Engrossing!

I have to admit that before I started reading the novel, I made some assumptions because I’ve never really been that excited about Canadian history, and Shadow Song is historical fiction set in Canada, but I was pleasantly surprised by how far off my assumptions were.

While the story did have a strong historical aspect, it was presented in an engrossing manner through the use of compelling characters, settings, and plot twists. I savoured the way the historical detail was presented, especially about the native culture. The descriptions of nature were beautiful, and I appreciated the respect for nature that was portrayed by the main characters. Shadow Song really made me think about the way the native people were treated by the white settlers. The Anishnabeg people had so much knowledge about nature, respect, and refraining from overindulgence in nature’s resources that the settlers would have been wise to heed.

There was a lot more action and suspense in Shadow Song than I would have expected. I found it very hard to put it down, resulting in quite a bit of missed sleep. I found myself genuinely concerned for the protagonist in her times of struggle and happy for her when she experienced moments of joy. This story invoked a wide range of emotions from me because it was beautiful, tragic, and sensual all at the same time. I was delightfully astounded by the sensual nature to this story because it added a new element of depth to the characters, making them seem very real.

I would absolutely recommend this book, particularly to those with an interest in Canadian history or native culture. Shadow Song was well written and a joy to read!