Parade of Shadows

by Gloria Whelan

Excited about leaving boring England behind to travel to an exotic locale on her father's latest expedition, Julia quickly discovers that the new world of Levant isn't what she expected and now must uncover the truth about her travel companions in order to know which side she stood stand and fight as the danger mounts.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Historical, Mystery, Fiction, Middle Grade

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Gloria Whelan is the best-selling author of many novels for young readers, including Homeless Bird, winner of the National Book Award; Fruitlands: Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect; Angel on the Square and its companion, The Impossible Journey; Once on This Island, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award; Farewell to the Island; and Return to the Island. She lives with her husband, Joseph, in the woods of northern Michigan.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story has all the parts in it to create a compelling drama and mystery. Somehow, however, the author fails. Every clue is pointed out in an obvious manner by the main character, who then illogically tries to explain away the clue (essentially "I thought that ____ was very, very, very suspicious and was probably tied to ____, but then I randomly decided that ignore all other previous hints that support this conclusion and to think it has nothing to do with ___, although it obviously does and I previously hinted about the connection a paragraph ago.")

Furthermore, besides the main character coming off as both stupid and as someone the reader cannot connect with, the love story was even worse. Despite many realizations that his attentions all serve an ulterior motive and that he was just using her to advance his mission, she inexplicably decides she still loves him due to the fact that he flirts with her.

[Kellyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1907 Sixteen-year-old Julia Hamilton convinces her father to let her accompany him on a trip into Turkey, Syria and the surrounding areas. Julia and her diplomat father travel in a group with three other Europeans and four native helpers. Whereas Julia expected a pleasant sight-seeing adventure, she finds herself caught in international espionage and dangerous plots. Her father is poisoned, her romantic interest, Graham, is arrested and one other of the group is arrested for trying to take artifacts out of the country.

Julia must summon her courage and trust her intuition as she finds no one is safe and nothing is as it appears.

This exiting adventure story is filled with historical information. The “romance” is slight but adds excitement.

Recommended.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most disappointing book I've read in a long time. Nothing happened. The characters were either annoying or unpleasant. I kept Reading hoping that the story would get better but it didn't. There was so much potential that wasn't met. I feel like I was lied to when I picked this book up the first time I saw it. I'm really sad that this book wasn't more exciting. It would have helped if the narrator was less realistic. I do have to hand it to this author for accurately representing a spoiled 16-year-old girl. But that doesn't make the book better.

[Jowi Estava · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a bit disappointed because the story was compelling enough to keep me interested, but the ending was rushed. Everything wrapped up in the final chapter in a pretty deus ex machina way, which was like going slowly up to the top of a roller coaster and having the drop be just a few feet tall. Nevertheless I think it would be a great book for teens, especially teen girls. The main character is a teen girl who (trying not to spoil anything) comes to realise that things are not always what they seem, which I think is an important lesson.

[Kitty Fogliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out a bit slowly and arduously, with characters who do little to evoke admiration. However, what the book lacks in creating an inspirational protagonist, it makes up for with its value in conveying, through a satisfyingly entertaining plot, information about geography, history, and culture. I highly recommend this book for middle school ages students who are interested in, live in, or are studying the Levant, the Ottoman Empire, the Arab North Africa or the Middle East, or early 20th century machinations of the British & French to control/steer this geographic area.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia goes to the Middle East with her father and discovers everyone on the trip has some other purpose than merely site seeing. Her father is secretly trying to discover information for the British Foreign Office. The Frenchman is dealing in illegal antiquities, Graham a young man who Julia is interested in is finding information for the Young Turks a revolutionary group, and Ellen supposedly collecting plant specimens is the one who betrays them all.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this! The time period and lands traveled to were interesting to read about. Enjoyed the mystery plot twist.

[Wytzia Raspe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a mix of a travel book, romance story and who-done-it. It is well written and entertaining without going into clichés.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading it a few years ago but stopped. Finally decided to finish it. Compelling novel about the final days of the Ottoman Empire with interesting characters.

[Maren · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a random little book. I’m not sure how to feel about it.

[Ellie White · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Not my favorite Gloria Whelan book, but still good! Definitely picked up more towards the end of the story.

[Julie S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abrupt, unsatisfying ending.

[Janet Purser · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like the main character was more naive than she should have been. She was taken in way too easily. I really did want to like the book because of the adventures in foreign lands but it never seemed quite believable.

[H D Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a sheltered Edwardian teen, who travels to Syria with her father, and finds that the complex politics of the Ottoman empire are a whole lot nastier than the popular stereotypes of the Romantic Middle East.

When I started this book, I immediately knew it wasn't my usual cup of tea. It's more concerned with place and time than with characters, and for a while I debated whether I would even finish it, but I'm glad that I did. Ultimately, I found it to be personally enriching, and it also challenged me as a writer because, while not indulging me in many of my novel favorites, it attempted something really difficult, and, I think, did it quite well.

Things this book did best:

Cliche smashing. It's a huge temptation for western writers to romanticize this part of the world and this time period with a collection of stereotypes that hide the real situation of the people and places at stake (it's definitely not all Bedouin princes on fabulous horses, although there are a few of those). Whelan, without unduly villainizing anybody (and villainizing everybody at least a little bit), drew a really clear picture of how the European empires (British, French, and Turk) were all grappling for power, creating a situation with no easy right answers. It's a spot in history I knew relatively little about. I know a lot more now, and I have a lot of respect for an author, who determinedly resists cheap thrills in favor of better (and still thrilling) history.

Female protagonist who ends up finding meaning in something other than a man. I don't want to say too much, because I hate spoilers, but although there is a love interest, he doesn't end up being the beginning and end of the heroine's character, which always makes me happy.


Recommended for people who read historical fiction for the history :)

[Melody Savage · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parade of Shadows by Gloria Whelan, published 2007 by Harper Collins, takes us on a journey through early 20th century Middle Eastern regions, like Istanbul and Damascus, an area known as the Levant. It’s a slow journey with mystery and adventure in mild doses.
The slow journey allows the reader to take in the view of these foreign lands, their peoples and their cultures. Julia is a sheltered English young woman who constantly compares her quiet, secluded English life with the cultures she is experiencing. She samples their food, markets, modes of travel, climate, politics, and customs. Everything is as a young girl would see it and because Julia's characterization is rather plain, the story is also.
Whelan places Julia in some situations that stretch historical accuracy. For instance, would a young woman in the early 1900‘s be allowed to journey without a female chaperone, let alone tour foreign cities escorted only by a young man? Would some of her behaviors have been considered grossly immodest by the locals even though traveling about with young men is nothing to us today? Because of the aberrations and Julia’s indistinctive characterization, the book falls flat. The political intrigue provides most of the interest but even that is slow and sometimes detailed with very little humanity to liven the facts. Sadly, the troubles and romance feel shallow; nothing feels authentic; I never lost myself in this book. Still, there is a taste of what life in these lands might have been like.
Gloria Whelan’s Homeless Bird - a vivid depiction of life in India - is a much better piece.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1907, and sixteen-year-old Julia Hamilton lives an uneventful life in London, though she dreams of seeing distant places and having exciting adventures. Her mother died of an illness when Julia was very young and her father is often traveling in his work for the British Foreign Office. When she learns her father is to take a trip to the Middle East, she begs to come along, and to her delight, her father agrees.

On the journey, Julia befriends Graham Geddes, a handsome young student from Oxford whom she learns is to be part of their tour group. Graham shows her the sights of the exotic city of Beirut - and also awakens her to the political unrest in the region. Graham is sympathetic to the Young Turks, who wish to reform the Ottoman Empire, a position Julia's father strongly disagrees with. Julia is attracted to Graham but feels torn between him and her father. Their fellow travelers, and even their tour guide, seem to have hidden motives as well.

Parade of Shadows was another excellent historical novel with a unique setting by Gloria Whelan. Julia was a wonderful character - she starts out as a sheltered young girl, but during her journey she matures and becomes more aware of the world around her. In light of the current situation in the Middle East, it seemed particularly relevant to read about the political unrest that existed there a hundred years ago. I'd highly recommend this book to young adult readers who enjoyed the author's previous novels or who enjoy historical fiction

[Linnae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia longs to escape the cold, empty house she lives in--where her mother died, and where her father comes only when necessary. She can hardly believe it when he allows her to come on his next trip with him, an adventure to the Middle East. Imagine: they will be travelling by train, and riding camels, and camping in the desert. Exactly what her father is going to be doing is a bit unclear, as he is not going in his official capacity with the British Foreign Office, but frankly, Julia doesn't really care. She is getting OUT. That is all that matters...at first.

As their journey progresses, and they meet their travelling companions, Julia begins to realize each person has an agenda and secrets of their own. There's handsome Graham, with his passion to change the world, the plant collector, the antiquities collector, and their guides. And then there's her father--now, what is his agenda? Is she just a prop in some scheme that he has going on?

Julia is going to have to learn to think for herself and figure out where her loyalties lie. If she puts her trust in the wrong person/people, her marvelous adventure could turn into a disaster.

Historical fiction with just a bit of suspense and romance on the side. I saw this on a list of "Good books, bad endings." I disagree with that assessment. I liked the ending. To sum it up: Julia grows up.
It could also make a good springboard for discussions about politics, on a big scale: tyrants, revolution, freedom, and so on.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

BEWARE. I DON'T FLAG SPOILERS. BUT I DON'T PUT MY REVIEWS OUT ON ANY FEED, EITHER.

Intended for readers ager 10 and up, I am an adult who found it interesting on multiple levels: characters, era, dialogue, plot.

Historical context - turn of century 1907 - provides a history lesson on unrest in Ottoman Empire, as perceived by different parties.

One guy represents capitalism (the French antiquities dealer), another the Brit Empire (diplomat Carlton Hamilton), another the insurgency of youth (the young Brit Graham Geddes, who's recruiting Druzes to join the Young Turks), another the acquisitive nature of a botanist who portrays herself as a scholar (frumpy, middle-aged Brit lady, Edith?)

Central character is Hamilton's young daughter, 16, Julie, wise beyond her years.

Surprise ending - that her long-widowed father, who's been remote due to travel constraints of his career, should be willing to end it to save the daughter's crush, in the hope that she would eventually see Geddes' shallow, impersonal, 'user' nature? Yet he does. And, she does, too (in the end, see Geddes'failings).

I for one like a romance novel that delves into characters besides the main couple -- and, that doesn't end w. a 'happily ever after' cliche.

[Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Julia is bored with her life. Her mother is dead, her father is always busy with his work for the British Foreign Office and the only place she ever goes is school (boring!). Julia wants to have an adventure. When she finds out her father is travelling to Syria for work, she begs to go to. Surprisingly, her father agrees. Deserts! Camels! Ruins! How exciting! But as they make their way to the Middle East, Julia begins to realize that her father has a secret. And so do each of the other members of their travelling party. Is Julia's father spying on the Ottoman Empire? Does handsome, interesting Graham Geddes like Julia, or is he using her to hide his true goal? Will Julia end up in the middle of a revolution that will ultimately decide the fate of the Middle East?

Gloria Whelan's novel Parade of Shadows is an interesting look at travel and political intrigue in the early 20th century. The secrets fly thick and fast, and the plot moves along much faster than a camel. However, the minor characters are mostly there to advance the plot, and Julia wasn't very dynamic to my mind. But the setting is rich and for the most part, the historical details are right on.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the early 1900s, narrated by the 16 year old daughter Julia who has led a sheltered, safe life in London while her father serves in the British Foreign office. She gets to go on his journey to the Turkish Empire (ruled by the Sultan). Everyone seems to have an undercover political agenda. She falls for a young firebrand and picks up hints that she is being used (for a cover, to get info) by many of the travelers. I liked the setting (year and place). There is much to learn about the history of the Muslim world during the time of Empires.
You see how naive Julia is but watch her grow as she tries to sort out her feelings on all the underlying plans and cultural differences going on. Not a really fast action book but worth a read for the subtle emotional change and historical setting. (2 instances of God's name in vain and 1 use of damning, a couple kisses)14 and up

[Kendall · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book by Whelan that I've been disappointed in. The plot was complicated and sometimes boring, the characters were flat, and the subject matter can be difficult to understand. I have a rudimentary understanding of the history and geography of the Middle East, and I found the book hard to relate to at times. Since it's written for middle school students, I believe that they would have a much more difficult time understanding much of the story line since it is dependent on having some background knowledge of the area.

Many of Whelan's other novels build background knowledge in to the story, and they are much more successful...some of the best books I've read. Unless you're a Gloria Whelan fan, I would probably avoid reading this book.

For sixth grade and up.

[Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

After Whelan's excellent novel Homeless Bird I expected great things from this one but was disappointed. I found the plot hard to follow, the setting described almost too politically to keep my interest (every country described with regards to who is on what side between the Young Turks and Arabs), and the story almost had no satisfying conclusion, except for the main character finding out her gentleman friend was not really that interested in her (which the reader knew almost from the start).

I would highly recommend other of Gloria Whelan's books though, so don't let this title turn you off to a wonderful author.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit if a disappointment. I had expected more of an adventure/quest story given the description. Instead, I had a coming of age story -- which I have no objections to, per se. I've read another book by Whalen before and liked it. But I had a hard time getting into Parade of Shadows. I didn't like the narrator much, and found her to be childish, impractical, and whiny -- which, I guess, is what a teenager is, so I can't fault Whalen too much for that characterization. The narrative also dragged in spots. I think I might have enjoyed the book better if I had a better sense of what it was supposed to be.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strong, descriptive writing and concise, eloquent dialogue have all the feel of watching a classic black-and-white movie. A literary getaway.

Julia is a sheltered but determined 16-year-old who convinces her
father to allow her to accompany him on his next business trip through the Ottoman Empire, representing England's Foreign Office. Far more than the leisure trip she expected, Julia finds herself witness to political intrigue and stirrings of revolution against the sultan. Their colorful traveling companions, including the handsome Graham Geddes, a Young Turks supporter, are shielding secrets and conspiracies of their own.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Parade of Shadows" started out on a high note, but unfortunately, could not sustain that high note. I was put off by the seemingly endless description of the Turks' control of the Middle East. I grew tired of the narrator's disregard of her father and her infatuation with one of her fellow traveling companions. None of the characters were very likeable. Everyone was "hiding" something. The indigenous men hired to help lead the tour group were shady. All in all, I was highly intrigued for the first several chapters, but soon grew tired of the entire plot.

[Georgia Herod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia Hamilton is tired of being left behind when her father goes off on his expeditions. After begging him once again, he agrees. Julia has no idea what she will encounter, but she's eager and ready to go. On the journey she meets an antiques collector, a horticulturalist, and a handsome young student. All are mysterious traveling companions. Julia learns big lessons about trust and what she's willing to stand for.

Again, Whelan has created a dramatic plot with well-developed characters.

[tiph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed that - for a story in a setting rife with adventurous opportunities, namely, Syria - nothing really happened. A lot of nothing happened while the girl narrating the story bemoaned the fact that nothing happened (except for trivial things). The dynamics of the main character confined themselves to when the author actually told us that she was changing. Halfway through the book I realized that I didn't like any of the characters.

I can't give it a one star because there were a few places that I did enjoy reading it. And I finished the book, which is a good sign.

[Krysta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up thinking to have a change from my usual diet of fantasy and science-fiction, and while it was a diversion I found that I was not very satisfied with the ending. The bulk of it read enjoyably with intrigues and the promise of adventure, but I found the development of several characters and the direction the narrative took in the last several chapters unfulfilling. I could guess who the "guilty party" was in all of the mysterious events shortly after passing the half-way mark. The protagonist Julia ends up disenchanted and disappointed, much as I was upon reading the last page.

[Boston · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character, Julia is an overprotected sixteen years old. Her father is a part of the Ottoman government. On March 14, 1907 Julia and her father are sent an invitation to a tour of the Ottoman Empire. On the trip Julia makes some acquaintances which included Graham Geddes a young Turk revolutionary who was on the tour, to start up rebellion in the Ottoman Kingdom. Also Edith a plant collector, and Paul Louvors a buyer and seller of art.
The plot of this story is survival; make a friend so you won't end.
I read this book for a book report assignment.

[Brianda Barrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the main character in this book to be so irritating. I thought it was obvious what was going on and she was so oblivious. The so-called romance was not a romance, more like unrequited love. Many of the characters irritated me and none seemed remorseful or to care of how they affected others. The only redeeming factor was the father who at the end just wanted the best for his daughter. As far as a historical book goes, this book was very informative, but as a young adult novel, it left me wanting something else.