Author: S. Jae-Jones
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication date: February 6, 2018
Pages: 384
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Synopsis (from goodreads.com):
Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her.
When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands?
M Y T H O U G H T S
Shadowsong is a wonderful sequel to Wintersong. With S. Jae-Jones's lyrical writing, it brings music to my ears. Don't be fooled by the slow pace of this book. Savor it as long as you can. Expanding on the last installment, Wintersong delves into more soul searching via a musical career. Liesl is distraught that she doesn't hear from Josef but she heads to Vienna in search of Josef with Käthe after Josef's master has passed away.
Shadowsong is a novel focusing on building a stronger sibling relationship. The novel is more Liesl centric and doesn't have that seductive dance with the Goblin King as in Wintersong. However, readers learn more about the Goblin King's history and his true name! Also, most of the novel is set above ground compared to its predecessor.
S. Jae-Jones includes hand written letters within Shadowsong just like in Wintersong. It adds that personal touch to the novel. She has honed in on a more character driven plot line and ties the duology well with the revisiting of the Goblin King. However, I felt more drawn to Wintersong than Shadowsong only due to the fact that I love reading about the Goblin King.
This dark fantasy is definitely one to be picked up. Just as a fair warning, there are some topics about addiction, reckless behavior, self-harm and suicidal thoughts within this book that might trigger some people. Jae-Jones includes an author's note about it to warn readers. Shadowsong has a deeper focus on mental health and how it affects the characters within the book.
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