The Power of Shadows By Abby Geigerman
Fantasy is one of my absolute favorite genres, and I’m especially weak for celestial allusions. This was a wonderful beginner-friendly fantasy that had a decent amount of world building and a relatable female MC that kept the read super enjoyable. I wouldn’t call this book exceptionally deep, but that isn’t a bad thing at all! It would be a wonderful recommendation for someone looking for something a little bit lighter. The pacing is a bit fast, and while it didn’t particularly bother me, I would’ve loved to see the characters mesh just a little bit better with each other. I wasn’t particularly attached to anyone. All-in-all, I think this was a great read, and I look forward to more from Geigerman! The Power of Shadows The Power of Shadows by Abby Geigerman is an enchanting masterpiece that deserves nothing less than a perfect five-star rating. Set in an alluring kingdom brimming with magic, this book takes readers on an enthralling adventure that will leave them craving for more.
Magic is at the heart of this tale, and Geigerman weaves it seamlessly into the narrative. The intricate and spellbinding system of magic in the book is both fascinating and believable. The elemental manipulations show the author's creativity knows no bounds. The magic in The Power of Shadows serves as a catalyst for both breathtaking displays of power and intimate character moments, making it an integral part of the story.
Speaking of characters, Geigerman has crafted a cast that is as diverse as it is compelling. Each character possesses their own unique strengths, flaws, and motivations, making them relatable and engaging. Whether it's the determined and resourceful protagonist or the enigmatic and morally ambiguous secondary characters, they all leave a lasting impression. Their growth throughout the story is skillfully portrayed, making us cheer for their triumphs and empathize with their struggles.
Abby Geigerman's writing style is nothing short of enchanting. Her prose flows effortlessly, drawing readers into a world where they can easily lose themselves. The pacing is well-balanced, keeping the suspense high and the pages turning. Her ability to evoke emotions is commendable, ranging from heart-pounding excitement to poignant moments of reflection.
In conclusion, The Power of Shadows is a spellbinding journey that transports readers to a captivating world filled with magic, compelling characters, and an irresistible storyline. Abby Geigerman's exceptional storytelling and world-building skills make this book an absolute must-read. If you're a fan of epic fantasy that will leave you breathless, this is the perfect choice for you. Prepare to be enchanted from the very first page to the last. The Power of Shadows ARC COPY
Because my rating/review is so different from most, I felt the need to write a review.
I had an arc copy, so some of my initial issues with continuity and typos may have been fixed in the published version. Continuity issues, especially really close ones (such as two lines immediately contradicting themselves on something, such as who is holding something), really get under my skin.
The magic system was neat- but somewhat confusing. The powers part was fine, but there were unanswered and odd details, such as the type of power someone having being tied to being born on one specific day. Is there something in this world that causes people to be born more often on those days? Why are noble/some families more likely to have a child on that specific day? If your child is born premature, but had a due date on one of the magic days, will they still have magic, or vice versa? I did adore the way some of the magic was described, particularly the
The main character was really the hardest part of this book to deal with. Her internal monologue was insufferable; for one chapter I counted the number of times she bit her lip, or thought about a character being just too hot for her not to react too, etc, and it was far, far too high. I do like how she is portrayed as naïve because of her upbringing, but she suffers from needing to lack logic or make good choices to keep the plot going. The FMC is consistently upset she doesn't understand what's happening or that people aren't being honest, but then when she gets chances to ask questions or get explanations, she ends up going for romance dialogue instead.
The book was marketed as enemies to lovers, and it...really wasn't? Both romance options are, at worst, not sure I can trust you to lovers. The romances were also just a little infuriating. This is partially personal taste, like I'm not a fan of the 'he's so tall, she's so small' trope, or the forced nickname the FMC hates but grows to love cause he's just such a rascal, etc. Part of it also comes down to pacing and . There are some incredible side characters that I would've loved a bit more time with! Less focus on some of the relationship 'drama', and more on side characters, platonic relationships, and lore, would elevate this book for me.
Ending spoilers. The Power of Shadows This book was given to me by my Aunt, I was ready for a new read and fantasy is my favorite. When I started the book, I already had so many questions about the characters that I couldn't put it down till they were answered. This book had so many twists and turns it left you begging to know what's gonna happen next. I really hope there is a book 2 or a series coming with this cause the end left my jaw on the floor! Love this book can't wait to see what the author comes up with next. The Power of Shadows 4.25/5: This is a strong debut novel! I haven’t read fantasy in a while and usually find them difficult to get into, but this was fast-paced and kept my attention. The world-building was both interesting and easy to follow; the magic powers and kingdom politics were described well. Also loved the main characters & think their relationships between one another were well-written — everyone felt unique in their characterization and there was a found family aspect which I really enjoyed. As a sucker for romance, I also loved this book’s use of some of the classic tropes. Excited to read this author’s future work!!
The Power of Shadows
Princess Estyn was born on the wrong day.
While her solstice-born brothers use their magic to command flora and fauna, Estyn can barely control her own life. She dreams of running away, but her plans to escape during the royal ball are dashed when the warring kingdom attacks—and kidnaps her little brother.
Estyn knows little of the outside world, but she can’t just leave her brother’s fate to politics. So with limited time and an ocean to cross, Estyn must evade capture by her father’s soldiers, form tenuous alliances—including one with a charismatic rebel leader—and break into a heavily fortified castle using little more than quick wit and wild shadows or risk losing her brother forever. The Power of Shadows
this was so good actually
i really needed a good fantasy and this DELIVERED
i loved her magic! and then azden’s was the compliment 😭
did it have the enemies to lovers i was promised? no not really i guess not
BUT the way she loved the nyx and hyperion romances and then got one of her own 😭😭😍🫶
azden 😍🫶
WALCOTT AND CALIX OMG BRO SO CUTE
i NEEEEEED the sequel NOW The Power of Shadows *ARC*
The Power of Shadows definitely has everything to be another well known, beloved, fantasy YA.
I loved the magic system, the plot that throughout the story remained more important than that typical YA love triangle, and the twists that weren't entirely predictable (with the exception of the epilogue).
With that being said, the protagonist has a mind numbing ability to trust and continue to trust that her later telepathy doesn't completely excuse. One would think that this mind reading power would allow her to see the betrayals at least as soon as the reader spots them, but no it's an endlessly repeating theme. The plot at the beginning also relies heavily on her refusal to see what is right in front of her or question anything. I look forward to seeing her growth as a character throughout the series, shedding the naivete that was hammered into her characterization this book. Of course, one of the messages was to hope and not completely lose trust in the world but some balance would be good.
The world building had two hiccups, in my opinion. At the very beginning, in a spot of info dumping we get foundational creation myth as a story told to a charcter who could not believably just not know the myth. Secondly, the overall setting seems a jumble of that typically fantasy almost medieval setting with magic and modern times. There's the typical fantasy setting of royalty, political marriage, etiquette classes wearing trousers and tunics and there's short dresses, black pumps, and I'm pretty sure modern lighting?
Overall, these things don't take too much from the story as Estyn has one priority in the book and it never flops (even though she thinks it does). I feel the romances were more realistic than in other fantasy settings, and the slow pacing really helped to make the characters likeable. It's a fun, easy, YA novel with a couple surprising twists. The Power of Shadows I’m giving this book 3.5/5⭐️ which is definitely not bad. Regarding the level of enjoyment I had while reading it, it was certainly like an 8-9/10. It was really a fun book to read and the plot idea was also good! What I didn’t enjoy mostly was the fact that I felt that some things happened too quickly. I wish we had more time to fall in love with the first love interest before getting to know the other one. And because of how quickly things moved I feel like we didn’t get to see our main character making deep connections with the other characters. That being said, it isn’t a bad book, but it also isn’t a great one. And regarding the vibes of the book, I feel like people who enjoyed A curse so dark and lonely and These hollow vows might enjoy this as well. The Power of Shadows From a new author, The Power of Shadows is a strong, well-written novel. I'm typically not one to read fantasy books, but I really enjoyed this! World building is typically not my strong suit, but I didn't find things super-duper complex to understand, so that's a win in my book. I love the magical concepts, and the way the author gave insight into how the magical system worked. If you enjoy fantasy, I think you would LOVE this read!! The Power of Shadows I loved loved loved this book!!! Super impressive debut :) The Power of Shadows
