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Shadow Club #1
The Shadow Club: Shadow Club Series, Book 1
The Shadow Club starts simply the kids who are tired of being second-best get together and, for the first time, talk about how they feel. But soon the members decide to play practical jokes on the first-place winners they envy, and things begin to spin dangerously out of control.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Neal Shusterman
91 books31.1k followersAward-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
November 13, 2018
4 stars? It mad me so angry, but I liked it?
My Video Review:
https://youtu.be/BByAll5jP98
My Video Review:
https://youtu.be/BByAll5jP98
February 15, 2013
No one likes to be second-best. We all have that one person who constantly does better at whatever we're trying to do. There's always that one kid who wins all the awards, who always succeeds at everything while the rest of us are left to feel like no one notices us.
This is the sentiment that drives a group of kids to form "The Shadow Club," a club of kids who feel "second-best" to someone else. It starts off as something innocent, an outlet for them all to share their feelings. But quickly, the Shadow Club starts to go too far ... The members start playing practical jokes on their rivals. And when unplanned and dangerous pranks start happening and no one in the Shadow Club admits to them, they become convinced that someone knows their secret and is trying to frame them.
If you know me, you know that I love Neal Shusterman. I worship the ground he walks on. He has written some of the best YA books out there (in my opinion), including Unwind, Bruiser, and the Skinjacker Trilogy: Everlost; Everwild; Everfound. His books always have intriguing and unique premises, and he always fleshes out his ideas very well.
That said, I felt a bit underwhelmed by The Shadow Club. Maybe it was too middle-grade for my taste, and also it's about ten years old. So, I can definitely say that Neal Shusterman's writing has improved over time. But anyway, I liked it but I couldn't help but compare it to his more recent books and it just wasn't as good.
I do like the premise. It's definitely something a lot of people can relate to. I mean, I really relate to it. For example, I'm a writer ... and I've always had that kind of feeling like I'm "good but not good enough" and that as hard as I try there are always people my age who are better than me and succeed way more than I do ... and it's a very discouraging feeling. So, I understood where the characters' feelings of rejection were coming from and I sympathized with them to an extent.
Unfortunately, my sympathy with them ended about there. A lot of the characters' actions in this book just came off as mean-spirited to me and it made it hard for me to like them. Not only that, but most of them were kind of cardboard-cutout characters with not much personality. It was like "second-most popular girl," "second-smartest girl," "second-best basketball player" or whatever, and all of these characters were pretty clichéd and I could barely even keep track of who was who because they were all pretty bland.
And over all, the book just felt really short and underdeveloped. I mean, it was a simple plot and I guess there wasn't much to it. But it seemed a bit rushed and ultimately I didn't feel like I could really hold on to any of it.
In conclusion, the book had a good premise––simple but easy to relate to. However, it fell flat for me in terms of pacing and character development.
However, don't see this review as a judgment of Neal Shusterman's work as a whole. Really, his more recent books are genius and you should all go read them.
This is the sentiment that drives a group of kids to form "The Shadow Club," a club of kids who feel "second-best" to someone else. It starts off as something innocent, an outlet for them all to share their feelings. But quickly, the Shadow Club starts to go too far ... The members start playing practical jokes on their rivals. And when unplanned and dangerous pranks start happening and no one in the Shadow Club admits to them, they become convinced that someone knows their secret and is trying to frame them.
If you know me, you know that I love Neal Shusterman. I worship the ground he walks on. He has written some of the best YA books out there (in my opinion), including Unwind, Bruiser, and the Skinjacker Trilogy: Everlost; Everwild; Everfound. His books always have intriguing and unique premises, and he always fleshes out his ideas very well.
That said, I felt a bit underwhelmed by The Shadow Club. Maybe it was too middle-grade for my taste, and also it's about ten years old. So, I can definitely say that Neal Shusterman's writing has improved over time. But anyway, I liked it but I couldn't help but compare it to his more recent books and it just wasn't as good.
I do like the premise. It's definitely something a lot of people can relate to. I mean, I really relate to it. For example, I'm a writer ... and I've always had that kind of feeling like I'm "good but not good enough" and that as hard as I try there are always people my age who are better than me and succeed way more than I do ... and it's a very discouraging feeling. So, I understood where the characters' feelings of rejection were coming from and I sympathized with them to an extent.
Unfortunately, my sympathy with them ended about there. A lot of the characters' actions in this book just came off as mean-spirited to me and it made it hard for me to like them. Not only that, but most of them were kind of cardboard-cutout characters with not much personality. It was like "second-most popular girl," "second-smartest girl," "second-best basketball player" or whatever, and all of these characters were pretty clichéd and I could barely even keep track of who was who because they were all pretty bland.
And over all, the book just felt really short and underdeveloped. I mean, it was a simple plot and I guess there wasn't much to it. But it seemed a bit rushed and ultimately I didn't feel like I could really hold on to any of it.
In conclusion, the book had a good premise––simple but easy to relate to. However, it fell flat for me in terms of pacing and character development.
However, don't see this review as a judgment of Neal Shusterman's work as a whole. Really, his more recent books are genius and you should all go read them.
January 28, 2025
2.5 stars. How do you rate a book that was actually compelling in some ways, but so completely lacks any depth of characters or environment that you would never want to read it again, ever?
It had real stakes, and wanted to know how it would end, but ultimately I can’t say I really enjoyed it because it was missing a lot.
It’s okay, it was Shusterman’s first book, so I don’t blame him too much—but falls way short of his epic and excellent later works.
It had real stakes, and wanted to know how it would end, but ultimately I can’t say I really enjoyed it because it was missing a lot.
It’s okay, it was Shusterman’s first book, so I don’t blame him too much—but falls way short of his epic and excellent later works.
October 15, 2024
Here we are with another Neal Shusterman novel that blew my mind on multiple levels. Having up to this point read mostly the author's work from the 2000s, I wasn't sure what The Shadow Club (first published in 1988) would be like, but it is in the same league with Shusterman's masterpieces. The Shadow Club deserves mention alongside other brilliant offerings from the Storyman such as Bruiser, Everwild and Unwind, books that changed my life and perspective on the world. No one hits the mark with this kind of dead-on consistency the way Neal Shusterman does. He may be the greatest young-adult author of his generation.
More than a gripping, ingeniously orchestrated web of suspense, The Shadow Club hooks readers from page one primarily by use of profound emotional pathos, making the specific issues experienced by the main characters come disconcertingly alive for all of us who have ever been in their shoes. When one works obsessively at something to become the very best, practicing while the "enemy" sleeps and dreaming of all the good that is sure to someday come as a result of so much hard work, yet falls short enough of that lofty goal so as not to be even the best in one's own social group, the negative emotions that build up inside can become totally overwhelming. It's not an easy thing to put in the kind of dedication necessary to be the best, so when not even the most diligent pursuit of greatness ends up delivering on the promises of glory, the collapse of one's plans can be utterly spirit-breaking. And that, of course, is where The Shadow Club begins.
Jared has lived in the shadow of Austin Pace for most of his life. Himself an excellent runner—second at his school only to Austin, in fact—Jared has never really been able to even get close to Austin's skill level when it comes to track, and Austin passive-aggressively derides Jared about this fact on a continual basis. Taking the subtly mean-spirited teasing in stride has long been a challenge for Jared, but when he begins to open up and converse with his friend Cheryl about it more frequently, it dawns on him that he has grown to truly hate Austin. The things that Austin says to him go well beyond the parameters of friendly ribbing, intended to hurt Jared beneath a cleverly stitched veil of jocularity. As Austin continues to step up the low-key harassment, the seeds of the Shadow Club are planted in the rich soil of Jared's darker thoughts. All it takes is the right person to suggest the idea to him, in just the right way.
When Cheryl steps in to be the one to make that perfect suggestion, just like that the club is born. Jared isn't the only kid at the school who has been dogged by more successful peers who refuse to lay off teasing their own "second-bests" about it; his friend Cheryl is in the same boat when it comes to her younger cousin Rebecca, and several other students have their own axes to grind against those whose life mission seems to be to surpass them in what they do best and then lord it over them. This cross-section of second-best students, who if not for their connection as relative underlings would have virtually nothing in common, is brought into synergy by the powerful nature of their shared bitterness and resentment. As they coalesce to become a group bound closely to one another by the ties of growing trust and friendship, the question arises as to what can be done about the kids who make their lives miserable by always beating them. Is there some way to stop the dominance of their arch-rivals, or at least cause them to ease up in how they treat the second-bests? What good is the Shadow Club, really, if it's not going to do anything about the problems of its members? With the dissatisfaction of his new friends ringing in his ears, a desperate Jared comes up with the notion that they, themselves, could mete out retribution on the ones who have become the bane of their existences. A few harmless, anonymous pranks might be able to keep their "enemies" in line, right? At least it would allow them to deal with these other students without blowing up at them, since they could have their moments of sweet revenge whenever they needed it. The plan seems simple enough.
What happens next wouldn't be so scary if the reader were not already utterly convinced by the potent emotional rationale of the story. It's hard even just to keep one's own emotions on an even keel while reading about the passionate anger behind the formation of the Shadow Club, let alone to imagine the dark thrill of what it would be like to actually be a part of the group. That's what makes it all feel so real; if we in simply reading about the unfairness that Jared and his Shadow Club friends routinely experience at the hands of their smug antagonists can feel the emotion smoldering within, then how could they resist the impulse to do bad things as a way of evening the score, to press the boundaries of the Shadow Club charter until the idea of playing "pranks" has been grotesquely twisted to mean far worse things than originally intended, the types of tricks that could do irreversible damage to other people? At least, this is what appears from the outside to be happening in the club; really bad things are beginning to take place, and as key figures in the school catch wind of the existence of the Shadow Club, the club's members become the primary target for suspicion by the teachers and student body at large. Things have changed now, though, and the second-bests as a unit have the power to defend their group against an outside assault. Or is the assault coming from the outside?
In writing down my thoughts on this novel so far, I've come to the honest conclusion that I fall pitifully short of expressing the greatness that lurks within the pages of The Shadow Club. Packed with explosive sociological and psychological truths layered one upon another, profound to a level that is impossible to fully fathom, The Shadow Club reaches a pinnacle of absolute success that very few books will ever see. It's an emotional roller coaster that is as thematically deep as it is thrilling, a foray into the darkness of the human soul that doesn't flinch from the horror it finds there, yet ultimately comes away from the excursion with genuine hope for all of us who identify with the angst of the Shadow Club at constantly being beaten down by people who always do what they do best, better. I came very, very close to awarding this book five stars (and I may still make that my rating; in fact, I've now done exactly that), but at the very least it is worthy of four and a half stars, and a hallowed place among the legendary classics that Neal Shusterman has produced. The Shadow Club is a life-changer, for sure, and no one should miss out on it.
More than a gripping, ingeniously orchestrated web of suspense, The Shadow Club hooks readers from page one primarily by use of profound emotional pathos, making the specific issues experienced by the main characters come disconcertingly alive for all of us who have ever been in their shoes. When one works obsessively at something to become the very best, practicing while the "enemy" sleeps and dreaming of all the good that is sure to someday come as a result of so much hard work, yet falls short enough of that lofty goal so as not to be even the best in one's own social group, the negative emotions that build up inside can become totally overwhelming. It's not an easy thing to put in the kind of dedication necessary to be the best, so when not even the most diligent pursuit of greatness ends up delivering on the promises of glory, the collapse of one's plans can be utterly spirit-breaking. And that, of course, is where The Shadow Club begins.
Jared has lived in the shadow of Austin Pace for most of his life. Himself an excellent runner—second at his school only to Austin, in fact—Jared has never really been able to even get close to Austin's skill level when it comes to track, and Austin passive-aggressively derides Jared about this fact on a continual basis. Taking the subtly mean-spirited teasing in stride has long been a challenge for Jared, but when he begins to open up and converse with his friend Cheryl about it more frequently, it dawns on him that he has grown to truly hate Austin. The things that Austin says to him go well beyond the parameters of friendly ribbing, intended to hurt Jared beneath a cleverly stitched veil of jocularity. As Austin continues to step up the low-key harassment, the seeds of the Shadow Club are planted in the rich soil of Jared's darker thoughts. All it takes is the right person to suggest the idea to him, in just the right way.
When Cheryl steps in to be the one to make that perfect suggestion, just like that the club is born. Jared isn't the only kid at the school who has been dogged by more successful peers who refuse to lay off teasing their own "second-bests" about it; his friend Cheryl is in the same boat when it comes to her younger cousin Rebecca, and several other students have their own axes to grind against those whose life mission seems to be to surpass them in what they do best and then lord it over them. This cross-section of second-best students, who if not for their connection as relative underlings would have virtually nothing in common, is brought into synergy by the powerful nature of their shared bitterness and resentment. As they coalesce to become a group bound closely to one another by the ties of growing trust and friendship, the question arises as to what can be done about the kids who make their lives miserable by always beating them. Is there some way to stop the dominance of their arch-rivals, or at least cause them to ease up in how they treat the second-bests? What good is the Shadow Club, really, if it's not going to do anything about the problems of its members? With the dissatisfaction of his new friends ringing in his ears, a desperate Jared comes up with the notion that they, themselves, could mete out retribution on the ones who have become the bane of their existences. A few harmless, anonymous pranks might be able to keep their "enemies" in line, right? At least it would allow them to deal with these other students without blowing up at them, since they could have their moments of sweet revenge whenever they needed it. The plan seems simple enough.
What happens next wouldn't be so scary if the reader were not already utterly convinced by the potent emotional rationale of the story. It's hard even just to keep one's own emotions on an even keel while reading about the passionate anger behind the formation of the Shadow Club, let alone to imagine the dark thrill of what it would be like to actually be a part of the group. That's what makes it all feel so real; if we in simply reading about the unfairness that Jared and his Shadow Club friends routinely experience at the hands of their smug antagonists can feel the emotion smoldering within, then how could they resist the impulse to do bad things as a way of evening the score, to press the boundaries of the Shadow Club charter until the idea of playing "pranks" has been grotesquely twisted to mean far worse things than originally intended, the types of tricks that could do irreversible damage to other people? At least, this is what appears from the outside to be happening in the club; really bad things are beginning to take place, and as key figures in the school catch wind of the existence of the Shadow Club, the club's members become the primary target for suspicion by the teachers and student body at large. Things have changed now, though, and the second-bests as a unit have the power to defend their group against an outside assault. Or is the assault coming from the outside?
In writing down my thoughts on this novel so far, I've come to the honest conclusion that I fall pitifully short of expressing the greatness that lurks within the pages of The Shadow Club. Packed with explosive sociological and psychological truths layered one upon another, profound to a level that is impossible to fully fathom, The Shadow Club reaches a pinnacle of absolute success that very few books will ever see. It's an emotional roller coaster that is as thematically deep as it is thrilling, a foray into the darkness of the human soul that doesn't flinch from the horror it finds there, yet ultimately comes away from the excursion with genuine hope for all of us who identify with the angst of the Shadow Club at constantly being beaten down by people who always do what they do best, better. I came very, very close to awarding this book five stars (and I may still make that my rating; in fact, I've now done exactly that), but at the very least it is worthy of four and a half stars, and a hallowed place among the legendary classics that Neal Shusterman has produced. The Shadow Club is a life-changer, for sure, and no one should miss out on it.
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February 16, 2011The Shadow Club is about Jared and Cherl made a club for "the second best kids" . The story is taken place at Stone Henge . The problem is all the second best kids want revengeon the first best kids , so they start pulling pranks on there enemies. The main characters were , Jared and Cherl were the antagonists. The protagonist were Austin L Space and Rebecca . Austin was always best at running and would tease Jared and call him a "goufer" he started calling him that because the coach put Jared as the water boy . Jared started getting mad at Austin because he put " goufer " on his track team jersey , so Jared got in Austins face wich made the coach very mad. Cherl's problem with Rebecca is Rebbeca was always first best in the singing competitions, she always won them because she was the sweet inocent girly type , when Cherl was the complete oppisite she was outgoing. Rebecca always tried to beat Cherl because in conclusion their " jealous cousins " . Then Tyson Mcgraw comes into the story, he was the bully of the school the crazy outragious type. Tyson was always really nosey, so when the shadow clubs meetings take place out in the woods at stone henge Tyson would sneak around and eavsdrop on their converstations. Jared heard something in the woods so him and a few other members of the club chased after something or someone they heard . Jared noticed that it was Tyson Mcgraw and started forcing him to tell him what he heard, Jared and the members started walking toward Tyson into the ocean they were waiste deep , Tyson didnt know how to swim . He starting yelling saying he couldnt swim but they kept pushing him on and on , then a huge wave came and took Tyson pumbling under. The next day Tyson told Mr.Greene the teacher. Mr.Greene called the members of the shadow club down to his office but they ran out of school to stone henge . Jared was furious so he went to Tysons house but when he got there it was to late , Tyson started a house fire . Jared ran in to save him so he climbed up the stairs of the light house and Tyson kept saying " get away ! " the fire finally retch the top of the light house . The only thing they could do was jump over the rails. Once they retch the bottom they were in water Jared had to grab Tyson and bring to shore. Jared promised to end the shadow club so he went back with Tyson and they burnt all the proof of the club . In my opinion this book was AMAZING !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2022
Fantastic book! Be careful, your enemies have friends too.
June 13, 2015
I’m standing at the little free library in the park, sorting through dusty cookbooks and yellowed children’s books, namely titles like The Baby-Sitters Club and Easy Crock Pot Recipes. In the midst of these selections, I find Orson Scott Card’s Treasure Box, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, and Neal Shusterman’s The Shadow Club. I usually take one, but I quickly snatch all three. It’s amazing what people will throw or give away (depending on your perspective). The giver leaves a piece of himself. I've often found initials on the books, and I wonder what that book meant and why the owner decided to carry on. Every time I visit a little free library, or find a new one, I’m reminded that real people have owned these books. They have cried or laughed over the pages, and now they are giving a priceless gift back to me, then I can choose my own book to give away to continue the community.
I chose The Shadow Club because I loved Unwind and his Skinjacker Trilogy. Shusterman's writing has so much depth, and he wisely weaves science fiction with reality. Each book is so intriguing and refreshingly new. With this in mind, I had to read The Shadow Club. Published in 1988, this is one of his first books. His writing has vastly improved since this particular novel. Throughout reading it, I couldn't help but think I've read or watched something like this before, which was a shame because his books are typically clever. Perhaps the plot and its characters were just too simple, so it was fundamentally underwhelming.
It begins with Jared, a teenager who has lived under the shadow of Austin ever since he could remember. Both sprinters, Austin has constantly mocked Jared for not being good enough. Jared passively deals with it, until he talks to his best friend/girlfriend Cheryl. Cheryl herself has lived under the shadow of her cousin who performs, dances, and sings just a bit better than her. Their anger fuels the Shadow Club. Together, they find people like them: a jock, a nerd, a band geek. You get the picture. The Shadow Club starts with harmless pranks, like putting slime in a trumpet and hiding a spider in a sweater. Of course, these pranks spiral out of control and their secrecy is tried when multiple people get injured, including Austin, who can no longer run, and the school is set on fire. The club is blamed, so their relationships are tested. There are certainly a few lessons to be learned about relationships, but this book wasn't very satisfying because everything seemed to escalate too quickly. The characters were all stereotypical, and all but Cheryl and Jared were left undeveloped. However, I liked its pacing and breezed through it in two hours. If you’re going to read Shusterman, I wholeheartedly recommend Unwind.
I chose The Shadow Club because I loved Unwind and his Skinjacker Trilogy. Shusterman's writing has so much depth, and he wisely weaves science fiction with reality. Each book is so intriguing and refreshingly new. With this in mind, I had to read The Shadow Club. Published in 1988, this is one of his first books. His writing has vastly improved since this particular novel. Throughout reading it, I couldn't help but think I've read or watched something like this before, which was a shame because his books are typically clever. Perhaps the plot and its characters were just too simple, so it was fundamentally underwhelming.
It begins with Jared, a teenager who has lived under the shadow of Austin ever since he could remember. Both sprinters, Austin has constantly mocked Jared for not being good enough. Jared passively deals with it, until he talks to his best friend/girlfriend Cheryl. Cheryl herself has lived under the shadow of her cousin who performs, dances, and sings just a bit better than her. Their anger fuels the Shadow Club. Together, they find people like them: a jock, a nerd, a band geek. You get the picture. The Shadow Club starts with harmless pranks, like putting slime in a trumpet and hiding a spider in a sweater. Of course, these pranks spiral out of control and their secrecy is tried when multiple people get injured, including Austin, who can no longer run, and the school is set on fire. The club is blamed, so their relationships are tested. There are certainly a few lessons to be learned about relationships, but this book wasn't very satisfying because everything seemed to escalate too quickly. The characters were all stereotypical, and all but Cheryl and Jared were left undeveloped. However, I liked its pacing and breezed through it in two hours. If you’re going to read Shusterman, I wholeheartedly recommend Unwind.
January 1, 2018
I don’t give out many 5 stars - I’m a bit tight like that but actually this was an amazing little book, I could not put it down. It’s a YA book which I love now and again for an easy read about a group of kids who are second best at everything. They set up “The Shadow Club” to make themselves feel better but practical jokes start to go way too far. I won’t give too much away but the climax was just WOW!
This has been on my shelf for years, I chose it as a random old book to read for a change. I’m going to read the next one right now.
Five stars for a simple idea brilliantly executed.
This has been on my shelf for years, I chose it as a random old book to read for a change. I’m going to read the next one right now.
Five stars for a simple idea brilliantly executed.
March 25, 2021
I related to the things in this book so much. Never being best at anything, bullied in school, etc. It was all-in-all amazing, and leaves you thinking. The only thing was the ending
March 9, 2009
I love Neal Shusterman; this isn't my favourite of his, but it's still very enjoyable -- kinda like The Chocolate War with a twist of Lord of the Flies. If you have a reluctant reader in your life, boy or girl, do them a favour and introduce them to Shusterman's books.
September 18, 2018
The Shadow Club is about a group of kids that are the second best.These kids live in other peoples shadows. Cheryl and Jared are the leaders of the club but they are also the ones that made up the Shadow Club. The Shadow Club gets together at Stonehenge every day and talk about what pranks they are going to pull. They also talk about their mess ups and what they have done wrong. At first the Shadow Club was a club then they turned into a gang.
I liked the Shadow Club.I thought that it was very fun and interesting.
I liked the Shadow Club.I thought that it was very fun and interesting.
October 12, 2021
I guess I have a new favorite author! It’s a quick read (approximately 6 hours), but highly impactful and powerful. I connect strongly with big, horrible things that happen to youth, as I had a life-altering, nightmarish experience happen when I was a senior, that an adult woman orchestrated. I enjoy the author’s subject choices for his novels; they always resonate with me somehow.
The writing is compelling and believable. The book was thrilling; I found myself sobbing and shouting “NO THEYRE ALL JUST CHILDREN” during various parts. Excited to read more of Shusterman’s work!
The writing is compelling and believable. The book was thrilling; I found myself sobbing and shouting “NO THEYRE ALL JUST CHILDREN” during various parts. Excited to read more of Shusterman’s work!
February 3, 2024
I’ve been going through a reading slump and picked up this book because of Shusterman’s name. I flipped through the pages and put my nose up to the middle of the book and inhaled deeply. And I said, “Yup. This smells good. I’ll read it.”
I literally judged the book by its scent.
Anyway—really simple read, real quick. A bit haunting, really, with the content. You do wonder how far people will go. And maybe parts of it will resonate with you (I know they did for me).
I would also re-read this at some point. And maybe read the prequel as well.
I literally judged the book by its scent.
Anyway—really simple read, real quick. A bit haunting, really, with the content. You do wonder how far people will go. And maybe parts of it will resonate with you (I know they did for me).
I would also re-read this at some point. And maybe read the prequel as well.
March 22, 2018
In my opinion, this book is a very good book . Having many things they have done they will regret in the future. In the future they made many new friends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2024
Cute but moralistic and as always very American. Like all of Shusterman's teenage stories. No desire whatsoever to read the second book.
March 3, 2018
This book was an excellent read! This book demonstrated examples of real-life situtations people are put through everyday, like being the second best at something and always loosing to the unbeatable kids. I highly suggest this book.
July 18, 2024
Warning- This book was painful to read.
It came highly recommended as a read-aloud to start the school year. It could be used to talk about jealousy, bullying, comparison, friendship, etc. but about 3/4 of the way through I sped the audiobook up to 2.5x speed because I could barely stand listening to the hurtful, hateful actions of the characters. I'm not sure why I stuck with it except that I hoped for a redeeming ending. I'm impressed that the author did somehow manage some redemption for his characters and his book in the last few pages. I can see the possibility of a class benefitting from this read aloud, but it is definitely too mature for my fourth graders.
It came highly recommended as a read-aloud to start the school year. It could be used to talk about jealousy, bullying, comparison, friendship, etc. but about 3/4 of the way through I sped the audiobook up to 2.5x speed because I could barely stand listening to the hurtful, hateful actions of the characters. I'm not sure why I stuck with it except that I hoped for a redeeming ending. I'm impressed that the author did somehow manage some redemption for his characters and his book in the last few pages. I can see the possibility of a class benefitting from this read aloud, but it is definitely too mature for my fourth graders.
July 23, 2023
Audio.
good YA book reframing what bullying can look like. Simple, easy read. Not much character development. But, it’s a quick read.
good YA book reframing what bullying can look like. Simple, easy read. Not much character development. But, it’s a quick read.
November 13, 2015
This is by far the best contemporary book I have set my eyes upon. It was short and easy to read, there weren't any unnecessary or boring scenes and the story was absorbing, keeping my interest piqued until the very end.
I have always thought that the beginning of a certain story was the most difficult part to write, but Neal Shusterman obviously knows how it's done right. I absolutely loved the prologue because it set the mood of the book and I could feel the tension right off the bat, making me wonder what was in store for me.
Jared Mercer along with his childhood friend Cheryl decide to start a club, namely "The Shadow Club", whose members are all teenagers second-best in a certain area. Though at first they have no intention to do anything bad, that soon changes when Jared suggests they start pranking those who are better than them. Even if those practical jokes are mild in the beginning, things gradually start escalating and unknown people carry out their vengeance by causing injury or making their victims have a traumatic experience. The mystery revolves around finding out who the offenders are before it's too late.
The book is realistic because we all know how cruel kids can be to one another without feeling any remorse. I also like how despite what was happening and how some characters were bullies, I didn't come to hate any of them. They were likable, not all of them were rotten to the core. Jared was very brave and was determined to find the wrongdoers in order to prove his innocence and that's exactly what I like to see in a main character. He was never whiny and never backed down no matter what had happened to him. It was a pleasant surprise.
All in all, this is a book that everyone should try reading because it is definitely worth it.
I SUPPOSE YOU want to know all about us, don't you? All the nasty, horrible details about the vicious things we did. How we planned the accidents, how we plotted against everyone who got in our way. That's what you want to hear, isn't it?
I have always thought that the beginning of a certain story was the most difficult part to write, but Neal Shusterman obviously knows how it's done right. I absolutely loved the prologue because it set the mood of the book and I could feel the tension right off the bat, making me wonder what was in store for me.
Jared Mercer along with his childhood friend Cheryl decide to start a club, namely "The Shadow Club", whose members are all teenagers second-best in a certain area. Though at first they have no intention to do anything bad, that soon changes when Jared suggests they start pranking those who are better than them. Even if those practical jokes are mild in the beginning, things gradually start escalating and unknown people carry out their vengeance by causing injury or making their victims have a traumatic experience. The mystery revolves around finding out who the offenders are before it's too late.
The book is realistic because we all know how cruel kids can be to one another without feeling any remorse. I also like how despite what was happening and how some characters were bullies, I didn't come to hate any of them. They were likable, not all of them were rotten to the core. Jared was very brave and was determined to find the wrongdoers in order to prove his innocence and that's exactly what I like to see in a main character. He was never whiny and never backed down no matter what had happened to him. It was a pleasant surprise.
All in all, this is a book that everyone should try reading because it is definitely worth it.
August 2, 2026
I taught this novel to my summer school class! My group of 9th grade students really loved the engaging plot and we were able to have great conversations about herd mentality, whether people change, and forgiveness. It’s an easy read and more for a young adult audience but it’s a quick read!
May 12, 2008
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Meet the second-bests: a group of kids who, although they have one thing they're best at, still get beat daily by the "unbeatables." Although these kids are good kids, well-behaved, smart, athletic, interesting, their lives are being ruined by those who always seem to be one step ahead, stealing the limelight and rubbing it in until you just wish they'd never been born.
Thus is the basis for THE SHADOW CLUB, a secret group of seven kids who decided to get back at those who make their lives miserable by playing harmless pranks on them--pranks that will embarass them before their admirers, and give the second-besters their just due.
Except revenge, as revenge always seems to do, comes back to bite you in the butt. Pranks start getting out of control, even though they're not being comitted by the Shadow Club members. Someone's out to sabotage their club, and one of the "unbeatables" could wind up getting seriously hurt--even killed. As the Club seeks to get the biggest loser in school, Tyson McGaw, to confess to the pranks, the Shadow Club comes to realize that they might not be the all-around good kids that they thought they were.
What started out as fun is turning into something darker, and no one seems to know how to make it stop.
THE SHADOW CLUB is a great read by Neal Shusterman. Dealing with human nature, the fact that kids can traumatize each other more than anyone else can, and the fact that we all have anger inside of us is forefront in the story. A great read!
Meet the second-bests: a group of kids who, although they have one thing they're best at, still get beat daily by the "unbeatables." Although these kids are good kids, well-behaved, smart, athletic, interesting, their lives are being ruined by those who always seem to be one step ahead, stealing the limelight and rubbing it in until you just wish they'd never been born.
Thus is the basis for THE SHADOW CLUB, a secret group of seven kids who decided to get back at those who make their lives miserable by playing harmless pranks on them--pranks that will embarass them before their admirers, and give the second-besters their just due.
Except revenge, as revenge always seems to do, comes back to bite you in the butt. Pranks start getting out of control, even though they're not being comitted by the Shadow Club members. Someone's out to sabotage their club, and one of the "unbeatables" could wind up getting seriously hurt--even killed. As the Club seeks to get the biggest loser in school, Tyson McGaw, to confess to the pranks, the Shadow Club comes to realize that they might not be the all-around good kids that they thought they were.
What started out as fun is turning into something darker, and no one seems to know how to make it stop.
THE SHADOW CLUB is a great read by Neal Shusterman. Dealing with human nature, the fact that kids can traumatize each other more than anyone else can, and the fact that we all have anger inside of us is forefront in the story. A great read!
October 8, 2014
This book started out strong, and admittedly I did just read it all in one sitting, so perhaps it's better than "ok." It has an intriguing premise and the beginnings of the club, two kids sitting around imagining terrible things to have happen to their enemies, rang very true to my own middle school experience.
I struggled with the lack of realistic language. I get that YA authors don't want their books to be deemed objectionable, resulting in libraries not carrying them, but if we are already on the topic of a group of kids setting out to do terrible things to the kids that are better than them at school, I think we can handle more realistic insults than "slimeball."
In all, I wish the story had gotten darker faster and that it hadn't been so afraid to stick around in that darkness for a while. Instead, the author felt the need to pull his characters out and away from the ugliness as quickly as possible - almost as if Shusterman himself wasn't comfortable writing such darkness in teenage characters.
I struggled with the lack of realistic language. I get that YA authors don't want their books to be deemed objectionable, resulting in libraries not carrying them, but if we are already on the topic of a group of kids setting out to do terrible things to the kids that are better than them at school, I think we can handle more realistic insults than "slimeball."
In all, I wish the story had gotten darker faster and that it hadn't been so afraid to stick around in that darkness for a while. Instead, the author felt the need to pull his characters out and away from the ugliness as quickly as possible - almost as if Shusterman himself wasn't comfortable writing such darkness in teenage characters.
March 21, 2018
The Shadow Club, by Neal Shusterman, this book is about the second best students, the students that the only thing they're good at one person is better than them, and there in the shadows, and the person who is better at the thing then that is a bully, and they never get recognized for 2nd best. This book normally takes place in their club headquarters, and at their school.
So Jared is the 2nd best runner, losing to Austin Space, his enemy, he and Sharel had an idea, to start a club, with the other 2nd best, and they did. Their idea was to anonymously get revenge, by pranking them and at first, I thought this was hilarious. The only problem is someone finds out, and then the pranks keep happening, but they aren't causing them and they think it's the school weirdo Tyson.
My problem with the book is when they think Tyson is doing these dangerous pranks on their enemies to get the club in trouble, they think it's him and it isn’t and there super mean to him, verbally and physically, they corner him deep in water in the ocean, and he can't swim, and they dunk his head under water over and over again, he tells them to stop, he begs them, but they don’t. And if your someone like me you really can't handle the bullying, it's too much, and it's really sad.
At first, the book is awesome and the pranks are super funny, but if you can’t handle bullying and rule-breaking lies (like me) this book really isn't for you, but if you can handle it, try reading it.
So Jared is the 2nd best runner, losing to Austin Space, his enemy, he and Sharel had an idea, to start a club, with the other 2nd best, and they did. Their idea was to anonymously get revenge, by pranking them and at first, I thought this was hilarious. The only problem is someone finds out, and then the pranks keep happening, but they aren't causing them and they think it's the school weirdo Tyson.
My problem with the book is when they think Tyson is doing these dangerous pranks on their enemies to get the club in trouble, they think it's him and it isn’t and there super mean to him, verbally and physically, they corner him deep in water in the ocean, and he can't swim, and they dunk his head under water over and over again, he tells them to stop, he begs them, but they don’t. And if your someone like me you really can't handle the bullying, it's too much, and it's really sad.
At first, the book is awesome and the pranks are super funny, but if you can’t handle bullying and rule-breaking lies (like me) this book really isn't for you, but if you can handle it, try reading it.
May 9, 2010
I ordered this (and its sequel) because I really loved his book Unwind.
The Shadow Club was interesting (and very short) but not as compelling as Unwind. (Of course, this one was written in 1988, so clearly he's been writing for a while.)
The Shadow Club is seven kids (in middle school) who are all second best at something. The people who are the best are also the people who make their lives miserable. So the second bests band together and decide to start pulling harmless pranks on them. It's dumb stuff, really--spiders and snakes put in various places to scare people, posting a page from someone's diary so everyone can see it (okay, so yeah, not nice things to do, certainly, but nothing that will cause irreparable harm).
Except soon it spirals out of control.
If you have, say, two hours of reading time, you could definitely do worse. :) (But read Unwind instead, if you haven't already.)
The Shadow Club was interesting (and very short) but not as compelling as Unwind. (Of course, this one was written in 1988, so clearly he's been writing for a while.)
The Shadow Club is seven kids (in middle school) who are all second best at something. The people who are the best are also the people who make their lives miserable. So the second bests band together and decide to start pulling harmless pranks on them. It's dumb stuff, really--spiders and snakes put in various places to scare people, posting a page from someone's diary so everyone can see it (okay, so yeah, not nice things to do, certainly, but nothing that will cause irreparable harm).
Except soon it spirals out of control.
If you have, say, two hours of reading time, you could definitely do worse. :) (But read Unwind instead, if you haven't already.)
April 28, 2015
The Shadow Club by Neal Shusterman was a very good book that I enjoyed reading. There is one thing for sure,no one likes to be second best I know I don't! The second bests get together and make a club called the Shadow Club so they can pull pranks on the unbeatables.Jared and Cheryl are the leaders of the club. The theme for this novel is to not judge people by their actions but to get to know them before you judge them. Overall I loved this book and want to read the next book The Shadow Club Rising. This was an amazing book and I think that most people would love it!
November 16, 2013
Well I did read it but I do not think I am going to read book 2. Maybe I will. A lot of YA books are great reads for adults as well, but this one not really imo. Definitely not a bad read. Maybe the characters were lacking. I did not like one person and could not really relate to them.
3 stars an okay read.
3 stars an okay read.
November 19, 2015
I felt the book Shadow Club was a very good book. It had many cliff hangers in it and many details. The only thing that I did not like is there could have been more action. The best part of the book was the falling action cause it had many details. Overall this book was great and I plan on reading the rest of the books that follow it.
September 29, 2007
Teachers I work with love this book, but I don't see why... Its about kids not being able to cope with being second best.
December 16, 2015
Great book. Definitely would recommend to others, especially others dealing with jealously (not meant to be offensive, I have been there too)
December 13, 2024
The pacing is immaculate 👌
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