Where Shadows Meet

Gr 9 Up–The first in a duology about a world-altering power struggle between vampires and other mythical beings. Over 1,000 years ago, the young outcast Favre fell in love with Thana, the princess of the gods. Her devotion to the princess allows Thana to overthrow her father and Thana’s growing ambition causes a millennium of violence between gods, vampires, and humans. The present day follows the current vampire princess Leyla on a journey to Nekros, the island of the dead, to rescue a childhood friend. Najja, one of the last yamajas and messengers of fate, joins Leyla, knowing she is the key to determining the future of the world. Caldwell offers a complex blend of worldbuilding and character development in this high fantasy. The novel’s dual time lines provide readers with the origin and backstory of the current world, although information sometimes feels disjointed and a little overwhelming. The story is narrated from multiple points of view and carries themes of sacrifice, power, expectations, and purpose. Najja has a history of self-harming (never shown but discussed and referenced), and Leyla experiences chronic nerve pain. Characters are cued Black.