The Shadow Reader by Sandy WilliamsMy rating: 2 of 5 teacups
Before I picked this book up, I had so many great feelings about it. Partly because of all the dazzling reviews it has received from my most trusted GR friends, and partly just because it is sold as exactly the kind of urban fantasy I love: strong heroine, hot supernatural men, "cataclysmic civil war" between the fae... I admit that I was excited enough to buy this book before reading the 4/5 star reviews.
Okay, so what exactly was my problem? I exhale a great big shuddering sigh as I say - for the umpteenth time - this was just never anything special to me. This genre, the urban fantasy genre, is easily one of my favourites when I find a book/series that really appeals to me; they have a way of dragging you into their world and making you care about the characters and lust after the hunky men. But countless times I come across the same old pattern. The Shadow Reader will undoubtedly be loved by hardcore UF fans who actually read these books for that same old pattern that I mentioned. Some people love this format and I'm sure that's why books continue to be written in a very same-y way.
For me, I made the inevitable comparisons to the Fever series and this novel just couldn't compete at all. I'm still waiting for a fae novel that can and I've been starting to believe I won't ever find one. Mckenzie is definitely a strong heroine, but at the end of this book she doesn't feel as well-developed to me as Mac did halfway through Darkfever. The thing I loved most about Mac is that she was a normal young woman, in fact she first appears far more ditzy than most. She doesn't stroll in, sword swinging, and she hasn't been trained for the situation she finds herself in. And yet, she shows that even the ditziest, blondest young women can turn kick-ass if the moment calls for it. This is one thing I love about that series which is very difficult to find in others. PNR heroines are often sappy and pathetic, UF heroines tend to be factory-manufactured warriors. I want to see regular girls and women - like myself - showing that they don't need super powers to be awesome.
I didn't even bother comparing either Kyol or Aren with Barrons because they are a million miles apart in every way. But looking at them on their own they still seem to be rather boring, Kyol's the nice guy and Aren's the bad one. Mckenzie has known (and secretly wanted) Kyol for years, she has known (and secretly wanted) Aren for a couple of weeks. Guess who she chooses here?? Yet another Twilight-style love triangle it would seem. ZZZzzzz....
Yes, so sorry to the people who loved this, I'm not sure why I feel guilty for not loving it too, but I do. The only thing I will say in its favour is that this book reminded me how much I need to re-read the Fever books, so I thank Sandy Williams for that.
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