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Chasing Shadows
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Before: Corey, Holly, and Savitri are one unit—fast, strong, inseparable. Together they turn Chicago concrete and asphalt into a freerunner’s jungle gym, ricocheting off walls, scaling buildings, leaping from rooftops to rooftop.
But acting like a superhero doesn’t make you bulletproof…
After: Holly and Savitri are coming unglued. Holly says she’s chasing Corey’s killer, ch ...more
But acting like a superhero doesn’t make you bulletproof…
After: Holly and Savitri are coming unglued. Holly says she’s chasing Corey’s killer, ch ...more
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Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published
September 24th 2013
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
(first published September 12th 2013)
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Rating: 2.5 Stars
Although I loved Avasthi's debut, Split, I sadly cannot say the same of her sophomore piece. Chasing Shadows is, by no means, a bad novel but it simply was not tailored to my tastes. It is a tale of two best friends, Savitri and Holly, who must heal after Holly's twin brother, also Savitri's boyfriend, is shot by an unknown gunman in Chicago. Avasthi tells this tale using both words and images but, unfortunately, the graphic novel-like pictures didn't work for me. While extremel ...more
Although I loved Avasthi's debut, Split, I sadly cannot say the same of her sophomore piece. Chasing Shadows is, by no means, a bad novel but it simply was not tailored to my tastes. It is a tale of two best friends, Savitri and Holly, who must heal after Holly's twin brother, also Savitri's boyfriend, is shot by an unknown gunman in Chicago. Avasthi tells this tale using both words and images but, unfortunately, the graphic novel-like pictures didn't work for me. While extremel ...more

Chicago teenagers leap across rooftops, solve a major crime, and visit a Hindu underworld. Y'know, teen stuff.
...more

'Chasing Shadows' is a young adult contemporary fiction/graphic novel that follows the lives of teenage friends Holly, Corey, and Savitri as they enjoy life running through Chicago. Soon their world is turned upside down when Corey is killed. Holly and Savitri are coming undone in their own ways - Holly wants to find Corey's killer and serve up revenge, while Savitri is scared by Holly's actions and afraid that she'll be left behind. But how far should you go for a friend? And just how far is to
...more

Actual rating: 2.5 stars
For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Chasing Shadows didn’t get any marketing to speak of, and I really didn’t know much about it. What lured me into requesting it was the mixed media element, the combination of a regular novel and graphic novel. Turns out Chasing Shadows is just as unique as that suggests. Despite there being a whole lot to like about it, the book missed worming its way into my heart, and I ended up feeling rather bored a lo ...more
For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Chasing Shadows didn’t get any marketing to speak of, and I really didn’t know much about it. What lured me into requesting it was the mixed media element, the combination of a regular novel and graphic novel. Turns out Chasing Shadows is just as unique as that suggests. Despite there being a whole lot to like about it, the book missed worming its way into my heart, and I ended up feeling rather bored a lo ...more

CHASING SHADOWS is a contemporary novel that incorporates elements of superhero comics and Hinduism in a very visceral way, which gives some passages the feeling of speculative fiction.
CHASING SHADOWS begins with Holly, Savitri, and Corey running across rooftops. It's a tight-knit group: Holly and Sav are best friends, Sav and Corey are dating, and Holly and Corey are twins. But it's when they get in their cars to go home that tragedy strikes - Corey is shot and killed and Holly ends up in a com ...more
CHASING SHADOWS begins with Holly, Savitri, and Corey running across rooftops. It's a tight-knit group: Holly and Sav are best friends, Sav and Corey are dating, and Holly and Corey are twins. But it's when they get in their cars to go home that tragedy strikes - Corey is shot and killed and Holly ends up in a com ...more

This was a hard book to rate. For most of it, I thought it was just a fun story with superhero/supernatural elements. I enjoyed it, but thought it was forgettable. The ending kinda changes things though.
(view spoiler) ...more
(view spoiler) ...more

For my first choice book I read Chasing Shadows by Swati Avasthi. Corey, Savitri, and Holly are inseparable friends who live in a very dangerous neighborhood on Chicago's south side. They had been friends almost all of their lives until suddenly, tragedy struck. Corey and Holly were on their way to school and stopped at a stop light. While stopped, a man in the car next to them shot both Holly and Corey, killing Corey and putting Holly into critical condition. Luckily, Savitri was right behind t
...more

Remember my deal? That unless I already had them on my list to read or loved a book, I wouldn't count my school books towards my year's book count? This one falls in the latter category, and I had no idea that I was going to love it as much as I did. I got it from the library, but I think I want my own dang copy of it. It's just so good. And painful.
Holly, Savitri, and Corey are a tight knit group. Corey and Holly are twins, Savitri and Holly are best friends, and Corey and Savitri are datin ...more

Holly, Savitri, and Corey are a tight knit group. Corey and Holly are twins, Savitri and Holly are best friends, and Corey and Savitri are datin ...more

Sep 17, 2013
Andrea
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
graphic-novel
I love graphic novels. I think the art work is amazing. I love that you can get so wrapped up in a story through just pictures and dialogue. The fact that Chasing Shadows is both a prose novel and a graphic novel is something I knew I couldn't pass up. Of course, the synopsis did help a bit in my decision to read it.
The story itself is heartbreaking. Savitri witnesses Corey's murder and Holly's attempted murder from a car not 45 feet away and is racked with survivor's guilt. Holly herself nearl ...more
The story itself is heartbreaking. Savitri witnesses Corey's murder and Holly's attempted murder from a car not 45 feet away and is racked with survivor's guilt. Holly herself nearl ...more

CHASING SHADOWS isn't the type of book I normally read. I'm an action oriented, zombie-loving kinda gal, but I read Swati Avasthi's SPLIT and was so taken with it, that I quickly picked up this book the second I saw that it was available
One of Avasthi's great strengths are her characters. They live. They breathe. They are dimensional and so realistic that it's hard not to be drawn into the stories where she places them.
In CHASING SHADOWS the principle characters are Holly, her twin brother Corey ...more
One of Avasthi's great strengths are her characters. They live. They breathe. They are dimensional and so realistic that it's hard not to be drawn into the stories where she places them.
In CHASING SHADOWS the principle characters are Holly, her twin brother Corey ...more

Oct 15, 2013
Liza Wiemer
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
post-about-the-book-on-my-blog
Swati Avasthi pushes the limits, and then goes even further to tell a raw, emotional, story of murder, friendship, love, sanity, and mental health. Using a combination of a graphic novel and first person narrative from two perspectives, readers will be hooked into the world Avasthi masterfully created. Bravo!!!!
Chasing Shadows tells the story of twins Corey and Holly, HS seniors and the children of a Chicago police officer. When a gunman targets their car and shoots Corey pointblank and barely l ...more
Chasing Shadows tells the story of twins Corey and Holly, HS seniors and the children of a Chicago police officer. When a gunman targets their car and shoots Corey pointblank and barely l ...more

Sep 19, 2013
Michelle (In Libris Veritas)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
young-adult,
contemporary
Chasing Shadows really surprised me with how enveloping the story turned out to be and left me with chills. Centering around two high school seniors who must deal with the aftermath of the death of someone very near and dear to them, Chasing Shadows spins a fast paced and unique story of loss, recovery, and mental illness.
The backdrop of Chasing Shadows is Chicago which Holly, Corey, and Savitri have turned into their freerunning haven. This is the first book I have read with freerunning incorpo ...more
The backdrop of Chasing Shadows is Chicago which Holly, Corey, and Savitri have turned into their freerunning haven. This is the first book I have read with freerunning incorpo ...more

Sep 16, 2013
Mrs. Kenyon
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013-books,
wannabees-15-16
Corey, Holly and Savitri are a trio who would do anything for each other. Corey and Holly are twins that are closer than friends, Holly and Savitri are friends who are as close as sisters, and Corey and Savitri recently celebrated their one year anniversary. Between freerunning through Chicago and planning to get an apartment together during college, this threesome is inseparable. Then a bullet is discharged and Corey is dead. Holly is half a person with her twin suddenly removed from this world
...more

Savitri, Holly, and Corey are a team. Holly and Corey are twins, Savitri and Holly are best friends, and Corey and Savitri date. The three operate as one, whether at school, at home, or when they're out in Chicago freerunning. Their world comes crashing down one fateful night when Holly and Corey are attacked by a gunman while Savitri looks on, helpless. Now, Corey is dead, Holly is barely holding on after awakening from a coma, and Savitri is left alone, unable to fix what has been broken and u
...more

4.5 stars
What a great book on all levels! The writing was excellent, and the merging between text and illustrations was seamless and intriguing. The story had great characters, great plotting and great sentences. My copy was a digital ARC and some of the words in the comic section were unreadable, but I imagine editing will fix that for actual copies sold. The violence is real and brutal. Avasthi rips the band-aid off quickly, but the pain of watching a family break apart is still there. The tra ...more
What a great book on all levels! The writing was excellent, and the merging between text and illustrations was seamless and intriguing. The story had great characters, great plotting and great sentences. My copy was a digital ARC and some of the words in the comic section were unreadable, but I imagine editing will fix that for actual copies sold. The violence is real and brutal. Avasthi rips the band-aid off quickly, but the pain of watching a family break apart is still there. The tra ...more

Jul 29, 2015
Katastrofekat
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
coming-of-age,
mental-health,
fiction,
young-adult,
contemporary,
crime,
graphic-novel,
favorites,
realistic-fiction
I got this book in a subscription box and I have to admit that of not for that, I probably wouldn't have picked up this book at all. Wow, am I glad it came my way after all. What intrigued me was how the author chose to mix text with comics to tell the story and mostly I was curious about how that would be pulled of. Seamlessly, as it turns out.
This is a book about friendship, and the cost of loyalty. And it's beautifully written and you really feel like you get under the skin of the characters. ...more
This is a book about friendship, and the cost of loyalty. And it's beautifully written and you really feel like you get under the skin of the characters. ...more

Wow. One of those books that you juat have to stay up and finish reading despite having an early and long day coming up. Loved her first book--SPLIT--and this was just as powerful. When Holly's twin brother is murdered and she is severely injured, after her initial recovery, she begins to spiral into mental illness. She wants to rescue her brother from the Shadowlands in the personal of the Leopardess. Her friend and Corey's girlfriend who is lost in her own grief, tries to save Holly putting he
...more

This book is so well written. On the sentence level, and on the level of character and plot. I did not want to put it down, and read it in two sittings. It's not a book that allows you to feel comfortable. It is a close look at grief and mental illness. It also ponders the question of friendship and loyalty and does it very well. I highly recommend this book. It is part graphic novel and very clever in the way the traditional text comes together with the graphics. Everything is pulled together e
...more

I was excited to read another book by Swati Avasthi as Split was intense! Chasing Shadows was a more mellow story even though the topics within the story were heavy. I'm not sure if it was missing the emotional rollercoaster of Split or if it was my mood. I did really like the graphic aspects of this novel and think that it added a lot for the reader.
...more

Wow. After checking this book out on a whim I definitely wasn't expecting to love it so much! It's a heartbreaking, raw, and emotional story with 3 dimensional characters. I'm really not sure how to sum up how powerful and amazing this book is. I'll just say that you have to read it for yourself.
...more

In this story there are basically three main characters, yet two of them are the narrators of the story. There is Corey who is dating his sister Holly's best friend Savitri; the two teenage girls are the narrators of the story of their lives told in their perspectives in first person. This story takes place in the city of Chicago, where everything to this group of teenagers is a playground. Including buildings windows and the streets. They are all a group of freerunners; which is a hobby where a
...more

I found this book under the "Graphic Novel" category in Libby because I wanted some quicker reads to catch up on my reading challenge. I could not put this book down, but not because it was easy or light.
This book was full of emotion from the beginning and did not stop until the final words of the novel. The friendship between Holly and Savitri is written so intentionally, and the book conveys how guilt, shame, grief, and tragedy all contribute to the change that happens to their friendship. Th ...more
This book was full of emotion from the beginning and did not stop until the final words of the novel. The friendship between Holly and Savitri is written so intentionally, and the book conveys how guilt, shame, grief, and tragedy all contribute to the change that happens to their friendship. Th ...more

Chasing Shadows shines a dull light on the life of Corey, Holly, and Savitri. The three of them are free runners who use the city they live in as an urban obstacle course. They are practically inseparable since Corey and Holly are twins, Holly and Sav are best friends, and Corey and Sav are dating. After a gunman shoots Corey and puts Holly in a coma she is determined to get revenge for her brother. While in a coma she has a terrifying dream about Corey and his gunman and can not let it fo upon
...more

This novel starts off by telling us about an inseparable group of friends named Holly, Corey, and Savitri. These three are full of energy and love doing jumping and flipping on the streets and rooftops of their city. Suddenly one day, while the friends are hanging out, Corey is murdered and Holly injured. Everything changed from that point on. Holly starts envisioning her brother in the afterlife with a devil-like Hindu snake god. Savitri thinks twice about moving out of town to attend a prestig
...more

Alright. The beginning of the book confused me. They were jumping, scaling, and I was confused as to how and why they could do that. Later on I figured out they do hardcore training. I liked the book. I actually thought it was a bit poetic. The way the words and sentences were set were just beautiful somehow. I like the dark humor Savitri has. Now...the ending. It wasn't what I expected and for me, that wasn't actually a good thing. There was all this drama and supernatural stuff and then, SPOIL
...more

This book was sad. After watching a gunman shoot her boyfriend and best friend, Sav has to then also watch her best friend fall apart after her brother’s death.
The plot was straightforward. I liked the comic book elements woven throughout the story. How Holly tries to become a comic character to resurrect her dead brother. An interesting look at grief.
The plot was straightforward. I liked the comic book elements woven throughout the story. How Holly tries to become a comic character to resurrect her dead brother. An interesting look at grief.

I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm too many decades from being a teen but enjoyed it none the less. I found the writing engaging and the story moved well, and I could relate to the young womens' friendship and grief.
...more
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Swati Avasthi has a BA from the University of Chicago and an MFA from the University of Minnesota. She has received numerous awards and grant, most recently from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Her first novel, Split, has received a silver parents' choice award and a CYBILS award and was named a best books for young adults, 2011 from YALSA. Split was also nominated for a GoodReads Choice Award and
...more
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