When Shadow’s Fall
Like always, the following review will contain spoilers!
When Shadow’s Fall by Lindy Enns — 5/5 Stars
Again, there will be spoilers. You’ve been warned!
I’m not going to lie - The blurb for this novel didn’t really have me excited. However, the cover sold me. Yes, yes, judge me! I didn’t know what to expect when I started the novel. After reading, I did find the blurb gave away a little too much detail. But that’s neither here nor there - on to the review.
Here are some keypoints I enjoyed and found fascinating within the novel.
Advanced technology using emotions as power. (The author went very detailed with this. Very cool!).
Creepy shadow monsters, always a plus!
Interesting side characters that kept the novel going, each with their own story.
Mysterious advanced society missing. What happened? Where did they go?
I was hooked after the first few pages. What was the shadow? What were the creatures in the night that everyone was so terrified of? Lindy did a great job building the atmosphere of dread, of unknown intrigue. You felt everything Ara felt. From the panic attacks, to the anxiety, to the fear of not only the shadows outside, but of life itself. While it did get a little awkward to have her crying every few pages, it settles down as the novel progresses and the character learns to not only face, but also conquer her anxiety, worry, and fear.
I wouldn’t say there were many twists or unexpected events. It was your classic fantasy novel, though I liked the fact Ara wasn’t an all-knowing, all-conquering hero risen from the depths of nothing to rule the world (if even in a good, just way!). No, Ara is your typical seventeen-year-old girl who is forced into a situation she would rather not be in. Driven by love by her sister, she has to face her fears and conquer not only the darkness, but herself. I’m not going to go too into the details of the novel, I highly enjoyed the read. Took me less than a day to finish the entire book - and that’s saying something!
Overall, the novel is well worth a 5 star rating. The pacing is good, the writing is great (So far, the best writing from a self-published author that I’ve read), and the story arcs flowed extremely well with each other. The buildup for book 2 leaves the reader wondering what will the second book be about. What will Ara do now? What about her people? (I am trying not to put too many spoilers!).
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes Fantasy. A great read, hard to put down, and likeable characters. Very well constructed and worth the read a thousand times over!
If you’d like your novel reviewed, tag me on twitter at S_D_Donovan and I will get to it, eventually. My list of TBR keeps growing! Also, open to receinv ARC copies of novels, which will have priority to be read since you are sending me a physical book :).
