I put this book on my "historical" and "fantasy" shelves, but really it's neither--it's a fictional setting that feels like something from history (of maybe the Georgian era of Britain, since there are primitive guns, railroads, and steam technology), without any typical fantasy elements other than the fact that the setting never existed--so maybe it could more accurately be called "fantastical history."It starts with much creeping around a creepy, old house of tremendous proportions; it's called the castle, but the descriptions always felt more manor-like to me, just on a massive scale. The creeping is done by mousey, isolated Charlie, who is a princess only in name. Her mother the queen disappeared years ago and her father retreated into near-insanity soon after, and ever since Charlie has been left to the mercies of the cruel, abusive servants who run the household. Now eleven, Charlie is just getting bold enough that she no longer accepts her fate and begins investigating affairs to see if she can't do something to help her father and find her missing mother. Before long, she is entangled in all sorts of intrigue involving the heads of both state and revolutionary efforts, trying to figure out both her families' interests and her country's.The plot is far from hole free and not everything sits square with a realistic analysis; luckily, this is fantastical history and I didn't feel the need to hold it to a firm standard of reality. Instead, I let myself get carried away by the tension and excitement and enjoyed watching Charlie's efforts to figure everything out. 3.5 stars. Charlie's mother, the Queen has disappeared, and her father only wants to make castles from cards; she knows the kingdom of Quale is at risk. With friends, Tobias, Nell, and Mr. Moleglass, Charlie tries to find her mother and save the kingdom from Alistair Windlass. This book will suit strong readers in the 4th grade through early 6th grade. The plot was long and winding, and the characters were one-dimensional, so I didn't like it as much as I had hoped.
What do You think about Castle Of Shadows (2012)?
A beautifully written adventure story that will be enjoyed by readers of all ages. A must read!
—ash
Good story...will use for 2013 Rappin' Readers' Book Club....
—kalpana
