If you have not read Nevermore, the first book in the series, beware, this review includes Nevermore spoilers.
Originally I decided to read this series solely because of the fact that it is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe. I love Poe’s stories and poems and his fascination with the dark and bizarre. After reading Nevermore, the first book in the series, I was not completely enamored but the ending had left me with a definite need to find out whether Isobel would be able to bring Veron back!
Enshadowed picks up about 2 months after Veron’s disappearance on Halloween. Isobel is the only one who knows the truth: Varen didn’t run away. No, he’s trapped in the dark and dreary dream world where Isobel had promised she would come back for him. Now, after she has broken the link between this world and the dream world, she must find a way back and save him before it’s too late.
Though I did not love Nevermore, I did fall in love with Isobel and Varen, as well as many of the other characters in it. I continued to fall in love with these characters while reading Enshadowed, especially Gwen, Danny, and even surprisingly Pinfeathers (though he is still creepy!). Gwen is by far my favorite character in this series. She developed so much more as a character and her wit and loyalty to Isobel make it hard not to love her! Isobel went through a transformation as well from Nevermore to Enshadowed. In Nevermore she was for the most part your typical perky cheerleader who just so happens to fall in love with a goth. In Enshadowed, however, Varen’s disappearance and her broken promise to him weigh heavily on her through out the novel. No longer is Isobel the carefree cheerleader we knew in Nevermore. In her place stands a broken girl who must put on a smile and pretend she is still who she used to be. The only thing missing character-wise in Enshadowed is Varen! We don’t see nearly enough of him in this installment of the series which was definitely a bummer for me because I LOVE Varen.
I enjoyed reading Enshadowed much more than Nevermore. The climax was written much better this time around. Whereas in Nevermore I think Creagh focused too much on description in suspenseful scenes, in Enshadowed she reached the perfect balance. Creagh’s description’s paint such a vivid picture throughout every part of this book, especially in terms of the Nocs. In the end we are left with another cliffhanger, one that makes me very sad that we have to wait for the final book in the Nevermore trilogy though I have a feeling it will be well worth the wait! I would definitely recommend both Nevermore and Enshadowed, especially for those who enjoy Poe’s work and anything in the realm of the dark, creepy and bizarre.
Rating: 7/10 ★★★★★★★
Enshadowed hits bookstores today, Tuesday, August 28th!
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Book Info:
• Publisher: Atheneum (August 28, 2012)
• Length: 448 pages, Hardcover
• Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
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