Book Review for The Shadow and the Rose by Amanda DeWees
The Shadow of the Rose, by Amanda DeWees, is an enchanting young adult romance about what it means to love someone, even with all the supernatural obstacles in the way.
Joy Sumner knows she isn’t talented like all the other students, even though she goes to Ash Grove High School, a school for those gifted in performing arts. Even the principle, who has always supported her, sometimes doubts her ability. However, when she goes to the grave of the school’s founder to pluck a rose, based on a rather reckless dare, she meets a young man. It’s seemingly love at first sight, but when she realizes that he is trapped under the thumb of a mysterious yet powerful monster, Joy must find a way to free him of his imprisonment before it’s too late. It’s a classic fairytale in the guise of a modern romance, as DeWees spins of story filled with love and magic.
I can resonate with Joy, even if it was only for a little while. She had self-esteem issues, and although she was kind to others, she was also a target for bullying and the like. After all, a lot of people have asked themselves why she was even at Ash Grove, despite the fact that she tries her hardest. Even so, she still manages to pull through. And when Tanner comes into her life, it’s almost like a dream come true for her. Then there’s her friend, Maddie, who offers a more cynical world view of everything. To be honest, I’d be like her in a sense towards others, especially when I don’t know the situation. While I wouldn’t go as far as misandry, I still can’t help but view her jaded view as more realistic. After all, her best friend just got knocked up by a boy who hasn’t even contacted her the past year, so it’s understandable she might think that. Still, I was happy that Tanner and Joy got together. It was a relief, actually.
The use of beauty in the story was well executed. The rose garden that Joy and Tanner stumbled upon can represent true beauty, mesmerizing, and loving in all its glory. Despite that, the rose is also shrouded in secrecy, and in a way, represents the simple fact that true beauty is something you can’t see. On the other hand, there’s Melisande, who’s outward beauty is shown. However, she’s a rather cruel woman who would throw anyone away, if only it meant that she could live youthfully forever. The same could be said of Shelia and Joy. Although Joy states that she’s plain looking, Tanner, as well as others, could see the beauty inside her, while Shelia is rather shallow, and thus, everyone avoids her. The theme that true beauty is hidden is repeated again even with the school, how positive energies are used to help further the talents of the students. It’s an interesting parallel that goes together with age-old fairytale concepts, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The book was a wonderful read. DeWees reminds readers that there is beauty in the world, even if it doesn’t seem like it at first. What’s more, though there is the prospect of a happy ending, it still takes on a realistic viewpoint, one that reaches out to different readers. As such, I would give this book a rating of a 4.7 out of 5.0 stars, and would recommend it to those who enjoy stories by Gail Levine Carson and Sally Gardner.
