Shadows Cast By Stars by Catherine Knutsson

Old ways are pitted against new horrors in this compellingly crafted dystopian tale about a girl who is both healer and seer.

Old ways are pitted against new horrors in this compellingly crafted dystopian tale about a girl who is both healer and seer.Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable commodity on the planet—especially the blood of aboriginal peoples, for it contains antibodies that protect them from the Plague ravaging the rest of the world.

Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi might be immune to Plague, but that doesn’t mean she’s safe—government forces are searching for those of aboriginal heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cassandra and her family, they flee to the Island: a mysterious and idyllic territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors—and by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken her under her wing, and the tribal leader’s son into his heart, the creatures of the spirit world are angry, and they have chosen Cassandra to be their voice and instrument…

Incorporating the traditions of the First Peoples as well as the more familiar stories of Greek mythology and Arthurian legend, Shadows Cast by Stars is a haunting, beautifully written story that breathes new life into ancient customs.

Goodreads Summary

How far would you go to escape the dreaded Plague?  Would you take the blood of an innocent?  In this dystopic world, the only survivors or hopeful survivors are the ones who are immune or who have the ability to access that immunity.  Aboriginal blood is found to offer hope against the Plague and is highly valued.  Cassandra, the main character, might feel that she is safe against the Plague, but she has to worry about the government and people hunting her down to harvest her precious blood...not necessarily a common worry for a teenager.  The more Cassandra's family is threatened the more they desperately search for a way to protect themselves.  When they come across the Island, they think they may have hope, but is the Island as safe as it seems?

Cassandra isn't the easiest character to identify with or connect to, but her voice in the story is not uninspired or boring.  She is brave, smart, and protective of her family.  She does not back down and is amazingly resourceful, a character to look up to.  The other characters are interesting to get to know, they all have a reason for being in the story, the author limited the extraneous characters.  Cassandra is by far the most focused upon character.  Her connection to the spirit world and her understanding of the world around her will likely be interesting to the reader.

The plot is not the most unusual, but the twist concerning aboriginal blood is an interesting take on a dystopian world.  The author plays out the fear and tension created by a blood-hungry world very well, the reader will likely feel chills up his/her spine when reading certain excerpts.  Overall, this book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.

4 Stars

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