I picked up The Shadows by Alex North with no hesitation because I loved, loved, loved Whisper Man. It begins promising, and it held my attention, but I’m sorry to report that I didn’t love it – but it’s for a very specific reason.
The Shadows tells the story of Paul Adams, who, after 25 years, has to return to his hometown to help his sick mother. He doesn’t want to go home because bad things happened when he was a kid – specifically a gruesome murder committed by Charlie Crabtree, one of Paul’s friends.
Of course, odd things start happening as soon as Paul returns, and his mother insists that something -or someone – is creeping around the house.
The story is full of suspense, and you’re definitely driven to find the answers to WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON.
Without giving away too much, I’ll tell you why I didn’t love The Shadows as much as Whisper Man: it uses lucid dreaming as a trope, and I’m not a fan of lucid dreaming.
I’ve read two other books that use lucid dreaming as a main feature – The Anatomy of Dreams and Behind Her Eyes – and it was a turn-off for me. So, this was the third and final book I ever want to read about lucid dreaming. If that’s a thing that intrigues you, then this book is for you! If it doesn’t bother you one way or another, then I recommend The Shadows for sure.
But if you’re like me and roll your eyes at the concept of lucid dreaming, then The Shadows will be a quick pass.