse).
but the book definitely gets better as you go along.
loved the chemistry between darcy and conn (not at first, but as everything else in this book, it improved as time passed).
the writing is sadly a huge step down from the writing in the winner's curse. i suppose marie rutkoski's writing skills have improved incredibly over the years? the writing in the shadow society is very meh; the writing in the winner's trilogy makes me weep at its beauty.
the concept was v interesting, darcy's group of friends is FANTASTIC, and all in all, the shadow society is a solid read.
this book started out as a 2 and then worked its way up to a 3.5.
at first, i was unbelievably disappointed by how much i wasn't feeling this book because it's MARIE RUTKOSKI and she's a WRITING QUEEN (see: the winner's curse).
but the book definitely gets better as you go along.
loved the chemistry between darcy and conn (not at first, but as everything else in this book, it improved as time passed).
the writing is sadly a huge step down from the writing in the winner's curse. i suppose marie rutkoski's writing skills have improved incredibly over the years? the writing in the shadow society is very meh; the writing in the winner's trilogy makes me weep at its beauty.
the concept was v interesting, darcy's group of friends is FANTASTIC, and all in all, the shadow society is a solid read.
September 11, 2012
The romance in this book got me. Maybe I was feeling extra sensitive and emotional whilst reading it, but I just found it plain adorable and actual tears did fall from my eyes at the cuteness. How embarrassing.
I loved Darcy and Conn, the two main characters. They had individual personalities, which were distinct and interesting. Darcy is genuinely funny and endearing, references Sherlock Holmes, loves T.S Eliot and is not constantly swooning and lusting. Seriously, all the YA I have been reading recently has the female characters 'crumbling' and 'stumbling'- usually into men's arms. Darcy is much more cautious and, to me, normal. Take Exhibit A: the motorcycle ride. What would most girls in YA do? Grip tightly round his waist and listen to his heartbeat? Smell his hair? This is much more Darcy,
'I didn't press my cheek against his leathered back. I held my breath and wished the ride would last.'
I just found her much more relateable and un-crazy than most of the girls I have been reading about lately. She isn't madly in love with Conn, she is just a girl with a crush. I liked that. Conn is also a really well developed characters, and I liked the way he wasn't particularly cheesy. He is actually quite awkward and blunt and socially inept, with a side dish of coldness and stand offishness. He does change, but I found the early attraction and flirting between them to be very genuine and real. He calls her ethereal and he is the first guy to ever notice her in that way, and she is innocent, and excited and flattered. She is uncomfortable and awkward and fluttery and excited all at once in his presence. I think it reminded me of my own experiences, and that feeling when you get noticed for the first time, and notice someone else for the first time. I think the author portrayed it very well, and it made me get very invested in the characters from an early stage, and rooting for the romance right from the beginning.
Despite my love of the main characters, I was also extremely pleased to see a nice plethora of supporting characters in the form of Darcy's group of friends. This romance does not exist in a vacuum suspiciously devoid of prying parents and friends which is another YA pitfall that irritates me. Where are your parents when your sneaking off to meet that vampire? Where are your friends when your spending all your time with him? Darcy has an awesome circle of friends, who are fiercely loyal and kinda quirky. The dialogue between them is fast-paced and witty and genuinely funny! They are quite off-beat and cultural, and they often remind Darcy not to get too carried away with Conn,
'I'm begging you Darcy, don't become a cliche'
'Which one?'
'The one who abandons her friends for some guy'
Thank you Marie Lutkoski for acknowledging that cliche and avoiding it.
I liked the way this story was told. It is told as though Darcy is looking back on it, and therefore premeditates events and gives us snippets of information before something has actually happened such as, 'If I had known what was round the corner, maybe I wouldn't have gone into that room' (not actual quote as I am too lazy to find one). It helped to add tension, and really made you wonder how things were going to play out, and how it would ever get to that point. You feel as if you aren't sure of Darcy in the beginning, and who she is and what she is done, which makes you NEED to find out.
On the other side of the romance, the nasty untrusting side, I also loved Darcy's reaction when she feels that Conn may be a danger to her. She just runs. None of this fretting and questioning and refusing to acknowledge that some boy you've known for a few weeks could POSSIBLY be a psycho rapist killer zombie. She just runs. Desire turns to fear instantly. Again, that is the exact reaction I would have: no matter how much I liked someone or thought I knew them, I would never trust them enough in that amount of time to not trust my instincts if I felt they were any sort of threat. I would get the hell out and not even think. Good girl Darcy...is what I was thinking.
The world building is interesting. There is another dimension to Chicago which we know nothing about, caused by a split in time during the Great Chicago fire. In the other dimension, things are slightly different such as art and literature (a lost Jane Austen manuscript was uncovered called 'Reservation'. DO WANT.) The most important difference is that Shades still exist in the other dimension, which are creatures who can turn invisible at will. Humans are terrified of them and consider them evil. I enjoyed the alternate world and Darcy's experiences in it; I enjoyed the Shades and the implications of their powers especially.
This book wasn't all happy times and kissing though. It wasn't without it's flaws. Firstly, STOP WITH THE UNNECESSARY LOVE TRIANGLES YA AUTHORS! JUST STOP IT! And they're multiplying too; now it seems that every book I read ('The Selection', 'Crewel' I am talking to you) feature these girls who 3+ men cannot resist. Men just fall at their feet for no apparent reason. If they're in trouble who happens to be there? An attractive man. Where are all the old, ugly, fat men falling in love with the pretty girls? Nowhere, because pretty girls can only ever be saved and/or captured by attractive, mysterious men. FACT. However, although it annoyed me, I did like how Darcy was never really confused or did the whole 'Oh I don't know who I like, I am just so damn irresistable what is wrong with me oh damn my gorgeous face and charming personality'. She always knows who she wants really. I mean, all sorts of weird and wonderfuls are attracted to her, for no apparent reason, but she knows what she wants. At least that helped matters.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I found it genuinely sweet, well-written and exciting. Saying that, I am glad it's a stand alone as it was concluded brilliantly and perfectly and tied up nicely. Niice.
I loved Darcy and Conn, the two main characters. They had individual personalities, which were distinct and interesting. Darcy is genuinely funny and endearing, references Sherlock Holmes, loves T.S Eliot and is not constantly swooning and lusting. Seriously, all the YA I have been reading recently has the female characters 'crumbling' and 'stumbling'- usually into men's arms. Darcy is much more cautious and, to me, normal. Take Exhibit A: the motorcycle ride. What would most girls in YA do? Grip tightly round his waist and listen to his heartbeat? Smell his hair? This is much more Darcy,
'I didn't press my cheek against his leathered back. I held my breath and wished the ride would last.'
I just found her much more relateable and un-crazy than most of the girls I have been reading about lately. She isn't madly in love with Conn, she is just a girl with a crush. I liked that. Conn is also a really well developed characters, and I liked the way he wasn't particularly cheesy. He is actually quite awkward and blunt and socially inept, with a side dish of coldness and stand offishness. He does change, but I found the early attraction and flirting between them to be very genuine and real. He calls her ethereal and he is the first guy to ever notice her in that way, and she is innocent, and excited and flattered. She is uncomfortable and awkward and fluttery and excited all at once in his presence. I think it reminded me of my own experiences, and that feeling when you get noticed for the first time, and notice someone else for the first time. I think the author portrayed it very well, and it made me get very invested in the characters from an early stage, and rooting for the romance right from the beginning.
Despite my love of the main characters, I was also extremely pleased to see a nice plethora of supporting characters in the form of Darcy's group of friends. This romance does not exist in a vacuum suspiciously devoid of prying parents and friends which is another YA pitfall that irritates me. Where are your parents when your sneaking off to meet that vampire? Where are your friends when your spending all your time with him? Darcy has an awesome circle of friends, who are fiercely loyal and kinda quirky. The dialogue between them is fast-paced and witty and genuinely funny! They are quite off-beat and cultural, and they often remind Darcy not to get too carried away with Conn,
'I'm begging you Darcy, don't become a cliche'
'Which one?'
'The one who abandons her friends for some guy'
Thank you Marie Lutkoski for acknowledging that cliche and avoiding it.
I liked the way this story was told. It is told as though Darcy is looking back on it, and therefore premeditates events and gives us snippets of information before something has actually happened such as, 'If I had known what was round the corner, maybe I wouldn't have gone into that room' (not actual quote as I am too lazy to find one). It helped to add tension, and really made you wonder how things were going to play out, and how it would ever get to that point. You feel as if you aren't sure of Darcy in the beginning, and who she is and what she is done, which makes you NEED to find out.
On the other side of the romance, the nasty untrusting side, I also loved Darcy's reaction when she feels that Conn may be a danger to her. She just runs. None of this fretting and questioning and refusing to acknowledge that some boy you've known for a few weeks could POSSIBLY be a psycho rapist killer zombie. She just runs. Desire turns to fear instantly. Again, that is the exact reaction I would have: no matter how much I liked someone or thought I knew them, I would never trust them enough in that amount of time to not trust my instincts if I felt they were any sort of threat. I would get the hell out and not even think. Good girl Darcy...is what I was thinking.
The world building is interesting. There is another dimension to Chicago which we know nothing about, caused by a split in time during the Great Chicago fire. In the other dimension, things are slightly different such as art and literature (a lost Jane Austen manuscript was uncovered called 'Reservation'. DO WANT.) The most important difference is that Shades still exist in the other dimension, which are creatures who can turn invisible at will. Humans are terrified of them and consider them evil. I enjoyed the alternate world and Darcy's experiences in it; I enjoyed the Shades and the implications of their powers especially.
This book wasn't all happy times and kissing though. It wasn't without it's flaws. Firstly, STOP WITH THE UNNECESSARY LOVE TRIANGLES YA AUTHORS! JUST STOP IT! And they're multiplying too; now it seems that every book I read ('The Selection', 'Crewel' I am talking to you) feature these girls who 3+ men cannot resist. Men just fall at their feet for no apparent reason. If they're in trouble who happens to be there? An attractive man. Where are all the old, ugly, fat men falling in love with the pretty girls? Nowhere, because pretty girls can only ever be saved and/or captured by attractive, mysterious men. FACT. However, although it annoyed me, I did like how Darcy was never really confused or did the whole 'Oh I don't know who I like, I am just so damn irresistable what is wrong with me oh damn my gorgeous face and charming personality'. She always knows who she wants really. I mean, all sorts of weird and wonderfuls are attracted to her, for no apparent reason, but she knows what she wants. At least that helped matters.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I found it genuinely sweet, well-written and exciting. Saying that, I am glad it's a stand alone as it was concluded brilliantly and perfectly and tied up nicely. Niice.
October 7, 2012
Let me first say that Marie Rutkoski, author of The Shadow Society, sure knows how to set the stage of her novel by starting off with a mother of all hooks. Holy fire hose was that intense!! She really had me from the opening scene, and continued to draw me into her novel with her constant twists and turns. This book had enough fuel to keep me turning the pages at a rapid pace until the final outcome. Very entertaining!
In The Shadow Society, we meet Darcy Jones who is a foster kid that’s jumped from home to home since the age of 5. She can’t remember anything from her past, but one thing is for certain… her future is about to take an explosive turn. When Darcy comes across Conn, the new guy in school, she begins to develop feelings for him. However when her abilities as a Shade suddenly start to manifest for the first time, that marks the beginning of her battle to stay alive even from the one person she’s come to feel closest to.
There are so many layers to this story to evaluate. My mind was truly going at 100 mph as I turned the pages of this paranormal thriller. I was definitely intrigued with the setting this author chose, which revolved around the Great Chicago Fires. This was probably the largest disaster recorded in US history for the 19th century, where hundreds of people were killed and miles of land was destroyed. Rutkoski uses this time in history to set her stage and creatively implements the concept of an Interdimentional Bureau of Investigation that patrols the borders between worlds to protect human society. Their main targets are the Shades that ghost in and out of existence and according to the IBI, they are a terrorist group that prey on humans and caused the Great Fire of 1871.
I applaud Rutkoski’s creative spin where she clearly parallels the Shades with the concept of terrorism. It’s hard not to contemplate how we consider terrorists synonymous with people of a certain place and faction. This book clearly employs the concept that simple association with a faction does not make someone a danger to society and terror on people can come from both sides of the fence… or portal in this instance.
Lastly, I really enjoyed Rutkoski’s ability to build a strong secondary cast. Darcy’s friends were definitely the highlight in this novel and my only regret is that they played rather minimal roles. Conn best described them in the novel as Raphael fighting with his fists, Jims using psychological warfare, and Lily being the mastermind and leader of this small army that protects Darcy. I enjoy reading about friendship and loyalty and The Shadow Society carried it in spades.
Well done novel that is perfectly positioned as a stand-alone. It has an explosive beginning and a conclusive ending. I couldn't ask for anything more and definitely enjoyed it much!
In The Shadow Society, we meet Darcy Jones who is a foster kid that’s jumped from home to home since the age of 5. She can’t remember anything from her past, but one thing is for certain… her future is about to take an explosive turn. When Darcy comes across Conn, the new guy in school, she begins to develop feelings for him. However when her abilities as a Shade suddenly start to manifest for the first time, that marks the beginning of her battle to stay alive even from the one person she’s come to feel closest to.
There are so many layers to this story to evaluate. My mind was truly going at 100 mph as I turned the pages of this paranormal thriller. I was definitely intrigued with the setting this author chose, which revolved around the Great Chicago Fires. This was probably the largest disaster recorded in US history for the 19th century, where hundreds of people were killed and miles of land was destroyed. Rutkoski uses this time in history to set her stage and creatively implements the concept of an Interdimentional Bureau of Investigation that patrols the borders between worlds to protect human society. Their main targets are the Shades that ghost in and out of existence and according to the IBI, they are a terrorist group that prey on humans and caused the Great Fire of 1871.
I applaud Rutkoski’s creative spin where she clearly parallels the Shades with the concept of terrorism. It’s hard not to contemplate how we consider terrorists synonymous with people of a certain place and faction. This book clearly employs the concept that simple association with a faction does not make someone a danger to society and terror on people can come from both sides of the fence… or portal in this instance.
Lastly, I really enjoyed Rutkoski’s ability to build a strong secondary cast. Darcy’s friends were definitely the highlight in this novel and my only regret is that they played rather minimal roles. Conn best described them in the novel as Raphael fighting with his fists, Jims using psychological warfare, and Lily being the mastermind and leader of this small army that protects Darcy. I enjoy reading about friendship and loyalty and The Shadow Society carried it in spades.
Well done novel that is perfectly positioned as a stand-alone. It has an explosive beginning and a conclusive ending. I couldn't ask for anything more and definitely enjoyed it much!
January 9, 2016
3.5 stars
You know what I think about this book? I think it's a love letter to J. Alfred Prufrock. And good thing! Because the guy definitely needs some love.
I liked this book. The plot ran smoothly, the characters were nicely portrayed, the writing was lovely. Did I love it? Not really.
What I liked:
- Character development is on point in this one. In the first chapters Darcy was constantly getting on my nerves. She was naive, short-sighted, and basically a cliche, as Jims once pointed out. She was quick to cry, gullible. Let's just say that I really didn't like her when I started reading this book. But, the more I read, the more I understood her. When I got to the end I didn't think of her as of a girl who is weak and cries at a single "you're cursed" comment. I thought of her as of a good person, who had good and bad moments in her life, but decided that she won't be dwelling on the bad stuff. Plus, there were a few moments in the book when she surprised me. She started out as a naive little girl, but after being thrown to unknown territory, Darcy refused to give her trust easily. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think that what the author did with Darcy's character is really impressive. When she was just a school girl, surrounded by her friends, she didn't really have many things to worry about. She never knew real danger. But after she found herself thrown into a highly dangerous world, she adapted fairly quick. And in that world (for the whole second part of the book) she actually was more careful and reasonable than ever.
- Taylor. What a nice surprise! When I started reading the book I was sure Taylor's character would land in my "what I didn't like" part of the review. But no. I really like what the author did with her character.
- Believe me when I say that I LOVE "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". It's the most beautiful, atmospheric poem I've ever read, and I know for a fact that no matter how many times I'll read it, I'll never grow tired of it. It's just a perfect piece of poetry. Alright, so when I said that this book is a love letter to Prufrock, I wasn't joking. The poem is a recuring theme in this book. The characters talk about Prufrock's motives, about the meaning behind the lines. They're taking objects out of the poem and implementing them in their lives. It made me so happy. So, so happy. There should be more praise for T.S. Eliot's lines in the contemporary literature. Definitely.
- There were moments that brought Daughter of Smoke and Bone to my mind. I'm not sure which book was written first, but I guess there was some inspiration there. Not anything specific, just general vibe. Of course, it's a plus. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of my favourite series!
What I didn't like:
- Conn. Not my favourite love interest. I admit that when I was nearing the end of the book, I found myself rooting for Darcy and Conn. But the thing is, I didn't see much chemistry between them. I love enemies to lovers type of stories, but there was hardly the "enemy" element in their relationship. Plus, the way they behaved at the beginning - instalove at its finest. I'm not a fan.
- It ended so quickly. I was expecting a big battle, big, bad shadows fighting big, bad IBI officers. Bombs, fire, and all that jazz. What did I get?
- It simply wasn't my cup of tea. I finished this book in two sittings. It reads well. But I wouldn't call it a gripping story. I constantly fell like something's missing. Even though I ended up liking Darcy, I never fully connected with her character. It was great to read of her relation with her friends, but it all seem kind of artificial. We learned how Darcy and Lily met, but what about the boys? Some backstory would be nice.
- It's an alright book, but after reading The Winner's Curse series, I simply expected more from Marie Rutkoski.
Also, I need to add that I cannot stop staring at this beautiful cover! I swear, Marie Rutkoski always has the prettiest book covers (not counting the new version of TWK covers ugh).
So, do I recommend? Yes, I do. I didn't love it as much as I though I would, but I still consider it a good story with a solid plot. Plus, you can never go wrong with Rutkoski's writing. I chose a few of my favourite quotes to give you a taste of the atmosphere in this book:
"Darcy doesn't look like sunshine. More as if someone drew her with pen and ink. Straight black lines. Pale features."
"It was a thrill to hear Conn's voice lift at the end of a sentence, and a comfort to answer him, because even though a question might be a hanger waiting to be jabbed into an electrical outlet, it can also be an outstretched arm, ready to curl around you and tug you close."
"A snowfall softens all the hard noises and hard corners. It's a natural liar. I saw the sky sprinkle down a hundred, a thousand little white lies, and decided I didn't owe Orion anything."
You know what I think about this book? I think it's a love letter to J. Alfred Prufrock. And good thing! Because the guy definitely needs some love.
I liked this book. The plot ran smoothly, the characters were nicely portrayed, the writing was lovely. Did I love it? Not really.
What I liked:
- Character development is on point in this one. In the first chapters Darcy was constantly getting on my nerves. She was naive, short-sighted, and basically a cliche, as Jims once pointed out. She was quick to cry, gullible. Let's just say that I really didn't like her when I started reading this book. But, the more I read, the more I understood her. When I got to the end I didn't think of her as of a girl who is weak and cries at a single "you're cursed" comment. I thought of her as of a good person, who had good and bad moments in her life, but decided that she won't be dwelling on the bad stuff. Plus, there were a few moments in the book when she surprised me. She started out as a naive little girl, but after being thrown to unknown territory, Darcy refused to give her trust easily. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think that what the author did with Darcy's character is really impressive. When she was just a school girl, surrounded by her friends, she didn't really have many things to worry about. She never knew real danger. But after she found herself thrown into a highly dangerous world, she adapted fairly quick. And in that world (for the whole second part of the book) she actually was more careful and reasonable than ever.
- Taylor. What a nice surprise! When I started reading the book I was sure Taylor's character would land in my "what I didn't like" part of the review. But no. I really like what the author did with her character.
- Believe me when I say that I LOVE "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". It's the most beautiful, atmospheric poem I've ever read, and I know for a fact that no matter how many times I'll read it, I'll never grow tired of it. It's just a perfect piece of poetry. Alright, so when I said that this book is a love letter to Prufrock, I wasn't joking. The poem is a recuring theme in this book. The characters talk about Prufrock's motives, about the meaning behind the lines. They're taking objects out of the poem and implementing them in their lives. It made me so happy. So, so happy. There should be more praise for T.S. Eliot's lines in the contemporary literature. Definitely.
- There were moments that brought Daughter of Smoke and Bone to my mind. I'm not sure which book was written first, but I guess there was some inspiration there. Not anything specific, just general vibe. Of course, it's a plus. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of my favourite series!
What I didn't like:
- Conn. Not my favourite love interest. I admit that when I was nearing the end of the book, I found myself rooting for Darcy and Conn. But the thing is, I didn't see much chemistry between them. I love enemies to lovers type of stories, but there was hardly the "enemy" element in their relationship. Plus, the way they behaved at the beginning - instalove at its finest. I'm not a fan.
- It ended so quickly. I was expecting a big battle, big, bad shadows fighting big, bad IBI officers. Bombs, fire, and all that jazz. What did I get?
- It simply wasn't my cup of tea. I finished this book in two sittings. It reads well. But I wouldn't call it a gripping story. I constantly fell like something's missing. Even though I ended up liking Darcy, I never fully connected with her character. It was great to read of her relation with her friends, but it all seem kind of artificial. We learned how Darcy and Lily met, but what about the boys? Some backstory would be nice.
- It's an alright book, but after reading The Winner's Curse series, I simply expected more from Marie Rutkoski.
Also, I need to add that I cannot stop staring at this beautiful cover! I swear, Marie Rutkoski always has the prettiest book covers (not counting the new version of TWK covers ugh).
So, do I recommend? Yes, I do. I didn't love it as much as I though I would, but I still consider it a good story with a solid plot. Plus, you can never go wrong with Rutkoski's writing. I chose a few of my favourite quotes to give you a taste of the atmosphere in this book:
"Darcy doesn't look like sunshine. More as if someone drew her with pen and ink. Straight black lines. Pale features."
"It was a thrill to hear Conn's voice lift at the end of a sentence, and a comfort to answer him, because even though a question might be a hanger waiting to be jabbed into an electrical outlet, it can also be an outstretched arm, ready to curl around you and tug you close."
"A snowfall softens all the hard noises and hard corners. It's a natural liar. I saw the sky sprinkle down a hundred, a thousand little white lies, and decided I didn't owe Orion anything."
October 9, 2012
Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!
So many good ideas and golden opportunities were wasted or ignored over the course this supernatural story set in Chicago. I had high hopes for this - I own the first two books in the author's Kronos Chronicles series and have been meaning to get to them for months - but The Shadow Society never lived up to its blurb and my expectations. Promising originality, suspense and intrigue, the book I read delivered nothing of the sort. Instead I got the same old cliched approaches and ideas so generic in the young-adult genre: the oh so attractive though antagonistic love interest, the sketchy and unfulfilled world-building glossed over in favor to focus on a romance with the lonely girl who feels out of place, etc. It's certainly very a readable novel - I will give it that, this is a book that is hard to put down - but that doesn't necessarily translate into it being a good book.
Despite starting out with a bang in a well-done and intriguing prologue, the novel falters soon out of the gate and never really regains the initial excitement. Formulaic, and occasionally predictable the author fails to make the most of good ideas and themes touched upon too rarely in The Shadow Society. The concept of the novel is strong and noteworthy, but the execution of various plotlines AND of the cast of characters is rough, clumsy, and often unengaging. Or just disappointing - the climax particularly stands out as massively anticlimactic and not worth sloughing through 400+ pages to reach. The Shadow Society moves along at a decent clip, so it's never boring, though it is a bit short in the action department for the majority of the narrative.
Darcy is mostly drawn well, but also caused problems with my involvement with the novel. Subject to some of my least favorite tropes of the genre (the love triangle, the fact that 3 boys love her oh so much, her inability to make smart decisions), they end up detracting from her better traits. I liked that despite the views from both sides of the human/Shade conflict, nothing was as black and white as it appeared. There is some depth to the conflict Rutkoski creates for the novel, but it feels entirely shortchanged by how easily the author chose to conclude everything. It's too neat, too simple of an ending for the scenario that has been use up over the course of the book. The secondary characters mostly shine - especially the spunky Lily and the earnest and hilarious Jims - but they're not given enough screen time to make up for the lack of tension, atmosphere or world-building.
So much unnecessary filler, so many failed opportunities, so much left superficial, a cop-out of an ending, and a cloying romance made for a less than enthusiastic read. I finished the novel, but more out of a feeling of duty than of want. If this were a series rather than a standalone, it would not be one that I chose to pursue past this first novel. Too generic and undeveloped for my taste, I will read Rutkoski's first series and try to forget about this one.
So many good ideas and golden opportunities were wasted or ignored over the course this supernatural story set in Chicago. I had high hopes for this - I own the first two books in the author's Kronos Chronicles series and have been meaning to get to them for months - but The Shadow Society never lived up to its blurb and my expectations. Promising originality, suspense and intrigue, the book I read delivered nothing of the sort. Instead I got the same old cliched approaches and ideas so generic in the young-adult genre: the oh so attractive though antagonistic love interest, the sketchy and unfulfilled world-building glossed over in favor to focus on a romance with the lonely girl who feels out of place, etc. It's certainly very a readable novel - I will give it that, this is a book that is hard to put down - but that doesn't necessarily translate into it being a good book.
Despite starting out with a bang in a well-done and intriguing prologue, the novel falters soon out of the gate and never really regains the initial excitement. Formulaic, and occasionally predictable the author fails to make the most of good ideas and themes touched upon too rarely in The Shadow Society. The concept of the novel is strong and noteworthy, but the execution of various plotlines AND of the cast of characters is rough, clumsy, and often unengaging. Or just disappointing - the climax particularly stands out as massively anticlimactic and not worth sloughing through 400+ pages to reach. The Shadow Society moves along at a decent clip, so it's never boring, though it is a bit short in the action department for the majority of the narrative.
Darcy is mostly drawn well, but also caused problems with my involvement with the novel. Subject to some of my least favorite tropes of the genre (the love triangle, the fact that 3 boys love her oh so much, her inability to make smart decisions), they end up detracting from her better traits. I liked that despite the views from both sides of the human/Shade conflict, nothing was as black and white as it appeared. There is some depth to the conflict Rutkoski creates for the novel, but it feels entirely shortchanged by how easily the author chose to conclude everything. It's too neat, too simple of an ending for the scenario that has been use up over the course of the book. The secondary characters mostly shine - especially the spunky Lily and the earnest and hilarious Jims - but they're not given enough screen time to make up for the lack of tension, atmosphere or world-building.
So much unnecessary filler, so many failed opportunities, so much left superficial, a cop-out of an ending, and a cloying romance made for a less than enthusiastic read. I finished the novel, but more out of a feeling of duty than of want. If this were a series rather than a standalone, it would not be one that I chose to pursue past this first novel. Too generic and undeveloped for my taste, I will read Rutkoski's first series and try to forget about this one.
February 6, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised at how well this book is written. The author avoids falling into the well-known tropes that permeate YA.
The book begins by introducing Darcy, an orphan with an unknown past, and the new boy at her school, Conn. For a moment, I thought we'd have another Twilight on our hands, what with the locking eyes and Darcy thinking about him constantly. Albeit, thankfully, the author avoids the YA trope of insta-love by making Darcy Conn's enemy, yet giving them time to get to know each other and then become allies against a sinister plot that neither of them seems ready for.
I was impressed with the characters. Darcy is a typical teenage girl in most aspects, yet also shows significant growth throughout the novel. She's not afraid of making mistakes and mature enough to realize that when she makes one, she has to fix it. Conn too grows tremendously through the novel, from being assigned to keep an eye on Darcy to becoming her friend to growing to love her and fight for her.
The supporting cast is well crafted as well, and Darcy's friends provide comical relief, yet are not one-dimensional. They are crucial to the plot and the eventual climax of the book, and show that friendship can transcends family ties.
The plot slows down a wee bit in the middle, but I was never bored and kept on reading. The mythology was also well done, and the historical facts well researched.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you like paranormal YA, this might be a book for you. Give it a try.
I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. A positive review was not promised in return.
The book begins by introducing Darcy, an orphan with an unknown past, and the new boy at her school, Conn. For a moment, I thought we'd have another Twilight on our hands, what with the locking eyes and Darcy thinking about him constantly. Albeit, thankfully, the author avoids the YA trope of insta-love by making Darcy Conn's enemy, yet giving them time to get to know each other and then become allies against a sinister plot that neither of them seems ready for.
I was impressed with the characters. Darcy is a typical teenage girl in most aspects, yet also shows significant growth throughout the novel. She's not afraid of making mistakes and mature enough to realize that when she makes one, she has to fix it. Conn too grows tremendously through the novel, from being assigned to keep an eye on Darcy to becoming her friend to growing to love her and fight for her.
The supporting cast is well crafted as well, and Darcy's friends provide comical relief, yet are not one-dimensional. They are crucial to the plot and the eventual climax of the book, and show that friendship can transcends family ties.
The plot slows down a wee bit in the middle, but I was never bored and kept on reading. The mythology was also well done, and the historical facts well researched.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you like paranormal YA, this might be a book for you. Give it a try.
I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. A positive review was not promised in return.
August 31, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this book! I found the plot extremely interesting, and I wanted to learn more and more bout the world Marie Rutkoski created. The paranormal aspect of this book was nothing like I have ever read before, and I enjoyed every moment of it! My only complaint was that some of the scenes were a little slow, and some of the things that happened in the book were predictable. Other than those little things, I really enjoyed this book!
I loved the romance in this book, and I wish there was a sequel to this book just so I could see the relationship develop even more. I wanted to see more of the couple actually together.
I thought this book was exciting, mysterious, and romantic. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an unique paranormal romance!
3.5 - 4 / 5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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I loved the romance in this book, and I wish there was a sequel to this book just so I could see the relationship develop even more. I wanted to see more of the couple actually together.
I thought this book was exciting, mysterious, and romantic. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an unique paranormal romance!
3.5 - 4 / 5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
August 11, 2012
Let's see. Unsettling love interest - someone who treats you with violence even once is not someone who should be a potential love interest. Unnecessary love triangle. There was no point to it at all. Cardboard characterization. I liked the friends, I did. Oh and three boys in love with one girl? Right. Okay. Review later.
May 16, 2016
Actual rating 3.8 stars
I picked this up, because I wanted more Marie Rutkoski after my Winner's Kiss hangover and was really interested in what else she's written. Parallel universes sounded great to me, and so I picked this up on a whim.
The first 70 pages or so, it had a serious High School vibe going, featuring a female MC that was bordering on being a special snowflake (always sarcastic, only wears black, artist, outsider and so different) but then spots a hot guy and instantly obsesses over him before even the first words are spoken between them. But I kept going, because there was the promise of interdimensional action and, well, it's Marie Rutkoski. After about 70 pages, the book took a complete turn-around and left its high school setting completely, and from then on, the characters got a lot more interesting and complex and we could dive into all the parallel universe fun.
The female lead, Darcy Jones, turned out to be a likeable enough character, and I enjoyed reading from her perspective, as I enjoyed her together with Conn. I liked both of them, though I didn't love them like I did some other of Marie's characters ( *cough* Arin *cough* Kestrel* )
I thought that the writing, and the world building of the alternative Chicago was really great and I loved exploring the parallel world along with Darcy. Also, the idea of the Shades was very original, as they are not your typical fantasy creatures but a completely new creation. The sanctuary and the secret society that they were living in was very intriguing, and I wished we could have more time to get a hang of the world.
My biggest complaint is that everything felt a little rushed toward the end. Both main characters have some interesting, tragic backstories and I would've liked to dive into that more, as I would have loved more character development between Darcy and Conn. They really had potential for a great relationship, but so many things were happening towards the end of the book, that everything only got scraped on the surface. What about Orion's character suddenly turning so sinister? There wasn't even a showdown between the main protagonists and the antagonist. What about Darcy's past? We got a little clearance, but there are still many questions left unanswered. As is with Conn. We know the basics of what happened to him, but really diving into that would've helped me getting some grip on his character.
And there were so many great supporting characters (Lily, Raphael, Taylor, Jims) that had so much potential, but weren't explored enough to really develope strong emotional connections to them. And of course, the end itself was very anti-climatic, with about one page of problem solving and Conn just conveniently managing to convince the Shades to help the IBI.
The book was bursting with good, original ideas and lots of potential, and there were so many things woven into the story, that it almost didn't fit into a book of this length. I think this book would've done better as a duology, with more time and detail going into the subplots and characters. This way, it all felt a little crammed in and deprived the reader of the possibility to really become emmersed in the world, despite the world being super interesting.
I picked this up, because I wanted more Marie Rutkoski after my Winner's Kiss hangover and was really interested in what else she's written. Parallel universes sounded great to me, and so I picked this up on a whim.
The first 70 pages or so, it had a serious High School vibe going, featuring a female MC that was bordering on being a special snowflake (always sarcastic, only wears black, artist, outsider and so different) but then spots a hot guy and instantly obsesses over him before even the first words are spoken between them. But I kept going, because there was the promise of interdimensional action and, well, it's Marie Rutkoski. After about 70 pages, the book took a complete turn-around and left its high school setting completely, and from then on, the characters got a lot more interesting and complex and we could dive into all the parallel universe fun.
The female lead, Darcy Jones, turned out to be a likeable enough character, and I enjoyed reading from her perspective, as I enjoyed her together with Conn. I liked both of them, though I didn't love them like I did some other of Marie's characters ( *cough* Arin *cough* Kestrel* )
I thought that the writing, and the world building of the alternative Chicago was really great and I loved exploring the parallel world along with Darcy. Also, the idea of the Shades was very original, as they are not your typical fantasy creatures but a completely new creation. The sanctuary and the secret society that they were living in was very intriguing, and I wished we could have more time to get a hang of the world.
My biggest complaint is that everything felt a little rushed toward the end. Both main characters have some interesting, tragic backstories and I would've liked to dive into that more, as I would have loved more character development between Darcy and Conn. They really had potential for a great relationship, but so many things were happening towards the end of the book, that everything only got scraped on the surface. What about Orion's character suddenly turning so sinister? There wasn't even a showdown between the main protagonists and the antagonist. What about Darcy's past? We got a little clearance, but there are still many questions left unanswered. As is with Conn. We know the basics of what happened to him, but really diving into that would've helped me getting some grip on his character.
And there were so many great supporting characters (Lily, Raphael, Taylor, Jims) that had so much potential, but weren't explored enough to really develope strong emotional connections to them. And of course, the end itself was very anti-climatic, with about one page of problem solving and Conn just conveniently managing to convince the Shades to help the IBI.
The book was bursting with good, original ideas and lots of potential, and there were so many things woven into the story, that it almost didn't fit into a book of this length. I think this book would've done better as a duology, with more time and detail going into the subplots and characters. This way, it all felt a little crammed in and deprived the reader of the possibility to really become emmersed in the world, despite the world being super interesting.
August 20, 2015
3.5/3.75
Nice, but I expected more. The Shadow society is a fast paced and intriguing book but it lacks depth, especially the first half of the book.
What I liked:
1) World building: I liked the idea of an alternate world and how the Great Chicago Fire was related to it, and the concept of Shade was brilliant.
2) The writing: I truly love the author's writing style, it's fluid and elegant at the same time.
3) Secondary characters: I liked Darcy's group of friends and I wished they had a bigger role in the plot, but overall they provided some comic relief and it was funny how they interacted.
4) The description of the Shades. I had never read of something like this, it sounded unique and I love how the title fits the concept. I would have liked to know more about Savannah and I wished to see more of their society, because I feel like I saw only the bad parts in a way.
What I didn't like:
1) Stereotypes: the first part of the book was full of them, though at last they were handled well. At first though the meeting with the new, mysterious boy was too predictable.
2) Again the first part of the book was too predictable, I easily guessed what Conn would do and the ending was a little bit too rushed.
3) The main character. It isn't that I disliked her because in the end I didn't but at first she annoyed me so much. I mean, come on, you can't be that blind girl, he might seem nice and mysterious but ask yourself a couple of question.
So I really liked some parts of The Shadow society in spite of its flaws and truly enjoyed the second half of the book, even though I expected a little bit more. Still it's a fast paced, beautifully written read, with an intriguing concept.
Nice, but I expected more. The Shadow society is a fast paced and intriguing book but it lacks depth, especially the first half of the book.
What I liked:
1) World building: I liked the idea of an alternate world and how the Great Chicago Fire was related to it, and the concept of Shade was brilliant.
2) The writing: I truly love the author's writing style, it's fluid and elegant at the same time.
3) Secondary characters: I liked Darcy's group of friends and I wished they had a bigger role in the plot, but overall they provided some comic relief and it was funny how they interacted.
4) The description of the Shades. I had never read of something like this, it sounded unique and I love how the title fits the concept. I would have liked to know more about Savannah and I wished to see more of their society, because I feel like I saw only the bad parts in a way.
What I didn't like:
1) Stereotypes: the first part of the book was full of them, though at last they were handled well. At first though the meeting with the new, mysterious boy was too predictable.
2) Again the first part of the book was too predictable, I easily guessed what Conn would do and the ending was a little bit too rushed.
3) The main character. It isn't that I disliked her because in the end I didn't but at first she annoyed me so much. I mean, come on, you can't be that blind girl, he might seem nice and mysterious but ask yourself a couple of question.
So I really liked some parts of The Shadow society in spite of its flaws and truly enjoyed the second half of the book, even though I expected a little bit more. Still it's a fast paced, beautifully written read, with an intriguing concept.
August 10, 2015
Shadow Society started off really well, with her saying a knife’s been thrown at her, with her describing this hot mysterious boy… and with her regretting meeting him all the same. Then it was less and less interesting mainly because (a) I’ve read a version of parts of this already, and (b) portions went unexplained.
To my first issue I begin with the buddies. I mean sure they’re an odd ball group of people. While not popular, it’s is in fact their oddness that keeps them from becoming the ones unpopular. I think that’s the best that can be said for them, well that and the loyalty. I think Jim is the most remarkable sci fi madness and a random comment had pegs him the most odd, then Lily the artist and then Ramon, I mean Raphael, the best friend actor. And Darcy, what a generic name for such a non generic girl; she’s what glues all of them together… but when things start happening, the rest disappear from the picture for a large chunk of the story.
So with just Darcy in focus, we see her meet this boy whose mystery draws her (doesn’t it always?) we also see her realize a secret or two, but a lot of what she learns she learns in a too convenient way, which brings me to issue #2. How conveniently all their plans work out! How easily she meets so and so just as predicted… things line up too easily in this one, that I juts wasn’t buying it. Hell, even the romance fell into place happening precisely as other romances before it have.
Basically? Good idea… interesting start but things went same old same old soon thereafter.
2/5
To my first issue I begin with the buddies. I mean sure they’re an odd ball group of people. While not popular, it’s is in fact their oddness that keeps them from becoming the ones unpopular. I think that’s the best that can be said for them, well that and the loyalty. I think Jim is the most remarkable sci fi madness and a random comment had pegs him the most odd, then Lily the artist and then Ramon, I mean Raphael, the best friend actor. And Darcy, what a generic name for such a non generic girl; she’s what glues all of them together… but when things start happening, the rest disappear from the picture for a large chunk of the story.
So with just Darcy in focus, we see her meet this boy whose mystery draws her (doesn’t it always?) we also see her realize a secret or two, but a lot of what she learns she learns in a too convenient way, which brings me to issue #2. How conveniently all their plans work out! How easily she meets so and so just as predicted… things line up too easily in this one, that I juts wasn’t buying it. Hell, even the romance fell into place happening precisely as other romances before it have.
Basically? Good idea… interesting start but things went same old same old soon thereafter.
2/5
May 16, 2013
The first book I read from Marie Rutkoski was The Cabinet of Wonders and I instantly loved it. After reading that series I thought I would give another book from this author and I found The Shadow Society and again I liked it. In this story you will meet Darcy Jones who doesn’t remember anything before the day she was found outside a Chicago firehouse, she never felt like she belonged but never imagined she was from an alternate world. This story starts of as a normal day in school but a boy seems interest in Darcy which she finds weird. As she hangs out with this new guy she doesn’t see what’s coming her way when Conn betrays her and takes her to an alternate world where she is known as a Shade and is arrested. After she agrees to help out in the search for the shades hideout they let her go in to a town with an angry mob chasing after her when another shade named Orion saves her and takes her to their hideout where she learns all about her power. But she is determined to find out what happened to her parents. Some shades want to be part of the people but others want to destroy them as for some of the people try to stop Conn and Darcy from helping the shades. It’s a good story and I liked it a lot and It only took me one day to read.
November 10, 2021
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I finished this book a few days ago but I'm just now getting to write my review. I don't read a lot of Young Adult books, however, this one was a Buddy Read in my book club, and I thought the plot sounded fantastic. I'm so glad I read it. I loved every minute of it. And, now I'm going to recommend it to all of you.
I finished this book a few days ago but I'm just now getting to write my review. I don't read a lot of Young Adult books, however, this one was a Buddy Read in my book club, and I thought the plot sounded fantastic. I'm so glad I read it. I loved every minute of it. And, now I'm going to recommend it to all of you.
January 14, 2015
The Shadow Society... I don't know where to start with this book. It's completely different than anything I've ever read. I've never had the pleasure of reading anything with dimensions and Shades. I won't tell you what Shades are because it would ruin all the mystery. I could not wrap my head around what was going on with Darcy and why Conn was interested and yet angry that she was walking around with her friends one day at school.
"Silly. I made myself drop the stylus to the table. You're acting crazy, I told myself. Loony, loopy, mad as a hatter. So a boy had stared at me. It didn't happen often, but it wasn't earth-shattering either. It was stupid to feel vulnerable. And if I had met him before and forgotten, no big deal. Still, how can you trust your memory when it has so many holes? How can you interpret the behavior of others when you're a mystery to yourself?"
Darcy is very intrigued by Conn's presence. She can't understand him and the way he sort of fakes his way into being a certain type of teenager - one who doesn't really care about anything. She also notes the way he moves as being very deliberate as well as his fascination towards her.
Darcy has lived in many different foster homes throughout her life after she was left off at the Chicago firehouse with no memory of her past - not even her name. No one really has liked her since she's moved with her new foster parent whose a little bit kooky but let's her stay in her home. She's also never had friends like the ones she had. Lily, Raphael, and Jims are all very protective over Darcy which at times had my thoughts varying from sweet to suspicious (courtesy of my buddy reading this with me). Now Conn comes in and upsets the balance. It's when they become involved in a school project about a poem by J. Alfred (I seriously need to read it) that she starts getting to know Conn more.
"Have you ever read Sherlock Holmes?" I asked Conn.
"Yes... although I'm having some difficulty figuring out what he has to do with the topic at hand."
"He once said that, when solving a mystery, you have to consider all the possibilities and eliminate them one by one. Whatever's left, no matter how strange it seems, must be your answer. What makes more sense? That all eighteen adults vetted and trained by the DCFS to be foster parents were awful people, or that there is something wrong with me? Something deep inside. Something they didn't notice right away, but eventually couldn't live with."
I really liked Darcy. She feels real and unreal if that makes sense. I like her boldness and cared deeply about her well being as I came to know her through her voice in the story. I loved her passion with art and reading about what she drew and the way she drew. I always like when I get to read about a character with a passion because the author always showcases it so well. I loved the quietness of her and the writing. It suited her well.
"I thought of J. Alfred walking on the beach with the bottoms of his trousers rolled, and how these lines of the poem weren't the last, but might as well have been:
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me."
"He's lonely," I said. "And he's given up."
Darcy becomes involved in a love triangle which doesn't sound as bad as you would think although, I would have liked a little more emotions between the love interests. Although, everything about Darcy and the writing felt quiet and contemplative which made the way the romance grew make sense.
Darcy's choices in love and life were commendable even though she was afraid. Her life completely changes when she goes to another dimension which has Shades who are rivals of humans. That whole different dimension was so fascinating. It mirrored our world a lot with the struggles we deal with as a society. I was immersed into this world so fully. I loved the mystery and science fiction elements of this book. Darcy was a splendid character and I enjoyed the new concept of Shades. There were a couple of things that I would have liked done differently or known. I felt like the ending wrapped up a tiny bit fast and there is one aspect of the Shades, their strength, that was never explained. There is also something I hope she tells a certain someone in the future because it would be truly worth reading their reaction. Other than that I really enjoyed The Shadow Society and look forward to reading more by this author.
"Silly. I made myself drop the stylus to the table. You're acting crazy, I told myself. Loony, loopy, mad as a hatter. So a boy had stared at me. It didn't happen often, but it wasn't earth-shattering either. It was stupid to feel vulnerable. And if I had met him before and forgotten, no big deal. Still, how can you trust your memory when it has so many holes? How can you interpret the behavior of others when you're a mystery to yourself?"
Darcy is very intrigued by Conn's presence. She can't understand him and the way he sort of fakes his way into being a certain type of teenager - one who doesn't really care about anything. She also notes the way he moves as being very deliberate as well as his fascination towards her.
Darcy has lived in many different foster homes throughout her life after she was left off at the Chicago firehouse with no memory of her past - not even her name. No one really has liked her since she's moved with her new foster parent whose a little bit kooky but let's her stay in her home. She's also never had friends like the ones she had. Lily, Raphael, and Jims are all very protective over Darcy which at times had my thoughts varying from sweet to suspicious (courtesy of my buddy reading this with me). Now Conn comes in and upsets the balance. It's when they become involved in a school project about a poem by J. Alfred (I seriously need to read it) that she starts getting to know Conn more.
"Have you ever read Sherlock Holmes?" I asked Conn.
"Yes... although I'm having some difficulty figuring out what he has to do with the topic at hand."
"He once said that, when solving a mystery, you have to consider all the possibilities and eliminate them one by one. Whatever's left, no matter how strange it seems, must be your answer. What makes more sense? That all eighteen adults vetted and trained by the DCFS to be foster parents were awful people, or that there is something wrong with me? Something deep inside. Something they didn't notice right away, but eventually couldn't live with."
I really liked Darcy. She feels real and unreal if that makes sense. I like her boldness and cared deeply about her well being as I came to know her through her voice in the story. I loved her passion with art and reading about what she drew and the way she drew. I always like when I get to read about a character with a passion because the author always showcases it so well. I loved the quietness of her and the writing. It suited her well.
"I thought of J. Alfred walking on the beach with the bottoms of his trousers rolled, and how these lines of the poem weren't the last, but might as well have been:
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me."
"He's lonely," I said. "And he's given up."
Darcy becomes involved in a love triangle which doesn't sound as bad as you would think although, I would have liked a little more emotions between the love interests. Although, everything about Darcy and the writing felt quiet and contemplative which made the way the romance grew make sense.
Darcy's choices in love and life were commendable even though she was afraid. Her life completely changes when she goes to another dimension which has Shades who are rivals of humans. That whole different dimension was so fascinating. It mirrored our world a lot with the struggles we deal with as a society. I was immersed into this world so fully. I loved the mystery and science fiction elements of this book. Darcy was a splendid character and I enjoyed the new concept of Shades. There were a couple of things that I would have liked done differently or known. I felt like the ending wrapped up a tiny bit fast and there is one aspect of the Shades, their strength, that was never explained. There is also something I hope she tells a certain someone in the future because it would be truly worth reading their reaction. Other than that I really enjoyed The Shadow Society and look forward to reading more by this author.
September 14, 2012
More of my reviews @ www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
My rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.
Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.
As if she were his enemy.
When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .
In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won’t soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.
Review: 3 ½ out of 5 stars
The Shadow Society was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Macmillan Publishers and is a book which kept me riveted from start to finish.
16-year-old Darcy Jones has no recollection of her life before the day she was abandoned outside a Chicago firehouse at the age of five and would never have guessed that she is what is known as a Shade and belongs in an alternate world where events such as the Great Chicago Fire didn’t occur and her type terrorize the human population.
Darcy has never quite belonged anywhere, she has been passed from one foster family to the next and labeled a troublemaker but things are beginning to pick up for her, she has made a tight-knit group of friends at Lakebrook High and is enjoying living with her foster mother; with the arrival of a newcomer at school, Conn who piques her interest and pays her attention things are settling down for her.
Connor McCrea was an interesting character, strong, determined and fierce in his beliefs but his treatment and betrayal of Darcy left me baffled, he was hot and cold, vague and at times horrible; he was likeable in parts but I wanted to smack him in others. He is also a devoted member of the IBI (Interdimensional Bureau of Investigation) and was tasked with arresting Darcy.
When the IBI asks for Darcy’s help to infiltrate The Shadow Society – a terrorist organization made up of other shades in order to uncover their latest plot, she accepts to avoid the alternative – being held prisoner.
The concept of shades was fascinating; imagine spending your days incorporeal and not aging as a human would; I enjoyed reading about their abilities and their weaknesses. The way in which the interdimensional split was explained was also quite fascinating.
Ms Rutkoski has written the main characters well, Darcy initially came across the pages as bland and without any real emotions but she came into her own as she unraveled more about her past which allowed her personality to shine through. And Conn, despite his initial betrayal was really intriguing; I was so eager to find out how these two would work together and I had my fingers crossed romance would ignite between them – they were both flawed but also likeable.
There are some interesting supporting characters like Jims, Raphael and Lily, I was eager to learn more about Orion and actually felt a tad sorry for him – he started of fun and flirty but soon turned vindictive; Savannah was also a likeable character.
The Shadow Society had a well-balanced, realistic level of suspense, a small amount of action and a gripping plot. Ms Rukoski’s writing was easy to follow and flowed well. I had no trouble staying interested in the story she has written.
My rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.
Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.
As if she were his enemy.
When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .
In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won’t soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.
Review: 3 ½ out of 5 stars
The Shadow Society was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Macmillan Publishers and is a book which kept me riveted from start to finish.
16-year-old Darcy Jones has no recollection of her life before the day she was abandoned outside a Chicago firehouse at the age of five and would never have guessed that she is what is known as a Shade and belongs in an alternate world where events such as the Great Chicago Fire didn’t occur and her type terrorize the human population.
Darcy has never quite belonged anywhere, she has been passed from one foster family to the next and labeled a troublemaker but things are beginning to pick up for her, she has made a tight-knit group of friends at Lakebrook High and is enjoying living with her foster mother; with the arrival of a newcomer at school, Conn who piques her interest and pays her attention things are settling down for her.
Connor McCrea was an interesting character, strong, determined and fierce in his beliefs but his treatment and betrayal of Darcy left me baffled, he was hot and cold, vague and at times horrible; he was likeable in parts but I wanted to smack him in others. He is also a devoted member of the IBI (Interdimensional Bureau of Investigation) and was tasked with arresting Darcy.
When the IBI asks for Darcy’s help to infiltrate The Shadow Society – a terrorist organization made up of other shades in order to uncover their latest plot, she accepts to avoid the alternative – being held prisoner.
The concept of shades was fascinating; imagine spending your days incorporeal and not aging as a human would; I enjoyed reading about their abilities and their weaknesses. The way in which the interdimensional split was explained was also quite fascinating.
Ms Rutkoski has written the main characters well, Darcy initially came across the pages as bland and without any real emotions but she came into her own as she unraveled more about her past which allowed her personality to shine through. And Conn, despite his initial betrayal was really intriguing; I was so eager to find out how these two would work together and I had my fingers crossed romance would ignite between them – they were both flawed but also likeable.
There are some interesting supporting characters like Jims, Raphael and Lily, I was eager to learn more about Orion and actually felt a tad sorry for him – he started of fun and flirty but soon turned vindictive; Savannah was also a likeable character.
The Shadow Society had a well-balanced, realistic level of suspense, a small amount of action and a gripping plot. Ms Rukoski’s writing was easy to follow and flowed well. I had no trouble staying interested in the story she has written.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 5, 2017Pages read: 51
The Shadow Society is trying really hard to be voicey, funny first person. None of it's quite clicking for me, and the stereotypical paranormal romance opener is super unfortunate. The short story was more vibrant than fifty pages of the actual novel.
The Shadow Society is trying really hard to be voicey, funny first person. None of it's quite clicking for me, and the stereotypical paranormal romance opener is super unfortunate. The short story was more vibrant than fifty pages of the actual novel.
August 9, 2016
3.5 stars
The Shadow Society actually starts of with a bunch of clichéd and overused events and ideas. We have this new (hot) guy who's immediately interested in the odd girl. Then they become partners in some sort of project and spend a lot of time together...
But then the guy betrays the girl! And all hell breaks loose.
“How can you interpret the behavior of others when you're a mystery to yourself?”
Like I said, the novel was initially kind of common and boring. What I didn't mention was how the novel seemed to get better and better as it went on, and soon became an addictive and fun read with interesting characters that I'd love to meet in real life.
Darcy Jones's our main character. She was pretty awesome throughout most of the novel, but there were some times where I wanted to talk some sense into her. A few times she seemed like a sheep who just follows whatever orders were given to her. But fine. A few times is alright. She was generally a likable character. She tried to fix her mistakes and right whatever wrongs or messes she caused.
Then we have the main (yes, there are others) love interest, Conn McCrea. I pretty much loathed him in the first half of the book, but then he grew on me and I absolutely loved him. From his initial hot-and-cold attitude, he became sweet, charming and very supportive. Kind and helpful, even. He eventually won my heart.
Just like almost all of the other parts of the novel, I didn't like the romance in the beginning, but again, I loved it after a while. But I still would've liked a bit more development in this aspect.
The supporting characters were also well-developed, especially Darcy's friends: Jims and Raphael. Jims was my favorite. He was the comic relief in this one, and I absolutely loved his humor. Raphael was simply adorable. Now, Darcy also has this other friend, Lily, who I didn't really connect with. I was kind of irritated with her, but I couldn't really tell why.
And of course, the alternate universe Rutkoski created was fantastic and really interesting. I loved learning about the things in this world that didn't happen but possibly could have--such as Austen having another book, things that didn't run on just gas or electricity, etc. She also gave this world the gift of Shades. Lol, kidding. Shades are actually sort of murderers, see. They destroy, kill and do evil deeds for fun. They can also walk through walls and become invisible--totally awesome, I know.
The pacing and writing style were also really good. Everything was easy to follow and the writing wasn't boring at all. Okay, maybe there were some times when the pacing was a bit too fast (like in the case of the romance), but overall it was just right.
I would recommend this to people who're looking for a lighter paranormal novel with excellent writing and a unique prose.
June 29, 2016
This was such an amazing book!
First of all- I SHIPPED DARCEY AND CONN from like the first chapter. And even when he betrayed her and arrested her- I STILL shipped them!!
And sadly I shipped Orion and Darcey for like one page
First of all- I SHIPPED DARCEY AND CONN from like the first chapter. And even when he betrayed her and arrested her- I STILL shipped them!!
And sadly I shipped Orion and Darcey for like one page
July 27, 2016
I love Marie Rutkoski so much. Her characters are great, and her writing is just absolutely beautiful to read. 4.5 stars.
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October 26, 2017 I liked this book a lot, but there was some parts I absolutely disliked. I would give this book a 5-star rating. I have read other books like this, and they all each have sucky endings that no reader would want. The book was not perfect, no book is perfect. Darcy and Conn have a romantic spark in this novel. I am not a big fan of romance but I was definitely shipping them throughout the book. Darcy is shows a lot of loyalty and heroicness towards Conn, but he does not do the same. Instead, he betrays Darcy because ***SPOILER ALERT*** she is a shade and humans in the second world hate shades. This is what made me mad and started to dislike Conn.
The things that made this book awesome was the suspense and tension between the characters. Everybody loves drama so why wouldn’t you want to read this book. Some things were quite confusing in the book. Like the setting I kept asking myself “what?” because it was so confusing. The scene I loved most about this book was the one when Darcy, her friends, and Conn all decide to help the world from getting killed by the evil shades. I loved how Darcy never stopped doing and believing in Conn even though Conn did some wrong things. He changed his ways in Darcy.
If you love Drama, suspense, and a little romance I advise you read this novel. Overall, you should read this book, but some parts would make you mad.
The things that made this book awesome was the suspense and tension between the characters. Everybody loves drama so why wouldn’t you want to read this book. Some things were quite confusing in the book. Like the setting I kept asking myself “what?” because it was so confusing. The scene I loved most about this book was the one when Darcy, her friends, and Conn all decide to help the world from getting killed by the evil shades. I loved how Darcy never stopped doing and believing in Conn even though Conn did some wrong things. He changed his ways in Darcy.
If you love Drama, suspense, and a little romance I advise you read this novel. Overall, you should read this book, but some parts would make you mad.
September 4, 2017
I loved the concept of this book and the authors writing style. I was attached to so many of the characters and thought the plot was really good.
Some characters were brushed over and forgotten about for a while though which I would have liked to have seen more of.
I do however think the first half had a lot of tropes and cliches. I didn't like that the main character was so obsessed with this new guy who stares at her and acts so strange that she starts ignoring really obvious situations and ditching classes to hang out with him, I just hated all that in the beginning. The pacing felt a little off at times too I felt some things were rushed over.
Other than that it was an addictive read and a fun concept and I did like the romance and characters so it seemed more of a 4 star book than a 3 star book.
Some characters were brushed over and forgotten about for a while though which I would have liked to have seen more of.
I do however think the first half had a lot of tropes and cliches. I didn't like that the main character was so obsessed with this new guy who stares at her and acts so strange that she starts ignoring really obvious situations and ditching classes to hang out with him, I just hated all that in the beginning. The pacing felt a little off at times too I felt some things were rushed over.
Other than that it was an addictive read and a fun concept and I did like the romance and characters so it seemed more of a 4 star book than a 3 star book.
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