Synopsis
For 13-year-old Samarra, life behind the sheltering walls of the planet Gaia is stifling. But when she convinces her brother, Cassian, to run away to another world, everything they know is turned upside-down. Forced to join the Shieldwolves, an order of shamans, brother and sister find themselves in the middle of an escalating war between two magic factions.
BUY THE BOOK
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shieldwolf-Dawning-Selena-Nemorin-ebook/dp/B00ICSLLYQ
Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Shieldwolf-Dawning-Selena-Nemorin-ebook/dp/B00ICSLLYQ
Chapters/Indigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/shieldwolf-dawning/9781621352532-item.html
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shieldwolf-dawning-selena-nemorin/1118603724?ean=2940148230397
I was blown away by this book! I bought it for my daughter and I ended up reading it too. The main characters are gaians (like humans) and other kinds of weird and wonderful species such as avian and reptile humanoids. My favourite beastie, hands down, is Suthum the dragon. The Green Woman is pretty amazing too. The Watchers (monsters) gave me the jitters.
ReplyDeleteIt's a dystopian, so the story is a bit dark but not so dark that it wouldn't be appropriate for kids. It's also full of fast-paced fun and gripping scenes, some scary ones. The main plot revolves around the relationship between brother and sister and what change can do to families. There is also a story in there about braving the odds despite the challenges ahead of you.
The dialogue between characters is sprinkled with cheeky humor. The insults traded by the children in the story remind me a little of classic Shakespearean insults. Also, the author seems to keep the lines between good and evil blurry, which makes you think.
I caught a couple of subtle inter-textual nods, including one to Phillip K Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" I also picked up on Buddhist ideas which makes me wonder if the author is a Buddhist.
I love the hero, Samarra. A street smart girl with blue dreadlocks and a tattoo of a tribal wolf on her arm. My daughter thought that was awesome! One thing though, expect to cry a little. I sure did.
This novel was a lucky find. Beautifully written. Kind of reminds me of old-style writing. I'd recommend it to both kids and adults.