Jessica (HDB)

I can't resist a good fairy tale, and that's a fact. I'm a firm believer that you are never too old to enjoy fairy tales and, furthermore, that they actually get better with age. This is precisely why I put Shadowskin on my reading list. It had all the markings of a good tale. A brave heroine, a magic mirror, and the curse of a deadly touch all in one book. I was ready to be swept away.

I'm happy to say that, overall, I enjoyed my romp into Archland. I found myself lost in a world torn by war, and filled with magic. A world that reminded me a lot of the numerous Fantasy books that I've come to love. I fell into step with Pomona, and genuinely enjoyed her as a character. Although she was shy, her ability to read the emotions of others and show true empathy made me smile. It's hard not to like her.

The problem I faced in Shadowskin was that so much was presented in such a short time. I went into this knowing that I was reading the first in a series, and so I hoped for a slow build up. Unfortunately, a lot was thrown at me in a short amount of time. The sheer amount of references to other fairy tales in the first half of Shadowskin left me breathless. Don't mistake me, I loved it! I just wish that it would have slowed down enough to give each story it's due. 

Let me explain. There are elements from multiple stories at play here. You'll see bits of "The Six Swans", "Beauty and the Beast" and even "The Little Mermaid". It's a wonderful idea! To put so much fairy tale goodness in one book is genius. However because the book moves so quickly, it's easy to overlook these little homages. They aren't always fully fleshed out. I would have loved to see more, as Pomona set off on her quest. To better fall into the world that she was wandering through. I know that there are more books on the horizon, so I'll cross my fingers.

Final verdict? A pleasant, fairy tale filled read that all but flies by. I give this one a solid three stars, and look forward to seeing what happens next.