Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead Series: Bloodlines #5
Published by Penguin on July 29th 2014
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
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In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.
Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.
For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .
Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.
Liezel’s Thoughts:
What an amazing follow-up to “The Fiery Heart”! It was everything that I expected it to be and so much more!
If you’ve read the previous book you know how Sidney ended up in the predicament that she is currently in. She is imprisoned by the Alchemists and now going under extensive re-education. To them she has committed the ultimate crime – befriending and of course becoming romantically involved with Adrian who is Moroi. Her imprisonment shouldn’t be an issue knowing that Adrian could have always used spirit to find her but in this case the Alchemist go through extreme measures in preventing this from happening.
Surprisingly, Sidney wasn’t the only alchemist serving a sentence in that hell hole. Just like Sidney, they were accused of going against some crazy law which again goes to show exactly how outdated and flawed the Alchemists traditions were. You would think since the detainees had that in common that they would’ve immediately accepted her but Sidney is seen as an outsider. It takes a lot of convincing on her part before they welcome her into the fold.
Sidney was always portrayed as a strong and independent powerhouse but in “Silver Shadows” we see her in an entirely different light. Being in the Alchemists’ clutches she is defenseless and vulnerable yet even as helpless as she is she stays true to herself and is able to hold onto her altruistic nature. She was not fully accepted by her peers but she still would have risked everything for their safety.
We see a different side of Adrain too. I do have to admit that I did lose confidence in him when he reverted back to his old ways however when he eventually snapped out of it I was left spellbound. His degree of maturity was quite remarkable in this story. You could definitely tell just how having Sidney in his life changed him. We witness his softer and emotional side and he shows us he was willing to do the unimaginable to protect her.
Speaking of which … there is a definite shocker in this story. I would have never thought in a million years that Adrian would do such a thing and Sydney would agree with his plans. This is what I loved most about this couple. They always thought outside the box. They knew that there was going to be a likelihood that they would never be accepted by their society but that did not matter to them. They knew that as long as they were together that they could conquer anything.
What I also loved about the book was catching up with the beloved characters from VA. To this day, reading anything that involves Rose and Lissa still captures my attention. I was also impressed with the supporting characters especially the newer ones that were introduced. Duncan and Chantal was who I found most interesting. I’m hoping that the author eventually expand on their story.
Loved this book! The suspense and romance was perfectly balanced. For me, it was all around fantastic. Of all the books in the Bloodline Series I would have to say that this was certainly my favorite.
The Verdict:
