Starred Review Blessed by the Cerelia Comet upon her birth, Emmeline has the gift of magic. She can weave shadows into whatever she pleases. Now, at 12, her gift leads to trouble as her only friend, Dar (a shadow tethered to Emmeline), begins causing much mischief. After overhearing visitors tell Emmeline's parents that Lady Aisling can "cure" Emmeline's curse, Dar senses a dangerous ploy and convinces the girl to flee. Narrow escape after narrow escape take the two into a neighboring kingdom, where Emmeline meets Lucas, himself gifted by the same comet, although his gift uses light. Lucas' parents take Emmeline in, but by doing so place their family in danger from Lady Aisling's soldiers. Tension rises as Dar convinces Emmeline to help make her shadowy form human again, an act steeped in dire consequences. Emmeline's evocative first-person narrative grabs readers and pulls them into the story. Connolly crafts strong, well-developed characters and a realistic setting in which readers will have no trouble getting lost. Her use of language and suspense is captivating, resulting in a gripping tale that is wholly original. Dark, yet dazzling, this first installment in a planned duology is sure to be popular. A perfect choice for fans of Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon (2016).

A young girl with the power to manipulate shadows must fight for her life against enemies and friends alike in this middle-grade fantasy.Emmeline, born under the blessing of a magic-granting comet, has had an affinity for shadows since infancy. Now 12, a white girl with shadow-black eyes and hair, Emmeline has a powerful talent for shadow weaving that delights her and terrifies those around her—and it doesn't help that her own shadow, called Dar, has a life of its own. When her parents plan to hand her over to the Lady Aisling, who promises to "cure" Emmeline and others like her of their magic, Emmeline flees, taking shelter with a family that is also in hiding to protect their son, who can command light. Lagging under the yoke of exposition as Emmeline and Dar's longtime intimacy steadily falls foul, the narrative culminates in a stampede of an ending in which Emmeline realizes how much she has been manipulated by one closest to her. The interplay of light and dark and the moral ambiguity threaded through Connolly's worldbuilding are everything readers have come to expect from the author of Monstrous (2015), but despite efforts to push against the tired synonymy of darkness and evil, the effect is compromised by a key revelation.Fans of Serafina and the Black Cloak (2015) will find much the same chills and sequel-primed mystery here. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Gr 4-6Emmeline's magical shadow-weaving makes her an outcast despite her aristocratic class, which is why she's always been especially grateful for her "shadow," Dar, whose whispers protect herand discourage her from making other friends. When Emmeline's parents threaten to send her away after she causes an accident, Dar helps her escape. But is Dar truly Emmeline's shadow, or something more sinister? When Dar begins whispering about a ceremony that will give her a real body, Emmeline must decide how far she'll go to help her closest companion whose dominant personality leaves Emmeline struggling for a sense of herself. Though some readers may question the protagonist's seemingly naive trust in her manipulative friend, their unusual relationship may spark discussion about the destructive potential of certain types of intimacy and relationships. As Emmeline explores the outside world, she must shake off her passivity and disassociate herself from her "shadow" with the help of her new friend, light-weaving Lucas. Connolly's descriptions of magic, especially of Emmeline's shadow-play, are vivid and invigorating. The looming threat of an off-stage magic-eating villain leaves the novel somewhat open-ended, with the potential for a sequel. VERDICT Readers looking for a supernatural twist on toxic friendships will appreciate this complex and compelling read.Katherine Magyarody, Texas A&M University, College Station