Shadowshaper (The Shadowshaper Cypher, Book 1) 12+

About this book

Paint a mural. Start a battle. Change the world.

Sierra Santiago planned to have an easy summer of making art and hanging out with her friends. But then a corpse crashes the first party of the season. Her stroke-ridden grandfather starts apologizing over and over. And when the murals in her neighbourhood begin to weep real tears... Well, something more sinister than the usual Brooklyn ruckus is going on.

With the help of a mysterious fellow artist named Robbie, Sierra discovers shadowshaping, a thrilling magic that infuses ancestral spirits into paintings, music, and stories. But someone is killing the shadowshapers one by one — and the killer believes Sierra is hiding their greatest secret. Now she must unravel her family’s past, take down the killer in the present, and save the future of shadowshaping for herself and generations to come.

Full of a joyful, defiant spirit and writing as luscious as a Brooklyn summer night, Shadowshaper marks the YA debut of a brilliant new storyteller.

Reviews

Praise for Shadowshaper

Named one of the "100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time" by TIME magazine

A Top Ten YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection

A Top Ten ALA Quick Pick

A Kirkus Prize Finalist

An Andre Award Nominee

A New York Times Notable Children's Book

An NPR Best Book of the Year

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

"In the best urban fantasy, the city is not just a backdrop, but functions as a character in its own right . . . That is certainly true in Daniel José Older's magnificent Shadowshaper, which gives us a Brooklyn that is vital, authentic, and under attack . . . Older is able to infuse Shadowshaper with the spirit of Brooklyn in the summer, where the possibility of magic hangs shimmering in the air. This is a world that readers cannot help wanting to live in and, as with all great urban fantasies, harboring a suspicion that perhaps we already do." -- Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and The Iron Trial, in the New York Times Book Review

"The strength of Older's tale is in his meticulous attention to the details of the life of a brown-skinned, natural-haired Puerto Rican teenage girl. Older's storytelling is rich enough to warrant such treatment, because this is a world that will stay with readers long after the last page." -- Los Angeles Times

"Older's book is a first-rate example of how representation, diversity and themes of social justice and identity can be skilfully woven into a narrative -- not so that they disappear, but so that the story pivots on them in a way that is authentic, exciting, and ultimately satisfying." -- Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

"Shadowshaper may be a page-turner, but it's also an allegory that touches on timely issues like gentrification, cultural appropriation, sexism and colorism without feeling pedantic. Combining that social commentary with magic, humor, PG-13 romance, Puerto Rican culture, a reverence for creative work and Older's keen ear for the way teens speak, it's as profound a representation as you could want of a young person's New York City in the 21st century." -- TIME

* "Warm, strong, vernacular, dynamic -- a must." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Excellent diverse genre fiction in an appealing package." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "What makes Older's story exceptional is the way Sierra belongs in her world, grounded in family, friends, and an awareness of both history and change." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Smart writing with a powerful message that never overwhelms the terrific storytelling." -- Booklist, starred review

Praise for Shadowhouse Fall

A Locus Award Finalist

"Older takes the idea of fantasy as metaphor and smashes it to bits, bringing us to a Brooklyn steeped in magic that feels utterly real and punch-to-the-gut perilous. A powerful adventure that blurs the line between the real and the imagined in daring, breathtaking ways, Shadowhouse Fall is not only a thrilling hero's journey, but a magical revolution on the page." -- Leigh Bardugo, New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom

"Brilliant . . . A novel about Brooklyn, love, spirituality, family and something else. Something I can't even explain but am enthralled by and want more of. This is the beauty and magic of Older's writing -- he leaves us openmouthed and speechless, asking 'What just happened to me?!' Loved this book." -- Jacqueline Woodson, New York Times bestselling author of Another Brooklyn and Brown Girl Dreaming

"Shadowhouse Fall flips and reshuffles principles of light and darkness in stunning revelation after revelation. Older's vivid ink and prose deftly obliterates any bounds between a tangible and a supernatural Brooklyn. I am still under its spell." -- Rita Williams-Garcia, three-time Coretta Scott King Author Award-winner

"Older is a brilliant storyteller, and with sharp, smart, and hilarious dialogue and prose Shadowhouse Fall is a fresh, enthralling speculative novel for readers of all ages." -- Bredan Kiely, award-winning coauthor of All American Boys and critically acclaimed author of Tradition

"I turned pages so quickly I got paper cuts." -- NPR

"Older knows that today's young people are just as magical as his characters." -- Teen Vogue

* "Older paints a compelling picture of contemporary life for black and brown teens in cities: Afro-Latinx Sierra and her friends deal with police harassment and brutality, both on the streets of Bed-Stuy and at school, themes that feel especially timely and relevant . . . Older excels at crafting teen dialogue that feels authentic, and props to everyone involved for not othering the Spanish language. This second volume features a tighter plot and smoother pacing than the first, and the ending will leave readers eagerly awaiting the further adventures of Sierra and her friends. Lit." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "With the same keen eye for the power of art and a sly commentary on the insidious nature of racism and white supremacy -- as well as a deft handle on zippy teenage banter and cinematic pacing -- Older delivers a fantastic follow-up to his best-selling Shadowshaper (2015), which not only intensifies the stakes of the first book but expands the scope of his well-wrought, vivid world building . . . The expanding cast of well-rounded characters, clearly choreographed action, and foreshadowing of installments to come will have fantasy fans eagerly awaiting more of this dynamic, smart series." -- Booklist, starred review

* "Exciting . . . Older has upped the ante with this second installment." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"A stunning sequel that will leave fans clamoring for book three." -- Shelf Awareness