A Shadow Bright and Burning

Gr 7 Up—On the surface, this first book in a new fantasy series set in Victorian England is a story of relationships and loss of family, but with a little magic and some sorcery thrown in, it evolves into an intriguing tale of an orphan girl named Henrietta Howell. The drama begins with a visit from a stranger, a royal sorcerer named Agrippa. He has come to the charity school where Henrietta was raised and is currently teaching. Fearful that Agrippa has come to investigate the rumor of the mysterious fires, Henrietta is reluctant to speak to him, since she is the one causing the fires. It is not obvious at first that Henrietta has any magical powers, but as the plot unfolds, teens will be captivated by the revelations of the gifts that Henrietta herself finds hard to accept. This is an absorbing listen, largely because of the outstanding performance of narrator Fiona Hardingham but also because of the varied characters, some charming and some hideous, who cross paths with Henrietta in her journey to discover her true gifts and talents.