As the story progresses the rules, as the majority of the population understands them, turn out to not be as clear cut. The magical system in Shadows of Ivory appears to be well defined, with stark divisions within magic users, called carriers, based on their capabilities. It should be no surprise though that my favorite character is the awkward, bookish Albus Courtenay who is pulled out of his comfort zone and embarks on his own adventure that arguably surpasses anything he might have found in his books. While these two remain at odds, we see the clear divide between good and evil start to erode as Manon garners sympathy and Eska’s demons come to light. Initially, Eska is established as the protagonist, with Manon Barca clearly cast as her rival.
As her time seems to run short, can Eska solve the many mysteries she is actively working on before her options run out? This political mire threatens everything Eska has worked toward, while closing doors that had previously seemed limitless. She unexpectedly becomes more embroiled in politics than she might wish, upon being framed by an unforeseen power with murky motivations. Eska dons many hats by also assisting her parents with their political careers, which affords its own privileges. The main focus of Shadows of Ivory is the strong but flawed Eska de Caraval, an archeologist who partners with her uncle, Valentin, in their family business, the Firenzia Company. There are quite a number of characters to keep track of throughout this novel, however each personality feels deliberate and holds sufficient depth to enrich the story as whole. Greylock and O’Connor craft a world in Shadows of Ivory that is detailed, steeped in history, and holds plenty of scheming, ambitious individuals.
That said, Greylock and O’Connor thankfully address one of the key aspects of this classic that has less than gracefully aged the relocation of treasures from their home to a museum in another country. Shadows of Ivory has a distinctly Indiana Jones vibe, which triggers nostalgia due to the love that the old movies held during childhood. Needless to say, her narration is delightful, bringing the story effortlessly alive.
#SHADOWS OF DOUBT LINDA ARCHIVE#
Reading is one of my favorite narrators, having listened to her for all of The Wheel of Time and The Stormlight Archive series. Surprisingly, it took me ten minutes before I had the epiphany that Kate Reading must be the narrator, immediately having to stop listening to confirm my suspicions. When listening to Shadows of Ivory on audio, I had the strange feeling that a good friend was reading to me right from the get go. Please check out Lynn’s Books’ review for Shadows of Ivory here. Short Note: This is Team LB=TC^2’s seventh finalist review of #SPFBO7.
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