Shadow Magic

February 1, 2016
A woodcutter's son's and a new queen's paths intertwine in this debut middle-grade high fantasy. Twelve-year-old Thorn is unexpectedly purchased at a slave market far from home by Tyburn, executioner for the dread Shadow family, necromancer rulers of Gehenna. Thorn agrees to work (slavery is illegal in Gehenna) for a year and a day in exchange for money and passage home so he can right a wrong. The narrative switches perspectives and introduces Lily, newly crowned queen of Gehenna after the recent murder of her family. Lily's been promised to the priggish Gabriel Solar in an attempt to reconcile generations of animosity between their lands. Encouraged by her beloved but chronically drunk uncle to marry for her people's sake, Lily resists, a decision that seems unlikely, empowered, and selfish simultaneously. When Lily and Thorn meet they become fast friends, attempting to solve the mystery surrounding Lily's family's murder. Though the setup is promising, Khan's plot is uneven, and there's too little character development to compensate. And though it's commendable that Lily doesn't need Thorn to rescue her, a deus ex machina mantle saves the day instead. Hibon's black-and-white illustrations recall Chris Riddell's; both Thorn and Lily appear to be white. A kingdom that embraces darkness but not evil is an interesting concept but not enough to make up for choppy pacing and flat characters; here's hoping the sequel is better balanced. (map, cast of characters) (Fantasy. 9-13)

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Starred review from February 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Normally, getting purchased by an executioner wouldn't be a good thing. For Thorn, however, it's the beginning of a thrilling adventure. Captured while out looking for his missing father, Thorn is taken by new owner Tyburn to the kingdom where he serves as executioner. Arriving at Castle Gloom in Gehenna, Thorn meets 13-year-old Lady Lily Shadow, the last surviving member of the ruling family of House Shadow, one of six ancient families of sorcerers. The rest of Lily's family, save for one drunken uncle, have been brutally murdered, and she is a reluctant ruler. Betrothed sight unseen to the son of a rival ruler in the name of peace, Lily is also a reluctant bride-to-be. A sudden death quickly throws Thorn, Lily, and their friend, K'Leef, into a maelstrom of mistaken identities, murder, magic, necromancy, and narrow escapes. Thorn's skill with animals, evidenced by his relationship with an elderly, gigantic, voraciously hungry bat named Hades, proves invaluable. Working together but never losing sight of their individual objectives, Thorn and Lily uncover surprising truths about their families. The book's hand-drawn map is a helpful resource. Occasional black-and-white illustrations appear throughout. The bat flip-book feature is a fun surprise. Despite the gloomy setting, this book vibrates with hope. VERDICT Short chapters filled with action, appealing characters, and cliff-hanger endings make this fantasy the kind of book readers will find hard to put down. Recommended for all middle grade collections.-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY

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