The Shadow's Curse

Gr 9 Up—In this sequel to The Oathbreaker's Shadow (Flux, 2015), readers will hit the ground running as it picks up right where the first book left off. Raim has learned to work with his spirit haunt, Draikh, and together they must find a way to stop two power-hungry rulers from destroying an entire country. One of these rulers, Khareh, is Raim's former childhood companion who through the use of taboo dark magic became an all-powerful sage. One of the major changes in this volume is the inclusion of a second narrator, a young female warrior named Wadi. The introduction of a female voice is a welcome addition to the plot. While the previous entry dealt with world-building and character development, this title is primarily focused on high-energy action scenes and intense character interaction. The plot steadily mounts in excitement and tension, creating anticipation for a dramatic climax but falls slightly short of the mark. At first glance, it appears that everything is wrapped up nicely, yet there is a hint that not everything is quite perfect. Hopefully, McCulloch will follow through on her hints of something evil lurking and shake up Raim's world once again.