Book Review: Shadowsong

Title: Shadowsong  (Wintersong #2)
Author: S. Jae-Jones
Genre: Young Adult | Historical Fantasy | Romance
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Source: Publisher
Format:  eARC

Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her. 
When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands (goodreads)?


Shadowsong lacked in answers and fostering sympathetic characters. 
Plot: My hesitations with Wintersong were that it didn't explore the goblin lore enough nor did it ever reach a proper climax, and Shadowsong did not provide any of the answers I needed. Taking place 6 months after Liesl' escape from The Underground, Shadowsong dealt with Liesl's rocky relationship with her brother and the phantom call to the Underground. Much like Wintersong, there was no real sense of urgency or intrigue in Shadowsong. This novel was 90% dialogue, but it seemed to go in circles with only the last chapter holding my attention. 

Characters: Shadowsong would have been a more memorable reading experience if the characters were explored more. In the author's note, Jones remarked that Liesl had bipolar disorder similar to herself. With this information, I was excited to see more of Liesl and how she dealt with varying moods but it felt as though Liesl was kept at a distance. The writing style was very passive which made it hard to get a clear understanding of any of the characters, especially The Goblin King. The mysterious Goblin King was only present for about 25% of Shadowsong which was the most disappointing because I was expecting to learn more him and his past. 

Worldbuilding: A large portion of Shadowsong took place in Vienna which was a refreshing change. I liked the glamorous feel of the city and the masked balls. It was easy to see myself in Austria, this was in due part to Jones' whimsical writing. 

Short N Sweet: Shadowsong wasn't the satisfying conclusion that I was hoping for. 



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