Shadow Creatures

As a huge fan of Chris Vick’s work I was delighted to have the opportunity to be sent over this latest title, and I am genuinely honoured to have the chance to write my review as part of the blog tour for Shadow Creatures, which is published by Zephyr, and is available to buy from all good booksellers.

I didn’t need to read the Author’s Note at the end of the book to understand the authenticity of this books content, it was evident by the second chapter that this is written based on actual experiences of generations that came before Chris, those that lived during the invasion of Norway by Nazi Germany to be precise. If the intent of this book is to give insight into the impact that awful time, from early 1940s onwards, had on the people of Norway then it does so with an air of authenticity and a large heap of authority too, though Chris does explain that ‘As with other books of mine, in places, I have changed the facts to suit my story’.

We begin our adventures within this book through the eyes of Georgy, a grandchild who in looking to escape taking part in cleaning dishes has cleverly asked his grandmother and her sister about their experiences of war. The two ladies are immediately young girls again when we start the next chapter, and we are thrown into their innocence as they sneak around eavesdropping on the adults when whispers of war are a thing. To meet them when they are still childlike, with cute nicknames for Liva – known as little mouse – and a strong family dynamic being apparent only serves to make what follows all the more heavier, but it is key to understanding what was taken and what was lost as a result of war, and I appreciated it for the wholesome before the storm. It gave energy and life to those that we follow during their worst of days, and we come to learn their strengths and weaknesses as a result. They would learn them for themselves through the coming years though.

It is the girl’s (Liva and Tove) father who is displaced by the German invasion, heading off to help his countrymen defend against the Nazis. This is likely the first time sorrow has entered the hearts and minds of Liva, Tove, and their brother Haakan. This would fuel them on to put the welfare of those around them first going forward, with a wider sense of community happening the moment war was declared. The women and children left behind have much to endure and each others safety is paramount, but when Liva is left out by her older siblings she finds comfort in her neighbour and companion, Agna. These two girls whilst off on their own little exploration unwittingly create more reason for the Nazi troops to remain within the proximity of the village in which they call home, by drawing attention to a nearby island. This would in turn become the location of a Nazi Camp, one run by the SS to exact.

Agna has it worse than most, and with her mum receiving visits from one of the higher up German officers there is no escaping the invasion. Others could at least seek comfort in being behind closed doors. Whether or not this fired up Agna with regards to the choices she makes, and the secrets she hides, is for you to decide, I felt it did, but it wasn’t lost on me that her mischievousness was spoken of in school. She is a rebel through and through, and those are the type of people you want to be friends with and are better having fighting for the same side.

To become aware of Agna initially in this book as the stereotypical quirky old lady, who keeps herself to herself, surrounded by an air of mystery, as perceived by Georgy in the opening chapter, and learn of her journey prior to that misconception occuring really did take you along with her on a rollercoaster of emotions. She’s a ballsy young lady but experiencing prison at the hands of the Germans is when her resolve started to break, though she never did give anything away. Agna will live in my thoughts forever, she grew up far too soon, alongside all those children impacted by war. I hope this reminds younger generations not to judge a book by its cover.

On the subject of books, one of Haakan’s many secret missions he accepts the undertaking of during the time of Nazi occupying Norway is to keep safe a copy of fairy tales that his older sister would read over and over again, which has been rescued from destruction from their school classroom via their teacher in the first instance. This last grasp on their childhood’s only really becomes apparent when the book is revealed again further into this story, by which time not even Liva is frightened of the darker magical characters inside. The real danger was real and it brought darkness to their days for years.

To read of those characters they met and their ordeals as a result of war including the hunger and rations is heartbreaking. Nothing good comes of war and that is extremely evident when witnessing that which all of those in the village endure, although the strengthening of good in people and the bonds between one another does shine through even the harshness of war. This is the focus of the finale to the book, with Georgy bringing together two of the characters pivotal to the plot, and this reunion is all the more poignant given the location.

To sum it up, this is a powerful read packed with authentic detail and ensuring that which happened when Germany invaded Norway as part of World War Two is not lost to the generations. Bringing attention to war is never easy, its contents isn’t nice, but Chris Vick does so in a tasteful way without losing any of the awfulness as a result, and does justice to those who gave their lives, lost their loved ones, grew up to soon, and witnessed the horrors of war too. Year 6 in Primary School learn about WW2 and this would be a great choice for a class read, especially as the impact the Nazi invasion had on Norwegians isn’t as mainstream.

I’d like to end this post by sending a heartfelt thanks to Chris Vick for sharing his relatives stories with us through Shadow Creatures. I will cherish the story within for many years to come.

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