Bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere and Dreamers Often Lie
Bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere and Dreamers Often Lie
It’s Halloween. But not for Morton, who’s trapped in Elsewhere. Good thing Olive has a plan: Swallowing her dread of the McMartins, she sneaks Morton out and takes everyone trick-or-treating. But when they’re followed by a creature who’s not all he seems, they’re in for a surprise—something, or someone, is living in Mrs. Nivens’s abandoned house. Yes, strangers have come to Linden Street. And though they claim to be her allies, Olive has a bad feeling. She returns home late Halloween night to discover something worse: Her parents are gone.
Desperate to get them back, Olive strikes an unbalanced bargain with Annabelle McMartin and loses something incredibly valuable in the process—something that could mean doom for the house, and for Elsewhere itself. Turning to her uncertain allies, Olive attempts to sever the McMartins’ power at its root, unleashing a flood of darkness and terror that could overwhelm not only her, but the house and everyone in it. To mend her mistakes, Olive must determine who to trust. Will she put her faith in her own worst enemies to save the people and the home she loves? Published by Dial Books in July 2013
The series’ many fans will be happy to revisit Olive and friends (including three memorable talking cats)... They’ll even be glad to see the frightening Annabelle McMartin, whose reappearance leads to a stunning conclusion. And they’ll certainly look forward to more Elsewhere.
- Booklist Online
Something that sets this series apart from most Middle Grade fantasies is that the magic is right there, filling the main character's house. In most domestic fantasies, there's maybe a magical item that grants wishes, or takes the kids on journeys, but here Olive is surrounded by enchantments in her own home, making it both sanctuary and locus of danger, which adds considerably to the tension. ...In short, gripping, and the introduction of new characters and new twists that challenged Olive afresh made it interesting.
The book is filled with funny characters, including misfit protagonist Olive, who once again finds incredible strength to save the people she loves, and three loyal and likable talking cats.
In the fourth installment, Mrs. West does a remarkable job of building on the suspense of the previous books... A five out of five book for me.
Five out of Five Stars... This is book 4 in the Elsewhere series and I can’t believe I haven’t read any of them before! Seriously put this on your reading list now!
The house is as much a character as are Olive, Morton, and her family, and a wicked sense of humor tempers the book's creepiness. A suspenseful plot and insight into childhood loneliness - handily amplified by Bernatene's moody and dramtically lit b&w illustrations - will have readers anxiously awaiting the next book.
- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Middle-grade writing as it should be."
"Beautifully written, deliciously scary..."
West creates a delightful concoction of quirky humor blended with a rumbling ominous undertone...
- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review
Ms. West's deliberate choice of words and lyrical phrasing reveal her background as a poet. Her understated storytelling style, fast pacing and realistic heroine Olive are sure to please reluctant and experienced readers alike.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 5, 2010
THE SHADOWS is creative, exciting, hilarious, spooky, mysterious, adventurous, and heaps of fun, all wrapped between two covers.
The fast moving plot aided by talking cats and excellent black and white drawings will grab the attention of even the most reluctant middle school reader. Laced with just the right amount of spookies and mystery, watching Olive put all the pieces together and overcome her fears is a delight.
A fantastic story full of magic and mysteries that starts when a young girl climbs into an old painting.
"I found The Shadows mesmerizing, partly due to the story itself; partly due to Jacqueline West’s remarkable writing."
Jacqueline West builds an eerie and mysterious world. A steady stream of details ensures that readers will continue turning the pages as they try to solve the mystery of Olive's house along with her. - Junior Library Guild, Summer Selection [West] has a knack for description and excellent prose. There’s a sense of the weird and creepy throughout the book, like in roald dahl’s best stories... I couldn’t wait to see what it said next. This is an absolutely lovely read for the connoisseur of fantasy for the young... West's writing carries things along just swimmingly, with enough description to make things come alive in vivid detail without hindering the build-up of tension. I enjoyed it tremendously, and recommend it highly, and eagerly anticipate the next book. West's writing is something special...She has woven the tension of a good mystery with magical touches that make this book sparkle. This is a book to be raced through and then read again... - Kids Lit Golly, this is a good read even if you’re seven times as old as you’re supposed to be. [Olive is] an intrepid adventurer, the more charming for her determination to overcome her fears. West brings this launch title to a roundly satisfying close but leaves room for plenty more excursions to Elsewhere. - Jennifer M. Brown, Shelf Awareness With illustrations from Poly Bernatene enhancing the strong haunted house mystery, Jacqueline West provides an exhilarating middle school age tale.
© Jacqueline West
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