Shadowlight

by Jackie Hyman

Conflict between two magic-wielding groups--the Radiants of Ad-Omaq and the horned mountain people--escalates into a genocidal conflict of the former against the latter, leaving Shadow, born of both groups, caught in the middle

Genres: Fantasy

236 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 5, 1989

Reviews

[Susanne Leist · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not usually a lover of fantasies since I find the plots convoluted and the names too strange to remember, but this book defies my concerns. The story flows well with its many twists and turns. I became invested in the characters, mostly Shadow, the daughter of the King and her magical mother. Losing her mother and being on the run from the evil overtaking her town of Omaq helps her to grow her powers and mature.
Failing to save her cousin from imprisonment by her stepmother, the Queen, she makes her way to Kir, where she falls in love with the leader called The Mage. To her dismay, The Mage or Kirji becomes engaged to her step-sister, Briala, who is now the ruler of Omaq after the death of the Queen. Briala proves crueler than her mother, and Shadow is determined to stop the wedding but is unsuccessful.
Politics and plays for power in this magical world weave through this love story and are too complicated for me to explain in a short review. The author dealt with the intricacies of plots and upheavals well.
The friends Shadow makes along the way are brought to whole life and color. Her love for Dorf and Nle is shown throughout the story, but not as much as her love for The Mage.
There is a race to the end for Shadow to save Omaq and Kirji from the evil Queen. Is she successful? Read and find out.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Shadowlight" tells the gripping story of an outcast girl on a heroic quest to save her kingdom despite difficult challenges. She stands in opposition to her wicked half-sister, the malevolent queen, who has unleashed undead terrors upon the kingdom.

Shadow is joined by a various and endearing group of companions who form a united front. Their camaraderie and exclusive skills create an energetic and engaging group that augments the story.

Author Jacqueline Diamond skillfully plunges readers into an intensely fictional world packed with enchantment, danger, and memorable characters.

[Melissa Crismon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow embarks on a journey to rescue her closest friend, Nle and collects a few on the way. The mage is an intriguing, romantic companion. He is tricked by Shadow’s half-sister and it’s uncertain if he will come out of his trance. Cleverly, Shadow uses her clarity to save her people rather than violence. Shadowlight is a page-turner until the very end.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Sort of rushed the end section. Could have done a sequel at least

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHADOWLIGHT is a quest fantasy that pulls the reader firmly into its world from the very first pages. So many fantasies nowadays reuse creaky old material and tropes, but this book, first published in 1989, still feels fresh and new. It is full of wonders and original, creepy creatures and monsters, but the author's clear, clean writing ensures the reader never becomes confused or lost.

This is a coming-of-age story about a young woman who has suffered many misfortunes and lost most of her family. Shadow and the two friends who have become her adopted family struggle to survive on the fringes of a society that would enslave them if it could. Then Shadow's friends are captured and arrested, and it is up to Shadow to save them before they are given as tribute to mind-controllig monsters called grayvers that will suck their souls from them.

Luckily, Shadow has long had a small talent. She can sometimes sense the hidden realities within things and people. It was fascinating to watch her powers blossom and her control over them and understanding of them grow as she faces new and ever more dangerous threats to her life. These challenges also force her to mature and come to a clearer, more-nuanced understanding of the people around her, so that she sees and accepts the dark side of good people and discovers a sympathetic side to those she thought evil.

I strongly recommend this novel to all fantasy readers, especially those who enjoy original stories, unpredictable plots, and characters who grow over the course of the book. I got to bed late every night while reading SHADOWLIGHT because I kept reading "just one more scene" and "just one more scene" and "just one more scene," wanting to know what happened next to Shadow and her companions.

[Jen Bur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I liked Shadowlight by Jackie Hyman, but at a few points it definitely made me think, "Huh?". The book sometimes went on mini tangents that were only marginally related to any other part of the novel and slowed down the momentum a bit. The book also treated sex and relationships oddly. Slavery was present in the novel and to signal an immoral bad society, and the novel treated the enslaved people as an afterthought, which felt gross to me.

What I liked about the novel: kept my interest, easy to jump back into, simple magic system, journey style plot, cool cover, well-rounded cast of side characters.

What annoyed the most: Love interest had blatant flaws that were brought up and then immediately glossed over.

Biggest disappointing moment: build up a rescue mission that ended with a luke-warm reunion.