After reading Mistwood, by Leah Cypess, and loving it, I vaguely set out to read other shapeshiter books. And happily, Shapeshifter's Quest, by Dena Landon (Penguin, 2005, older middle grade/younger YA, 182 pages) was close at hand in my local library.Syanthe has grown up imprisoned in a forest, where all her shapeshifting kind have been trapped by the king and the powerful, magic wielding, priesthood that serves him. But for Syanthe, the imprisonment is illusory. She alone was hidden before she could be tattooed with the magical mark that kills any shapeshifter who tries to escape. Now the forest is dying, and her own mother is deathly ill. And Syanthe is the only one who can venture into the world beyond, to find a cure.
It is a dangerous journey. The priesthood is powerful, evil, and determined that the only magics in the realm should be under their control--death, or worse, awaits if she is caught. But fate is kind to her, and soon her path crosses with that of Jerel, a young man who is much more than he seems. He, too, has a mission--and a magic--of his own.
Shapeshifter's Quest is a lovely fast read, and I enjoyed the characters and their magics considerably. Syanthe is a nicely brave and compassionate heroine, and the story flows briskly and coherently. It's only main flaw is that it rather lacks subtlety--a huge suspension of disbelief is required to swallow Jerel's appearance in Syanthe's life. It's a tremendous coincidence that he should be the one to find her curled up by the side of the road--not only is he the perfect person to help her achieve her own goals, he is also soon to become more than just a helpful acquaintance...It made it a bit hard for me to really believe this story.
That being said, this is one I'd give in a sec to my 12 year-old self. I would have loved it to pieces. My adult self, however, loves Mistwood more--more tricksy, and more emotional punch. Like Mistwood, this was a debut novel; I went looking to see if Landon had any more books, because I enjoyed this one, but she doesn't seem too...
(The cover makes Shapeshifter's Quest look a lot older (reader-wise) than it is--there's some violence, but nothing dire, and the romance is understated).
Anyone have any favorite shapeshifter books to recommend for me to read next?
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I've never heard of this one before but I think I need to add it to my wishlist, especially after your review. I also really like the cover.
ReplyDeleteI would defiantly have to recommend Rachel Hawthorne's shape shifter series (If you haven't already read it). The first one in the series is Moonlight.
Thanks Morgan! I haven't read that series, and will add them to my list!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe someone else has read this story. My jaw dropped when I saw it on here. I think your assessment is quite sound. From what I remember, it sounds just about right. It was the cover that first intrigued me, but it does seem suited for a younger audience (funny thing is, I also looked at her website a while back to see if she had come out with anything else).
ReplyDeleteBut as far as other shapeshifter books go - Little Sister by Kara Dalkey. Oh my gosh amazing. I am the screaming advocate for that book. Not only the best shapeshifter book by far I've ever read (I haven't read Mistwood yet), but one of the best Asian fantasies as well. Look hard for a copy. If you can't find one, I'll buy you one. I'm not kidding.
Thanks for the recommendation--I've just requested Little Sister from the library.
ReplyDeleteI recommend Kristin Cashore and her companion books, "Graceling" and "Fire." These aren't NECESSARILY shapeshifter books, but what do you like about shifter books? The magic and romance, right? That's what Kristin has. [:
ReplyDeleteBut for real shifter books, I recommend The Werewolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Steifvater. The first two books are "Shiver" and "Linger." Alsoo, if you read more adult genre books, I recommend Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series. It's a really sweet love story. [:
Thanks for the recommendations, Samantha! I enjoyed Cashore's books, and am very much looking forward to Bitterblue.
ReplyDeleteShiver and Linger, not so much, although they were fine. And I think in my own mind I make a distinction between "were" type shapeshifting and the more fluid ability to morph into a variety of shapes...