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serru's review against another edition
3.0
This is a solid middle grade book that on the surface seems like your typical quirky ghost story but actually delves into some serious topics, including loss and the economic downturn and its effects on children's lives. Olivia moves into an old, broken-down concert hall with her father and senile grandmother after her mother leaves and her father is forced to sell their house due to economic issues. She has to buy clothes from the charity store and cannot afford a new sketchbook once she fills her old one up. She misses her mom, who walked out on her and her father, who she blames for it. Meanwhile, her father's orchestra is struggling financially with dwindling audiences while also dealing with the loss of his wife and trying to take care of his daughter who seems to hate him now and his elderly mother. These are pretty heavy themes for a children's book, but Claire Legrand handles them with a lot of sensitivity and skill, and in my opinion, without ever losing the sense of hopefulness that children's books tend to have. The themes are depressing, but the story itself wasn't.
I was also surprised by how dark the story got in places. When Olivia moves into the concert hall, she soon discovers the existence of the ghosts who haunt the place. Each of the ghosts' backstories are eventually revealed as Olivia and her friends try to help them move on from their lingering existence on earth, and we find out the often grim and tragic circumstances of their deaths. Some of it was really creatively done-- I really liked Tillie and Jax's backstories, and it honestly made me tear up a little.
The characters are absolutely wonderful. I loved the fact that the main character is this sullen and rude girl, who gets her rudeness called on by other characters! And yet, it's clear that beneath her anger, there's a lot of love there-- she just prefers to use her anger as a shield. I loved her love for her grandma, she was constantly worrying about how small and frail her Nonnie seemed. I kind of wish her grandmother's character was developed a little further, actually, instead of just being this caricature of a "crazy", senile but supportive old lady. Olivia's friends were great-- Henry was like the bright shining light in the story, to balance Olivia's sadness and rage, and Joan provided a lot of comic relief. I'm just dismayed she didn't have more scenes.
There are some illustrations in the book which are a nice touch. I love how Igor the cat is depicted (TOO CUTE).
The book itself was pretty slow and meandering for the most part, although it really picks up in the last third. There are also a couple of surprising plot twists that occur in this last part, which kept me engaged until the final page. I like that certain aspects of the story are kept ambiguous at the end-- we aren't sure what will happen, which is realistic given the themes, but the story still ends on a hopeful note.
I was also surprised by how dark the story got in places. When Olivia moves into the concert hall, she soon discovers the existence of the ghosts who haunt the place. Each of the ghosts' backstories are eventually revealed as Olivia and her friends try to help them move on from their lingering existence on earth, and we find out the often grim and tragic circumstances of their deaths. Some of it was really creatively done-- I really liked Tillie and Jax's backstories, and it honestly made me tear up a little.
The characters are absolutely wonderful. I loved the fact that the main character is this sullen and rude girl, who gets her rudeness called on by other characters! And yet, it's clear that beneath her anger, there's a lot of love there-- she just prefers to use her anger as a shield. I loved her love for her grandma, she was constantly worrying about how small and frail her Nonnie seemed. I kind of wish her grandmother's character was developed a little further, actually, instead of just being this caricature of a "crazy", senile but supportive old lady. Olivia's friends were great-- Henry was like the bright shining light in the story, to balance Olivia's sadness and rage, and Joan provided a lot of comic relief. I'm just dismayed she didn't have more scenes.
There are some illustrations in the book which are a nice touch. I love how Igor the cat is depicted (TOO CUTE).
The book itself was pretty slow and meandering for the most part, although it really picks up in the last third. There are also a couple of surprising plot twists that occur in this last part, which kept me engaged until the final page. I like that certain aspects of the story are kept ambiguous at the end-- we aren't sure what will happen, which is realistic given the themes, but the story still ends on a hopeful note.
hello_sunshine's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it from beginning to end. What a great storyteller Claire Legrand is!
jenniferreads2's review against another edition
1.0
Couldnt finish after 100 pages nothing grabbed me
christajls's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
Like many middle grade stories, The Year of Shadows starts off with a simple story – a girl, her father and her grandmother move into the town’s philharmonic and find that it is haunted. But that simple story soon morphs into a complex tale that deals with friendship, family, grief and bravery. It is touching and frightening and at times heart breaking. So in a word – perfect.
The star of our story is Olivia Stellatella. Olivia isn’t your standard middle grade protagonist. She’s angry and bitter and wants to be left alone. But there is a reason for her poor attitude. Her mother has left them, they are forced to sell their home and move into the philharmonic and her father seems oblivious to it all. She withdraws from other people, because other people have let her down. She’s learned the only person she can rely on is herself. The emotion in this book is very real. You feel all of Olivia’s frustrations and loneliness right along with her. It’s heart breaking. The Year of Shadows brought tears to my eyes more than once.
Thankfully there are some incredibly supportive figures in Olivia’s life who won’t let her give up on the world. First there’s Nonnie, her adorable, scarf obsessed grandmother. And there’s Joan her passionate, out spoken lunch-mate. And most importantly Henry. I adore Henry. He is a great friend to Olivia (even when she’s not being a great friend back) and he has a fascinating story of his own. Not just a secondary character, but a major player. The back and forth between him and Olivia was spot on. They were such a dynamic duo.
And then there’s the ghosts. Claire Legrand actually approaches the ghost angle from two directions There are your traditional scary ghosts – the shades. But then there are Olivia’s ghosts. Loveable characters who she goes above and beyond to help out. They may not be the stars of the story but you are cheering for them to find their anchors and move on (like Casper!). As a result The Year of Shadows treads the line between frightening and fascinating.
The Year of Shadows is more than just a ghost story. It deals with complex and relevant issues – from divorce, to poverty, to what it means to be a family and standing up for what you believe in. Oh and there’s music! Lots of great music. Legrand’s descriptions are fantastic, she in clearly someone who appreciates good music. For example this passage,
““It’s a strange feeling, when you hear a good piece of music. It starts out kind of shaky, this hot, heavy knot in your chest. At first it’s tiny, like a spot of light in a dark room, but then it builds, pouring through you. And the next thing you know, everything from your forehead down to your fingers and toes is on fire. You feel like the hot, heavy knot in your chest is turning into a bubble. It’s full of everything good in the world, and if you don’t do something–if you don’t run or dance or shout to everyone in the world about this music you’ve just heard–it’ll explode.”
The Year of Shadows may be the best middle grade novel I’ve read this year. I enjoyed Legrand’s début - The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls – but this is even better. Olivia, Henry, Nonnie and even the Maestro will stick with me for some time to come.
Recommendation: Absolutely recommended for middle grade readers. The Year of Shadows is a smart, funny and spooky ghost story. What more do you want? This would be a great present for young readers! Or you know people who just love ghost stories.
Like many middle grade stories, The Year of Shadows starts off with a simple story – a girl, her father and her grandmother move into the town’s philharmonic and find that it is haunted. But that simple story soon morphs into a complex tale that deals with friendship, family, grief and bravery. It is touching and frightening and at times heart breaking. So in a word – perfect.
The star of our story is Olivia Stellatella. Olivia isn’t your standard middle grade protagonist. She’s angry and bitter and wants to be left alone. But there is a reason for her poor attitude. Her mother has left them, they are forced to sell their home and move into the philharmonic and her father seems oblivious to it all. She withdraws from other people, because other people have let her down. She’s learned the only person she can rely on is herself. The emotion in this book is very real. You feel all of Olivia’s frustrations and loneliness right along with her. It’s heart breaking. The Year of Shadows brought tears to my eyes more than once.
Thankfully there are some incredibly supportive figures in Olivia’s life who won’t let her give up on the world. First there’s Nonnie, her adorable, scarf obsessed grandmother. And there’s Joan her passionate, out spoken lunch-mate. And most importantly Henry. I adore Henry. He is a great friend to Olivia (even when she’s not being a great friend back) and he has a fascinating story of his own. Not just a secondary character, but a major player. The back and forth between him and Olivia was spot on. They were such a dynamic duo.
And then there’s the ghosts. Claire Legrand actually approaches the ghost angle from two directions There are your traditional scary ghosts – the shades. But then there are Olivia’s ghosts. Loveable characters who she goes above and beyond to help out. They may not be the stars of the story but you are cheering for them to find their anchors and move on (like Casper!). As a result The Year of Shadows treads the line between frightening and fascinating.
The Year of Shadows is more than just a ghost story. It deals with complex and relevant issues – from divorce, to poverty, to what it means to be a family and standing up for what you believe in. Oh and there’s music! Lots of great music. Legrand’s descriptions are fantastic, she in clearly someone who appreciates good music. For example this passage,
““It’s a strange feeling, when you hear a good piece of music. It starts out kind of shaky, this hot, heavy knot in your chest. At first it’s tiny, like a spot of light in a dark room, but then it builds, pouring through you. And the next thing you know, everything from your forehead down to your fingers and toes is on fire. You feel like the hot, heavy knot in your chest is turning into a bubble. It’s full of everything good in the world, and if you don’t do something–if you don’t run or dance or shout to everyone in the world about this music you’ve just heard–it’ll explode.”
The Year of Shadows may be the best middle grade novel I’ve read this year. I enjoyed Legrand’s début - The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls – but this is even better. Olivia, Henry, Nonnie and even the Maestro will stick with me for some time to come.
Recommendation: Absolutely recommended for middle grade readers. The Year of Shadows is a smart, funny and spooky ghost story. What more do you want? This would be a great present for young readers! Or you know people who just love ghost stories.
brandypainter's review
4.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Claire Legrand is carving a name for herself in the genre of creepy MG literature. She is a pro at writing stories with appeal to children and a Gothic horror feel to them. Her latest novel, The Year of Shadows, is a perfect example of this. My split reader personalities had different responses to this book. All of them loved it, but with a qualification (a qualification you can completely ignore if you don't have a child in the intended age group).
Book Lover Me Reacts:
Olivia is the best, topped in this story only by the character of Igor (the cat). She is gloomy. She is lonely. She is angry. She is desperately trying to be nothing. If she is nothing then she doesn't matter to anyone and no one can matter to her. Unfortunately for her plans of eternal solitude there are others who are not going to allow her to continue down that road. The ghosts who need her help and Henry, the boy usher at the Hall, are going to crack through her shell. This is a good thing for Olivia even if she does fight it with all her might. I love how Legrand built her character and opened her up through the story. She grows in inner and outer strength. Henry is a wonderful contrast to her. He's the well behaved and studious one, the voice of caution. (And thank you Ms. Legrand for reversing the gender stereotypes so often used in MG fantasy there.) I also thoroughly enjoyed the ghosts and their stories.
The setting is perfectly eerie and described so well. As a reader you feel as though you are in the dilapidated Hall. You can smell the dust and feel the cold. The story told here about the ghosts who can't move on until they find their anchors as so many layers. It is nothing short of genius how Legrand wove all these strands together into a whole. Olivia is helping them to find their anchors so they can "move on" and this shows so clearly, with no need of explanation, how desperately she needs an anchor herself. The ghosts are wonderful, and the shades who are trying to pull them into Limbo exactly the right sort of creepy. Limbo itself is a perfectly dreadful place and, again, Legrand's talented descriptive powers make you feel as though you are there. I was slightly disappointed about how Olivia began to think of the shades at the close of the book. I felt like this didn't gel at all with the picture of them we had until that point. I would have preferred if she had not tried to make them sympathetic, though I can see why she felt she had to.
This is a splendid book, one that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I had dreams inspired by this book and there are few books with the power to do that to me.
eacher Me Reacts:
If you have this book in your classroom library or school library it will pretty much book talk itself. Look at the cover. Hold it up and say the word "ghosts" and watch it fly it off the shelves even faster. Even better, it is well written, but with a style that will keep reluctant readers engaged to the end. And there are wonderful illustrations. I would caution you to know your students before recommending it though. Know their family situations and their emotional maturity level. Because...
Mother Me Reacts:
I can't let my daughter read this book. She would end up a weeping puddle in my bed every night for goodness knows how long as a result. Not because of the ghosts, or even the shades, but because this book explores some pretty grim themes of death and depression I know she can't handle yet. I have a child who is particularly sensitive to both those subjects, and this book would do her in. I encourage any parent who has such a child, particularly one who fears losing you (in any way) to read this first or with your child.
Content Note: Religious families who have very specific views of what life after death is like may have issues with the ideas presented in this book.
I read a galley received from the publisher, Simon & Schuster, via Edelweiss. The Year of Shadows is available for purchase on August 27.
Claire Legrand is carving a name for herself in the genre of creepy MG literature. She is a pro at writing stories with appeal to children and a Gothic horror feel to them. Her latest novel, The Year of Shadows, is a perfect example of this. My split reader personalities had different responses to this book. All of them loved it, but with a qualification (a qualification you can completely ignore if you don't have a child in the intended age group).
Book Lover Me Reacts:
Olivia is the best, topped in this story only by the character of Igor (the cat). She is gloomy. She is lonely. She is angry. She is desperately trying to be nothing. If she is nothing then she doesn't matter to anyone and no one can matter to her. Unfortunately for her plans of eternal solitude there are others who are not going to allow her to continue down that road. The ghosts who need her help and Henry, the boy usher at the Hall, are going to crack through her shell. This is a good thing for Olivia even if she does fight it with all her might. I love how Legrand built her character and opened her up through the story. She grows in inner and outer strength. Henry is a wonderful contrast to her. He's the well behaved and studious one, the voice of caution. (And thank you Ms. Legrand for reversing the gender stereotypes so often used in MG fantasy there.) I also thoroughly enjoyed the ghosts and their stories.
The setting is perfectly eerie and described so well. As a reader you feel as though you are in the dilapidated Hall. You can smell the dust and feel the cold. The story told here about the ghosts who can't move on until they find their anchors as so many layers. It is nothing short of genius how Legrand wove all these strands together into a whole. Olivia is helping them to find their anchors so they can "move on" and this shows so clearly, with no need of explanation, how desperately she needs an anchor herself. The ghosts are wonderful, and the shades who are trying to pull them into Limbo exactly the right sort of creepy. Limbo itself is a perfectly dreadful place and, again, Legrand's talented descriptive powers make you feel as though you are there. I was slightly disappointed about how Olivia began to think of the shades at the close of the book. I felt like this didn't gel at all with the picture of them we had until that point. I would have preferred if she had not tried to make them sympathetic, though I can see why she felt she had to.
This is a splendid book, one that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I had dreams inspired by this book and there are few books with the power to do that to me.
eacher Me Reacts:
If you have this book in your classroom library or school library it will pretty much book talk itself. Look at the cover. Hold it up and say the word "ghosts" and watch it fly it off the shelves even faster. Even better, it is well written, but with a style that will keep reluctant readers engaged to the end. And there are wonderful illustrations. I would caution you to know your students before recommending it though. Know their family situations and their emotional maturity level. Because...
Mother Me Reacts:
I can't let my daughter read this book. She would end up a weeping puddle in my bed every night for goodness knows how long as a result. Not because of the ghosts, or even the shades, but because this book explores some pretty grim themes of death and depression I know she can't handle yet. I have a child who is particularly sensitive to both those subjects, and this book would do her in. I encourage any parent who has such a child, particularly one who fears losing you (in any way) to read this first or with your child.
Content Note: Religious families who have very specific views of what life after death is like may have issues with the ideas presented in this book.
I read a galley received from the publisher, Simon & Schuster, via Edelweiss. The Year of Shadows is available for purchase on August 27.
krish_'s review against another edition
3.0
Middle grade books always get to me. Why? Because childhood and innocence are sacred to me and when injustices are done to either of these two precious things, it's difficult to accept.
Claire Legrand's The Year of Shadows is not a walk in the park. It is not an action adventure that you can read on and off for a few giggles. This is a story of loss. Many losses. Olivia and her Nonnie and her maestro father have moved into the music hall because money is tight and they've had to sell their belongings. This is, of course, after Olivia's mother left them about a year ago, having just given up on their life changing for the better. Olivia's life is hard -- practically homeless, lost cause of a father, senile grandmother, absentee mother, friendless, weird...all at 12 years old. And because of this, Olivia is a little punk. She's abrasive, stone-cold, and desperately lonely. All she really wants are things to go right, and I feel that that was one of the things that kept gently snagging at me, gripping me. Such a simple wish.
Olivia was an intriguing little thing; snapping at people with witty remarks, then simmering down to a whisper whenever she felt like crying but tried not to. She may come across as impressively mature for her age but then I think of children around the world dealing with such extraordinary circumstances and thought, no, never underestimate children. I think their ability to observe and absorb is one of the key elements of her characters. It's part of what Olivia symbolizes. Understanding of life and the world is also portrayed in Henry and Joan. Henry has a secret, one that is just as dramatic and harrowing as Olivia's but his path towards acceptance and moving forward is movingly admirable. And Joan, oh I can't wait for you to meet Joan. Intelligent, strong-willed, and stubborn, she is comic relief in all the drama.
I found these supporting characters thoroughly refreshing. Henry is one of the "populars" but for once (in any book I've read), he's popular for a good reason. Not because he's good-looking or rich but because he's smart, talented, and not afraid to make decisions for himself. And Joan, who is pretty and rich, who, Olivia notes, would've been popular if she chose; except Joan chooses to be true to herself and her values and sod the student body if they think she's a nut job. Applause! One complaint -- not enough of either.
As I mentioned, this book deals with some intense subject matter. The premise is that of a girl who meets ghosts who seek her help in "moving on". This new representation of life and death, heaven, hell, and limbo is new to me. There is a twist in the legend of spirits being held back because of anchors keeping them tied yet powerless to the world of the living. It involves shadows and shades and portals to another dimension.
But the ghosts and their stories. Of Tillie and Jax, and Mr. Worthington. Each of these individual stories is enough to threaten my tear ducts. They highlight suffering through actual dangerous and saddening moments in history. They were brief but Legrand's expert writing goes straight through the flesh, the bones, and the heart. Perhaps a little more back story would be helpful for the younger readers who might not catch the signs as easily as an adult already familiar with the topic, but, nevertheless, it was effective.
And that would probably be my only real criticism. This is very clearly a middle grade book written with an adult audience heavily weighing in the mind, which isn't a bad thing. I say this because near the end, Olivia begins to deal with the concept of forgiveness, and while forgiveness isn't necessarily a difficult idea to comprehend, the context in which it manifests is arguably mature. I just hope the children who pick this up -- which I'm sure they will because it's a great title and an awesome cover -- will have just as a fulfilling experience as an adult would undoubtedly have. Good, though. Real good.
This review also appears on The Midnight Garden.
We are also part of the Blog Tour. Check out our interview and giveaway.
Claire Legrand's The Year of Shadows is not a walk in the park. It is not an action adventure that you can read on and off for a few giggles. This is a story of loss. Many losses. Olivia and her Nonnie and her maestro father have moved into the music hall because money is tight and they've had to sell their belongings. This is, of course, after Olivia's mother left them about a year ago, having just given up on their life changing for the better. Olivia's life is hard -- practically homeless, lost cause of a father, senile grandmother, absentee mother, friendless, weird...all at 12 years old. And because of this, Olivia is a little punk. She's abrasive, stone-cold, and desperately lonely. All she really wants are things to go right, and I feel that that was one of the things that kept gently snagging at me, gripping me. Such a simple wish.
Olivia was an intriguing little thing; snapping at people with witty remarks, then simmering down to a whisper whenever she felt like crying but tried not to. She may come across as impressively mature for her age but then I think of children around the world dealing with such extraordinary circumstances and thought, no, never underestimate children. I think their ability to observe and absorb is one of the key elements of her characters. It's part of what Olivia symbolizes. Understanding of life and the world is also portrayed in Henry and Joan. Henry has a secret, one that is just as dramatic and harrowing as Olivia's but his path towards acceptance and moving forward is movingly admirable. And Joan, oh I can't wait for you to meet Joan. Intelligent, strong-willed, and stubborn, she is comic relief in all the drama.
I found these supporting characters thoroughly refreshing. Henry is one of the "populars" but for once (in any book I've read), he's popular for a good reason. Not because he's good-looking or rich but because he's smart, talented, and not afraid to make decisions for himself. And Joan, who is pretty and rich, who, Olivia notes, would've been popular if she chose; except Joan chooses to be true to herself and her values and sod the student body if they think she's a nut job. Applause! One complaint -- not enough of either.
As I mentioned, this book deals with some intense subject matter. The premise is that of a girl who meets ghosts who seek her help in "moving on". This new representation of life and death, heaven, hell, and limbo is new to me. There is a twist in the legend of spirits being held back because of anchors keeping them tied yet powerless to the world of the living. It involves shadows and shades and portals to another dimension.
But the ghosts and their stories. Of Tillie and Jax, and Mr. Worthington. Each of these individual stories is enough to threaten my tear ducts. They highlight suffering through actual dangerous and saddening moments in history. They were brief but Legrand's expert writing goes straight through the flesh, the bones, and the heart. Perhaps a little more back story would be helpful for the younger readers who might not catch the signs as easily as an adult already familiar with the topic, but, nevertheless, it was effective.
And that would probably be my only real criticism. This is very clearly a middle grade book written with an adult audience heavily weighing in the mind, which isn't a bad thing. I say this because near the end, Olivia begins to deal with the concept of forgiveness, and while forgiveness isn't necessarily a difficult idea to comprehend, the context in which it manifests is arguably mature. I just hope the children who pick this up -- which I'm sure they will because it's a great title and an awesome cover -- will have just as a fulfilling experience as an adult would undoubtedly have. Good, though. Real good.
This review also appears on The Midnight Garden.
We are also part of the Blog Tour. Check out our interview and giveaway.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
4.0
Such a cute middle grade. Liked the spookyness of it and enjoyed the story.
bibliobrittish's review against another edition
5.0
I am bawling my eyes out (in a very very good way). This book has my heart, every last piece of it. Sure, a few friends of mine thought I’d enjoy it. And sure, it’s written by one of my very favorite authors. But I never imagined how caught up in Olivia’s world I’d become.
This is a book for the odd ones out, the musicians, the dreamers. The attention to detail is stunning (the fermatas as chapter breaks, the gorgeous illustrations throughout, the full concert schedule at the back). The story is heartwarming and heart-wrenching and heartwarming again. The characters are some of my favorites, especially Igor (the extra sassy cat), Henry (the perfect nerd), the ghosts, and of course Olivia. I guarantee this will be a book I read over and over again. And I guarantee I will recommend it to everyone I know until such time that I become a ghost (at which point I will haunt bookstores and knock it into unsuspecting reader's hands).
This is a book for the odd ones out, the musicians, the dreamers. The attention to detail is stunning (the fermatas as chapter breaks, the gorgeous illustrations throughout, the full concert schedule at the back). The story is heartwarming and heart-wrenching and heartwarming again. The characters are some of my favorites, especially Igor (the extra sassy cat), Henry (the perfect nerd), the ghosts, and of course Olivia. I guarantee this will be a book I read over and over again. And I guarantee I will recommend it to everyone I know until such time that I become a ghost (at which point I will haunt bookstores and knock it into unsuspecting reader's hands).