"Shadowshaper" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

This month we selected an urban fantasy novel to read!

Whatcha think? Please leave all discussions of specifics and other things related to the plot, character growth, any changes in writing etc. for the full spoiler thread open in a few days!

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[racism, homophobia, misogyny, discussion of cultural loss, loss of a loved one, stroke survivor, colorism (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

I was lucky to get this audiobook with no wait from my library! I really enjoy the narrator and the premise is very interesting, but for me it’s reading very young (which makes sense because it’s YA but seems even younger than normal YA?).

[Christopher]

So far I'm finding the POV refreshingly different, but the story isn't drawing me in all that much.

[Kaa]

This is a re-read for me, although my first time with the audiobook, and thus far I am finding it enjoyable and engrossing. For me it reads as fairly realistic teen? I'll be curious to hear why you felt it seemed younger in the spoilers thread, Ashley - I admit that I don't read a lot of YA so my sense of it could easily be skewed.

[Chris]

Christopher wrote: "So far I'm finding the POV refreshingly different, but the story isn't drawing me in all that much."

I feel the same way. I like the cultural aspects, but I don't feel much emotional engagement.

[Dawn F]

A bit too shouty and YA for me but it’s short and I’m somewhat curious about the mysterious murials, so I’ll stick with it.

[Hank, Hankenstein's Modster]

I will add nothing new and agree with liking the cultural aspects, liking the POV, not liking the YA-ness or the story so far.

[Lesley]

I agree with Kaa that this reads as pretty realistic teenager POV to me. I’ve read a lot of YA fantasy recently and so many of them have such whiny protagonists that it was refreshing to read a strong female lead who actually seems to have a head on her shoulders and some agency in her actions. I enjoyed the mythos and cultural and artistic aspects a lot, too.

[Amanda]

i don't feel that it's "too YA", either. I think Sierra has a strong voice and reads like a fairly normal teen, albeit one who's caught up in some weird stuff.

[David]

I thought it interesting that they felt the need to have a character reflect (in English) on what was rudimentary Spanish (when it wasn't a profanity) but not the Urbanese (I had to Google "hoopties").

[Eva]

My first impression is positive, it's fast-paced and creepy but fun and I like the audiobook performance. I'm not enjoying the romance sub-plot so far, but that's not a big issue.

[Ellen]

Finished. Will be interested in the full discussion

[DivaDiane]

I just discovered the audiobook is on Storytel, so as soon as I’m finally finished with All Clear I’ll listen to this one. Sounds really interesting, even if I didn’t vote for it. I usually enjoy YA novels, so I’m sure I’ll be fine with that aspect.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

My first thoughts were how nice to have a young, bright lead character in a YA urban fantasy who is a normal kid with a normal family and not the over the top sociopathic sort of thing we see in basically every other YA or urban fantasy lol

And also that I love how real and relatable it is while showcasing a culture that isn't mine.

[McLain]

A couple chapters in. Agree with most of the comments, nothing drawing me in yet but I do like the lead character a lot!

[Lisa]

Just started, easy read with a very believable characters, lead sounds her age.

[Mareike]

I'm 16% in and I'm enjoying it so far. I'm a bit on the fence about the YA aspect, but right now I don't think it's too YA. And I agree about Sierra so far, Allison.

[Gabi]

Started it and my first impression is: good that it is such a short book. ^^'
The plot points so far feel a bit like having been crossed off a list without too much thought about the tying-together. (getting a library access because the librarian likes the style of the completely unknown to her girl ... yeah ... believable like hell)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

That's so funny to me, because...this has actually been something I've had happen to me lol. Not to this extent, with forming a strong friendship etc. but I HAVE had people bend the rules because it seemed unlikely I'd have gone to the trouble if I wasn't being earnest. And one of my very dear friends literally has people come out of stores to offer her things that aren't available to the public. We get VIP sections, free food and drinks, private tours...idk why, but if she's around it just happens.

[Gabi]

LOL, Allison! That's funny. Perhaps it's the times? I couldn't figure an university librarian at my university times (which are, admittedly, a tiny wee bit ago ;D) who would bend the rules cause they liked an outfit.

[Eva]

Lol, Alison - your friend must have good karma!

@Gabi: you can trust the book a bit more, maybe it *wants* you to find that suspicious?

[Beth]

Started this morning. I'm liking the presentation of the neighborhood, especially, so far: the murals, walking being a (or the) way of getting around, Sierra's multi-gen household, lots of little details like that.

"Too YA or not too YA," that is the question? I dunno, it seems fine to me. Deep! :D

Aside from Robbie, the kids surrounding Sierra parse largely the same, and the adults fare no better, but that could easily change.

[John]

Gotta say, I'm disappointed. I started out liking it because I liked the protagonist Sierra. The author has created a strong character and given us insight into her thoughts and feelings. I'm really rooting for her. On the other hand, there is no development of the other characters. So, it has become a burden to finish it (I have about 50 pages to go). Unlike other books in the "can't put it down" category, I find it difficult to pick up. I've only gotten this far because of my commitment to this group. P.S. is this really science fiction or is it a ghost story?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

this is our fantasy selection :)

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

It's an interesting YA/teen read, fast and breezy.