The Shadows Between Us ♦ Tricia Levenseller | Review

It was incredibly fun reading The Shadows Between Us. The book captured my attention from the very first page and retained it throughout the entire work of fantasy.
I often wonder what it is about the infatuation between two morally dubious, murderous individuals that I am utterly addicted to, that I hardly could stop reading to do some chores. 😊

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

The Shadows Between Us ♦ Tricia Levenseller

Opinion

Alessandra, the primary character, is a vain and evil young woman with a vile scheme. She is a liar, a murderer, and a schemer. Not really the kind of character you expect to be the heroin. However, the Shadow King is one as well, which is why they work so well together.
I adored the character interaction. I liked how neither Alessandra nor The Shadow King steered away from the other’s deepest and darkest secrets. They simply accepted each other for the shattered persons they are inside.
I cherished seeing them scheme against one another and wished that more of their homicidal mischief would have taken place. I cracked up a lot while reading the novel and kept wondering whether one of them was really getting harmed.
Furthermore, I really liked the two main characters from the start because they were authentic. But the secondary characters also gave the book interesting starting points, some of which were also quite important for the entire plot. For example, Alessandra’s friendship with Rhoda and Hestia, which was portrayed very convincingly. Finally, in a young adult novel, there were true female friendships without bitching, gossip and betrayal.

The lack of world building made it difficult for me to create an accurate imagination of the locations. It’s not clear if this is our world, with made-up places; or a completely different world. The whole description of the castle and various trivialities put me in a time of the European Middle Ages. In the end, though, none of these points mattered to the story.
The Shadow King has power over the shadows, as his name suggests. The origin of this power is mentioned vaguely in between, but it doesn’t seem to have any deeper meaning. Of course, the shadows are for his protection, otherwise they seem more of a burden. Here I would have hoped for something more of a mythical secret. But who cares, you can’t have everything.

Despite some inconsistencies, I really enjoyed the book and would have loved to read more. But eventually the end came.

[rating-report]

Conclusion

The Shadows Between Us has an engaging cast of primary and supporting characters that create an entertaining homicidal conspiracy party that occasionally made me giggle.
In any case, I will get the second volume, but also keep an eye out for other books by the author.

The Shadows Between Us – The Dilogy

About Tricia Levenseller

Tricia Levenseller is the New York Times-bestselling author of the Daughter of the Pirate King duology, Warrior of the Wild, The Shadows Between Us, and the Bladesmith duology. She writes young adult high fantasies with heavy romantic subplots.

Tricia grew up in Oregon, where she spent her childhood climbing trees and playing make believe. She now lives in Utah with her bossy dog, Rosy, where she writes full time. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing Overwatch and Sea of Thieves on her Xbox, and finding tasty restaurants to frequent.

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