Shadows cast by stars / Catherine Knutsson.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781442401914 (hardback) :
- ISBN: 1442401915 (hardback)
- Physical Description: 456 p. ; 22 cm.
- Publisher: New York ; Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2012.
Content descriptions
Target Audience Note: | Ages 12 up. |
Search for related items by subject
Genre: | Science fiction. |
Available copies
- 3 of 3 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Terrace Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 3 total copies.
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Terrace Public Library | YA Knu (Text) | 35151000355859 | Young Adult Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2012 May #2
Postapocalyptic young-adult novels glut the market now, but the unique twists in this debut should capture and hold the attention of avid fans of the subgenre. Sixteen-year-old Cass lives in a grim world 200 years in the future, one nearly destroyed by virulent plagues. The current population has advanced technologies yet suffers from regular blackouts, mediocre food substitutes, and brutal distinctions between people: the general population that has suffered most from the ravages of plague, and the Others, who are of plague-immune aboriginal descent. The blood of the Others is a hot commodity, as it contains antibodies that fight the plague. Cass, her brother, and her father exist on the fringes of society, living the "old way" without modern conveniences and masking their Otherness from a world that would kill them to gain the protective properties of their blood. One day everything changes, and Cass and her brother must flee to the Island, a place that will draw Cass into deeper physical and metaphysical adventures. For fans of Sara Wilson Etienne and any genre-blending YA titles. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews. - BookPage Reviews : BookPage Reviews 2012 June
A dystopian tale of First PeoplesSixteen-year-old Cassandra, her twin brother Paul and their father have always lived by the Old Way, even before the government forces them to move from the concrete Corridor to the sanctuary of an island populated by a band of their people, the Métis tribe of Western Canada. Unlike other newcomers, Cass and her family know how to live without the Corridor's technology. And although she's ordinarily indifferent to boys, Cass finds herself attracted to Bran, son and potential heir of the band's missing chief.
Madda, the local medicine woman, takes Cassandra on as an apprentice, helping her develop talents she's always possessed but never studied. Cassandra can heal wounds, see the invisible animal shades that accompany her people (similar to the dæmons of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy) and travel into the spirit world. But she cannot see her own shade, cannot help Paul find peace from the ghosts that haunt him and cannot convince various jealous factions to welcome her into their community.
In Shadows Cast by Stars, debut author Catherine Knutsson, herself a member of the Métis tribe, blends a contemporary feminist sensibility with Arthurian legends, Greek mythology and Native traditions to create a rich and captivating story.
Copyright 2012 BookPage Reviews. - Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2012 Fall
Hunted for Plague antibodies in their blood, Native American twins Cass and Paul flee to a preserve where Cass apprentices as a medicine woman and Paul joins the paramilitary Band. When the Band goes to war, Cass can't save Paul from a predatory spirit. Native American mythology combines with dystopian fantasy for a gripping read, but the plot seems unfortunately incomplete, dependent on a sequel. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2012 May #1
A post-apocalyptic debut breathes new life into a quickly flagging genre with its setting among the First Nations peoples of the Pacific Northwest. Even though they live in the Corridor, Cassandra Mercredi and her family have kept to the Old Way. When a new strain of the Plague that killed their mother emerges, she, her twin brother, Paul, and her father flee to the Island, where the Band clings to treaty lands. Métis, they are apart from the specific culture of the Island, but they are nevertheless Other, and their blood contains the only known cure for the Plague. Cass finds herself apprenticed to healer Madda and increasingly drawn to Bran, the son of the Island's vanished leader. She also experiences a terrifying connection to the Sisiutl, the serpent-spirit that dwells in the lake by her house. Knutsson's narrative is ambitious, twining together Pacific Northwest mythology, standard post-apocalyptic tropes and a coming-of-age story inflected with romance. Readers of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will recognize the harsh realities portrayed, albeit within the science-fictional framework. Knutsson's language is often atmospherically beautiful, but the story flounders at times, introducing unfulfilled subplots that may be foreshadowing for events in future volumes or simply red herrings. Nevertheless, it's an absorbing read populated by characters hardly ever found in teen novels. (Science fiction. 12 & up) Copyright Kirkus 2012 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved. - Library Media Connection : Library Media Connection Reviews 2012 October
Cassandra is part Other, which places her family in danger from the Searchers who want the Others' blood to cure Plague victims. Cass and her family leave home and travel to the Island, a land protected by the Spirit World and the Band. Cass, apprenticed by the medicine woman, learns how to use her gift of vision to help the creatures of the spirit world. While the spiritual aspects of the story are exciting and well done, the futuristic dystopian aspect fails to deliver. For libraries interested in Native American literature and stories, this will be a good purchase; for others it may be a hard sell to readers. Kristin Fletcher-Spear, Youth and Teen Services Supervisor, Foothills Branch Library, Glendale, Arizona [Editor's Note: Available in e-book format.] ADDITIONAL SELECTION Copyright 2012 Linworth Publishing, Inc. - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2012 May #1
Aboriginal mythology and mysticism play a large role in Knutsson's dystopian debut, as she draws on her own heritage for inspiration. Two centuries from now, plague has devastated the world, and only Native American tribes possess the antibodies needed to fight off the disease, making them a valuable but expendable commodity. Off the coast of what was once Canada, the Band dwells on the Island, protected by treaty and a barrier keyed to their blood. Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi is a half-blood, and when her family is forced to seek refuge on the Island, she is only grudgingly accepted. Soon, she begins a romance with the leader's son and an apprenticeship under the local medicine woman. As her power to see and interact with the spirit world grows, she discovers her true purpose. While Knutsson's concept is sound, and the story flows smoothly, the apocalyptic future is just a sketchy backdrop for a fairly standard coming-of-age adventure. There's little detail paid to the world outside the Island, so the significance of living in the "Old Way" is lessened. Otherwise, this is a strong beginning. Ages 12âup. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary. (June)
[Page ]. Copyright 2012 PWxyz LLC - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2012 August
Gr 8 UpâTwo hundred years in the future, 16-year-old Cassandra, a Métis Indian with mysterious gifts, lives with her twin brother and father in the Pacific Northwest. A plague has killed off much of the population, but Others, people of aboriginal descent, have special antibodies that protect them from the disease. The blood of one Native American can save many other people; because of this, the government is hunting them. Cassandra and her family have managed to survive under these conditions while living by "the Old Way," but when the plague returns, they flee for The Island, a protected space where Indians (of many different tribes and backgrounds) are able to live together safely. There Cassandra's abilities quickly earn her an apprenticeship to the local healer and the attentions of the chief's son, Bran. Unsurprisingly, the peace of the Island is short-lived and Cassandra must play a part in keeping her community safe. The feel of the story is far more fantasy than dystopian. The Island is a richly drawn setting and the Native American imagery feels authentic (the author is, herself, a member of the Métis tribe). Cassandra is a strong character, much more concerned with survival than with romance-though there is a romantic subplot. This is a good title to give to fantasy readers who like novels with tough female leads.âKristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH
[Page 108]. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. - Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews : VOYA Reviews 2012 June
Sixteen-year-old Cass and her twin brother, Paul, are outsiders, picked on and ostracized in a dangerous and dystopic future. They live the old way, on the outside of town, without electricity or running water, with only their distracted father to care for them. But instead of being isolated and safe, Cass and her brother are in great and constant danger: their aboriginal blood holds antibodies that the rest of the plague-ravaged world needs to survive. When their father moves them to the Islandâthe only safe place remaining for aboriginal peopleâCass and Paul are forced to grow accustomed to a lifestyle only their deceased mother knew. As Cass learns the ways of this idyllic community, becoming a healer and finding a deep connection with an Elder's son, Bran, danger finds its way to the Island, putting all of the Others in danger despite the protection of the Band As the story continues, Cass's identity is transformed, and her new spiritual existence engenders in her the power needed to save her people, even if only temporarily. In this way, we see a very powerful female protagonist emerge, which is a welcome representation. Furthermore, Knutsson's natural imagery is beautiful, and her Other worldâbased on her Vancouver homeâis well wrought. It is also worth noting that the aboriginal protagonists add an interesting element to the story; however, like many other examples of contemporary young adult fantasy, Shadows Cast by Stars is unnecessarily long and, unfortunately, a bit unremarkable.âJennifer M. Miskec 3Q 2P J S Copyright 2011 Voya Reviews.