The Shadow Catcher

Daughters of Eden Trilogy #1

by Michelle Paver

EDEN. In the depths of the lush Jamaican forest stands a ruined house of haunting beauty – the last remains of a great estate founded on slavery. Abandoned for decades, it still casts its spell down the generations. A place of dreams, magic and madness.

Worlds away, ten-year-old Madeleine’s untroubled Scottish Scottish childhood is cut short by a fateful encounter with the handsome, disenchanted Cameron Lawe. Left alone to raise her new-born sister Sophie, and growing up an outcast in Victorian London, she seizes her chance to escape and returns to the decaying Jamaican plantation where she was conceived. There she finds a people haunted by a savage legacy and a family torn apart by obsession and betrayal; but there too she finds Eden – where she must finally confront the shadows of her past.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Gothic, Historical, Fiction, Drama, Fantasy

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Michelle Paver was born in central Africa, but came to England as a child. After gaining a degree in biochemistry from Oxford University, she became a partner in a city law firm, but eventually gave that up to write full-time.

The hugely successful Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series arose from Michelle's lifelong passion for animals, anthropology and the distant past—as well as an encounter with a large bear in a remote valley in southern California. To research the books, Michelle has traveled to Finland, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, Arctic Canada and the Carpathian Mountains. She has slept on reindeer skins, swum with wild orca (killer whales), and got nose-to-nose with polar bears—and, of course, wolves.

Reviews

[Georgina Martin (Bookz and Bitz)]

Following on from discovering Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness books I figured I'd try some of her other writing. I'm not a romance novel fan, I tend to stick to adventure, paranormal and YA books, so it was a change for me.

The story follows Madelene and Sophie, two orphaned sisters and their ups and downs, and eventual emigration to colonial Jamaica. The descriptions of Jamaica and the house were what made this book for me, I could almost smell the sugar cane, I WANTED to be there and was transported there via Paver's (once again) brilliant writing.

The characters were well thought out, and you cared what happened to them, you wanted the best and the relationship between the two girls was wonderful - I've never had a sister but I hope it would be like this! Theres turmoil and heartbreak and loss, everything you want in a good novel, without it taking over and being the end of the story as whole.

The only reason I gave it four stars was because it was not quite what I usually read, and didn't excite me the way the Torak books did. However I did go on to read the others in the series - and loved them all.

[Cathy]

I adored Dark Matter and was curious about this earlier title. For me the start was rather slow and frustrating, especially with all the changes in narrators and POVs, with a lot of unlikely co-incidences. There was enough historical detail and description of both England and the Caribbean to keep me reading until, some way past the half way mark, it did get going and the plot thickened engagingly. At the end tho I still felt there was an unresolved question as to whether it was straightforward romantic historical fiction, or whether it was trying to be something more than that, and I'm unlikely to read further into the trilogy but would still look for other titles by the author.

[CLM]

When Madeleine and Sophie are orphaned in Scotland, Madeleine will do anything necessary to care for her younger sister, even if it means marrying a virtual stranger and going to live in the alien and lush world of Jamaica...

[Colleen Wong]

I knew this book would be very good as I already read book 2. What was so exciting about the book is Maddies strength to help her mother give birth as a ten year old and her strength to be a mother to her sister Sophie and again her strength to put up with overbearing and mad Sinclair. This book teaches us about love a sisters , a brothers love and also pain overcoming this pain. Can't wait to start reading book 3 The Serpents Tooth.

[Kristina Krancioch-Daniel]

Excellent - Paver has a way of writing that just makes reading effortless! Her characters are rich and interesting and her research into her subject is always top notch making the reader feel completely immersed. Looking forward to reading the next instalment.

[Joyce Clark]

Took a while to get into this, but I did enjoy it once I did.

[Karina Van Den Eynden]

Wat een heerlijk verhaal ! Super!

[Margaret Harris]

Totally brilliant and unputdownable.

[Oana-Maria Uliu]

4.5
One of the best-written villains I've ever seen - and two sisters who are very relatable to me.

[Xenia Pavlidou]

💕 Madeleine Monroe & Cameron Law 💕


Book 1: The Shadow Catcher
Book 2: Fever Hill
Book 3: The Serpent's Tooth

[Josie]

Set in the late Victorian era, this book follows the story of Madeleine, orphaned when her mother dies giving birth to her sister. Madeleine travels from Scotland to London and eventually to Jamaica, where her parents used to live. The writing is fantastically vivid whether it's describing the seedy streets of London or the lush jungles of Jamaica, and the plot is engaging. Madeleine is incredibly likeable, and I'm moved by the love she and Sophie share. ♥

[Ruth]

Well, I only got to page 160 but I just couldn't bring myself to read any more of it. For some reason I thought this book was a juvenile read so I was expecting something completely different. I was still willing to give it a chance, however there was way too much bad language for me and topics that I really didn't want to read about.

Sorry Ms. Paver. But I'll still give your Wolf Brother series a chance.

[Mιss •kαthєяίиє• Τhε Emεrαℓd Pяίиcεss®]

I loved this book!!

[Clair]

Loved this book,enjoyed the characters, and the suspense. Great ending.

[Karina Rocco]

Nice easy read. I read the triology on my holiday. Liked the descriptions of Jamaica and the way of living ..... Want to go see, smell, explore for myself :-)

[Véronique]

De korte inhoud sprak me aan en van de 20% die ik gelezen heb, vond een derde wel OK. Toch is dit niet het boek dat ik nu wil lezen.

[June Jones]

When I stated reading this book, I thought I was not going to enjoy it, but the more I got into the story, I could not put it down.