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Double Shadow
Sally Gardner's breakout adult book; a dark and dreamy literary novel set in the 1930s, perfect for fans of THE NIGHT CIRCUS.In the wasteland it is eternal day, no clocks mark the passing hours. In 1937 clouds of war gather over Britain.Fifteen-year-old Ezra meets the rich, beautiful and undeniably spoiled Amaryllis Ruben, recently expelled from boarding school. Amaryllis has been playing the rebel since she was nine years old and Ezra is both disturbed and enchanted by her. But Amaryllis is hiding a secret even she does not understand.On the grounds of her father Arnold's decadent mansion a memory machine take shape. Despite Arnold's brash playboy exterior Arnold Ruben is seeking to master time. But time is running out for him.And then, on her 17th birthday, Amaryllis vanishes.The years that follow reverberate with the events of that summer's day. As Britain is shaken by war Ezra pieces together the fragments of his shattered memory in the name of love, loss and hope.
400 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
12 people are currently reading
656 people want to read
About the author
Sally Gardner
116 books631 followersAKA Wray Delaney
Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a very successful costume designer, working on some notable productions.
After the births of twin daughters and a son, she started first to illustrate and then to write picture books and chapter books, usually with fairytale- or otherwise magical subject matter. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times.
Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a very successful costume designer, working on some notable productions.
After the births of twin daughters and a son, she started first to illustrate and then to write picture books and chapter books, usually with fairytale- or otherwise magical subject matter. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 21, 2022
Cinematic and gloriously overstuffed, it's a dark fantasy WWII novel with one smart, hurting teen heiress and one Blitz-braving mother at its core.
Author Sally Gardner was allegedly inspired by T.S. Eliot's Waste Land, but to me the novel more closely resembles the movie palace scenes of Inglourious Basterds and old 1940s war movies. With a chillier mad-scientist plot and a Marlene Dietrich-esqe diva thrown in, really hogging more space than they deserve.
Potential triggers:
3.5 rounded up.
Author Sally Gardner was allegedly inspired by T.S. Eliot's Waste Land, but to me the novel more closely resembles the movie palace scenes of Inglourious Basterds and old 1940s war movies. With a chillier mad-scientist plot and a Marlene Dietrich-esqe diva thrown in, really hogging more space than they deserve.
Potential triggers:
3.5 rounded up.
February 9, 2016
Author: Sally Gardner
Published: 01/09/2012
Recommended for: fans of second world war books
I received this book for free through GoodReads FirstReads competitions. I thought that this book was really brilliantly written, by an extremely talented author. This book can most certainly pull on your heartstrings when you least expect it, it is a tale of two halves that will both capture your attention and make you feel lots of different emotions all at once. You get the amazing, heart capturing love story but when you zoom out and look past all the smoke disturbing your view, take off the rose tinted glasses and look at the bigger picture you see the affects that the Second World War had on Great Britain and its people. A truly amazing book to read!
Published: 01/09/2012
Recommended for: fans of second world war books
I received this book for free through GoodReads FirstReads competitions. I thought that this book was really brilliantly written, by an extremely talented author. This book can most certainly pull on your heartstrings when you least expect it, it is a tale of two halves that will both capture your attention and make you feel lots of different emotions all at once. You get the amazing, heart capturing love story but when you zoom out and look past all the smoke disturbing your view, take off the rose tinted glasses and look at the bigger picture you see the affects that the Second World War had on Great Britain and its people. A truly amazing book to read!
January 26, 2013
This book is a uniquely challenging enigma to review,possessing of both heart-breaking beauty and ferociously complex and dense text. It is a book of two halves and I think, a book that doesn't really start with page 1 nor end with page 384. It is a book that I would describe as avant-garde both structurally and textually. It is, as you may gather, a rather complicated experience.
The Double Shadow is the story of Amaryllis Reuben and how her father has built a machine, for her, that also possess the power to change the world. It is also the story of how people are guided and shaped by their memories, by the re-shaping of their memories, and by their stories. There are levels upon levels here, and it's not an easy read. I described it on Twitter as being "beautifully written, but so far it's like wandering through a fog holding hands with a guide who doesn't tell you where you're going."
But the thing about Gardner's writing though is that you take that risk, and you join her on the journey because you know she is good. And she is. There's moments in this where, with great restraint, she writes moments of intense beauty.
But then again that beauty has to stand against the viciously dense text, and sometimes it's hard to remember why you're reading this when you've spent fifty pages not being quite sure what's actually going on. Like I said, it's a complicated and confusing experience.
So do I recommend this? I think I do, but I think I recommend it primarily for the writing, and the crystalline acuity of her observations. Gardner is good, so very good, and I applaud her invention, bravery and risk-taking in this novel, but I do equally acknowledge that this spirit of invention may not translate into a mass-market approval. And that's for several reasons, as highlighted above, but also one more. Because, whilst the above all stands, I've realised something else.
I'm still not really sure what I made of this book.
The Double Shadow is the story of Amaryllis Reuben and how her father has built a machine, for her, that also possess the power to change the world. It is also the story of how people are guided and shaped by their memories, by the re-shaping of their memories, and by their stories. There are levels upon levels here, and it's not an easy read. I described it on Twitter as being "beautifully written, but so far it's like wandering through a fog holding hands with a guide who doesn't tell you where you're going."
But the thing about Gardner's writing though is that you take that risk, and you join her on the journey because you know she is good. And she is. There's moments in this where, with great restraint, she writes moments of intense beauty.
But then again that beauty has to stand against the viciously dense text, and sometimes it's hard to remember why you're reading this when you've spent fifty pages not being quite sure what's actually going on. Like I said, it's a complicated and confusing experience.
So do I recommend this? I think I do, but I think I recommend it primarily for the writing, and the crystalline acuity of her observations. Gardner is good, so very good, and I applaud her invention, bravery and risk-taking in this novel, but I do equally acknowledge that this spirit of invention may not translate into a mass-market approval. And that's for several reasons, as highlighted above, but also one more. Because, whilst the above all stands, I've realised something else.
I'm still not really sure what I made of this book.
November 18, 2011
What intrigued me about this book was it's connections to Eliot's The Wasteland, which I read at university. I found it fascinating and I wondered about its echoes in The Double Shadow. While there are some literal references – Amaryllis calls the place outside in the picture palace the wasteland – other references are less literal but still recognisable, such as death by drowning, rape, the transience of memories, life and love and the repercussions of trauma. And those are just the things I picked up on after a surface reread of Eliot's The Waste Land after finishing The Double Shadow. Still, however much influenced by venerable literary forebears, I fell in love with Ms Gardner's creation for its narrative and its characters.
The story shows the importance of memory and how destructive it can be to both be trapped in your memories, like Ezra's father Noel, or to not have them at all, like Amaryllis. Memories are part of one's identity, if you lose your memories, you lose part of your identity. And indeed, much of Amaryllis' behaviour during the first part of the novel can be ascribed to her being a young girl feeling lost and unrooted in her life.
I liked the opposition of Ezra's warm, loving family and Amaryllis' lonely childhood, and that she only feels what it could be like when Mrs. Pascoe, the family cook and Ezra's mum, makes her feel the consequences of her actions—in this case, stealing a cake. This sequence is just a small illustrationof the importance of memories and how they are formed through relationships. Our first memories are built through our relationship with our parents. In The Double Shadow we see a range of parent/child relationships, from the loving relationship between Ezra and his parents, the distant one between Amaryllis and her dad to the abusive situation Arnold grows up in. These relationships, together with the friendships between Ezra and Amaryllis, Arnold and Silas and the dysfunctional marriage of Amaryllis' parents, are pivotal to the story. The memories they engender are the catalyst for all that happens in the novel. From Arnold's decision to built the memory machine, to his decision to put Amaryllis at its heart and Ezra's decision to rescue her.
A double shadow is what separates real people from those created out of the loop memories in the picture palace, but it also seems to be a metaphor for the two wars that shadow this narrative. The novel is bookended by the threat of war. Even though the one is already past and the other still coming, their threat is felt from both sides, due to the repercussions of the Great War and the fear that it'll happen again in the Second World War. The First World War is important because of how it effects Ezra's dad and Silas and Arnold. The Second World War is important for the way it figures in the second part of the novel; it's the reason why it's so important for Sir Basil and Ezra to take the picture palace out.
Apart from two great main characters in Amaryllis and Ezra, Ms Gardner also created a wonderful secondary cast. I particularly loved Ezra's parents, both his loving, no-nonsense mother and his emotionally-damaged, but equally loving father, and Tommy Treacle. Tommy is such a touching character, he is an innocent, who in his unfettered innocence seems to possess a wisdom that many of the adults around him lack. Apart from lovely characters, there are also some wicked baddies, some actually really awful such as Everett Roach, others more of an everyday awfulness, such as Ezra's nosy, gossip-y neighbour Mrs Calthorpe. Since so much of the book revolves around relationships, memories and their consequences, a cast of strong characters is indispensable. Luckily Ms Gadner has created a very strong cast of characters across the board and none of them drop the ball in this intricate dance of memory and reality.
The Double Shadow is a haunting book, one which I had trouble putting down at night and couldn't wait to get back to. Ms Gardner's writing is strong and sure and she is ever in control of her story. One of the strongest YA novels I've read this year and one that most adults would enjoy too. Another new author discovered this year and another three books of backlist I need to get my hands on!
This book was sent to me for review by the publisher.
The story shows the importance of memory and how destructive it can be to both be trapped in your memories, like Ezra's father Noel, or to not have them at all, like Amaryllis. Memories are part of one's identity, if you lose your memories, you lose part of your identity. And indeed, much of Amaryllis' behaviour during the first part of the novel can be ascribed to her being a young girl feeling lost and unrooted in her life.
I liked the opposition of Ezra's warm, loving family and Amaryllis' lonely childhood, and that she only feels what it could be like when Mrs. Pascoe, the family cook and Ezra's mum, makes her feel the consequences of her actions—in this case, stealing a cake. This sequence is just a small illustrationof the importance of memories and how they are formed through relationships. Our first memories are built through our relationship with our parents. In The Double Shadow we see a range of parent/child relationships, from the loving relationship between Ezra and his parents, the distant one between Amaryllis and her dad to the abusive situation Arnold grows up in. These relationships, together with the friendships between Ezra and Amaryllis, Arnold and Silas and the dysfunctional marriage of Amaryllis' parents, are pivotal to the story. The memories they engender are the catalyst for all that happens in the novel. From Arnold's decision to built the memory machine, to his decision to put Amaryllis at its heart and Ezra's decision to rescue her.
A double shadow is what separates real people from those created out of the loop memories in the picture palace, but it also seems to be a metaphor for the two wars that shadow this narrative. The novel is bookended by the threat of war. Even though the one is already past and the other still coming, their threat is felt from both sides, due to the repercussions of the Great War and the fear that it'll happen again in the Second World War. The First World War is important because of how it effects Ezra's dad and Silas and Arnold. The Second World War is important for the way it figures in the second part of the novel; it's the reason why it's so important for Sir Basil and Ezra to take the picture palace out.
Apart from two great main characters in Amaryllis and Ezra, Ms Gardner also created a wonderful secondary cast. I particularly loved Ezra's parents, both his loving, no-nonsense mother and his emotionally-damaged, but equally loving father, and Tommy Treacle. Tommy is such a touching character, he is an innocent, who in his unfettered innocence seems to possess a wisdom that many of the adults around him lack. Apart from lovely characters, there are also some wicked baddies, some actually really awful such as Everett Roach, others more of an everyday awfulness, such as Ezra's nosy, gossip-y neighbour Mrs Calthorpe. Since so much of the book revolves around relationships, memories and their consequences, a cast of strong characters is indispensable. Luckily Ms Gadner has created a very strong cast of characters across the board and none of them drop the ball in this intricate dance of memory and reality.
The Double Shadow is a haunting book, one which I had trouble putting down at night and couldn't wait to get back to. Ms Gardner's writing is strong and sure and she is ever in control of her story. One of the strongest YA novels I've read this year and one that most adults would enjoy too. Another new author discovered this year and another three books of backlist I need to get my hands on!
This book was sent to me for review by the publisher.
November 14, 2011
This book really took me by surprise. I didn't realise I would love it quite as much as I did. From the very first chapter, I felt my spine tingling as the picture palace came to life and became a character in its own right. I wanted to follow Amaryllis into the picture house too. From the beginning the picture palace, seemed so magical, like an extra from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It is only as you progress through the story that you realise you have been wearing rose tinted glasses and the picture palace has developed a hidden agenda.
The story is told from multiple points of view, which allowed me to feel like God looking down on all my minions. The author allowed me to flit between their worlds and see straight into their inner most thoughts. This is a time travel book of sorts, but Sally Gardner puts her own unique slant on it, making it a true original.
You are convinced to begin with that Amaryllis is the main character of the book,then half way through you realise that this was just a ruse, and that really Ezra is the main character. Amaryllis becomes an enigma within the story, leaving everyone on the outside bewildered and confused. Ezra becomes so strong as he defies the picture palace to discover the truth. At the heart of the book is a beautiful, innocent love story that even time cannot stop. As time progresses outside the picture palace, you see the true effects that the Second World War had on Great Britain and how people really suffered.
Sally Gardner writes beautifully. I was in awe of her use of metaphors and similes. You can tell that Sally used to be an illustrator, because when she writes, she not only tells a story, she paints a picture with words. She is so descriptive you not only see the landscape, you step into it.
Here are some examples.
Unknown to him, his future became mixed with Amaryllis's, so that by the time the oven door was opened, the spell had been well and truly baked, his destiny altered by the making of a cake.
Amaryllis knew her father's furious silence was filled with unspoken words she couldn't help hearing.
Arnold lit a cigarette, inhaled and, an enraged dragon, blew the smoke from his nose.
The book is full of lines and paragraphs like this, which had the writer in me ready to throw my pens and paper in the nearest fireplace, as dreams of being able to write so beautifully were left abandoned in tatters on the floor. I nearly gave up my NaNoWriMo story because of this book, as I just couldn't see how I could ever write as poetically as Sally Gardner does.
The storyline is original and intriguing.I devoured it in two days and felt like the book had enveloped me and wouldn't free me until all the pieces had been put back into place. The book is breathtaking and original. One that will become a comfort read of the future, a true literary treasure to be enjoyed again and again.
The story is told from multiple points of view, which allowed me to feel like God looking down on all my minions. The author allowed me to flit between their worlds and see straight into their inner most thoughts. This is a time travel book of sorts, but Sally Gardner puts her own unique slant on it, making it a true original.
You are convinced to begin with that Amaryllis is the main character of the book,then half way through you realise that this was just a ruse, and that really Ezra is the main character. Amaryllis becomes an enigma within the story, leaving everyone on the outside bewildered and confused. Ezra becomes so strong as he defies the picture palace to discover the truth. At the heart of the book is a beautiful, innocent love story that even time cannot stop. As time progresses outside the picture palace, you see the true effects that the Second World War had on Great Britain and how people really suffered.
Sally Gardner writes beautifully. I was in awe of her use of metaphors and similes. You can tell that Sally used to be an illustrator, because when she writes, she not only tells a story, she paints a picture with words. She is so descriptive you not only see the landscape, you step into it.
Here are some examples.
Unknown to him, his future became mixed with Amaryllis's, so that by the time the oven door was opened, the spell had been well and truly baked, his destiny altered by the making of a cake.
Amaryllis knew her father's furious silence was filled with unspoken words she couldn't help hearing.
Arnold lit a cigarette, inhaled and, an enraged dragon, blew the smoke from his nose.
The book is full of lines and paragraphs like this, which had the writer in me ready to throw my pens and paper in the nearest fireplace, as dreams of being able to write so beautifully were left abandoned in tatters on the floor. I nearly gave up my NaNoWriMo story because of this book, as I just couldn't see how I could ever write as poetically as Sally Gardner does.
The storyline is original and intriguing.I devoured it in two days and felt like the book had enveloped me and wouldn't free me until all the pieces had been put back into place. The book is breathtaking and original. One that will become a comfort read of the future, a true literary treasure to be enjoyed again and again.
December 11, 2018
I really wished I had enjoyed this book more, but unfortunately I found it quite tedious and it took me around six days to read because I just never really wanted to pick it up and finish it. I wasn't ever able to connect with the characters and storyline, in the middle I thought it was going to be good as it was starting to pick up, but then it got a bit boring again. If I was someone who didn't finish books I wouldn't have finished it, but I always try and hold out hope for it to become better but while this book wasn't bad, it wasn't that great either.
August 6, 2015
The first time I read a Sally Gardner-novel, I was left feeling absolutely breathless and with one thought: ‘I want to be able to string words together with such grace, too!’ I, Coriander was one of the most influential novels of my youth. So, naturally, when I heard that she had written a novel for a more mature audience, I bought it and devoured it. The double shadow managed, as expected, to leave me spell-bound.
The double shadow has two time-lines. The first time-line takes place in an ever-changing wasteland, where a young girl is trapped with a soldier who can only talk about the Great War and making tea. She longs to remember, to understand how she came to be in this strange place and how she can escape, but her memory fails her. What do a green light, a white tiger and a picture palace have to do with her? The second one tells the tale of Amaryllis Ruben, a spoilt girl with no mother. When she was eight a brain fever took all of her memories away, leaving her father devastated and the bond they once shared broken beyond repair. He invests all his time in the making of a memory machine, where memories can be relived over and over again. When Amaryllis is kicked off yet another boarding school, her father decides that she will be home-schooled. He hires a governess and also decides that Ezra, the son of one of his employees, is to be taught together with his daughter, so that she might learn to understand how privileged she really is. Slowly, a bond starts to form between the two. On Amaryllis’ seventeenth birthday, her father gives her the memory machine he has been working on, after which the entire house is consumed by a raging fire. People from Ezra’s village claim to see the picture palace Arnold Ruben built for his little girl appearing and disappearing in the woods. When German planes bring destruction to England, Ezra is contacted by the government to help them find out what happened on that mysterious summer evening.
Sally Gardner knows her way around with words, which is even more impressive when you know that she could not read until she was fourteen because of her dyslexia. Expect lyrical prose such as unknown to him, his future became mixed with Amaryllis's, so that by the time the oven door was opened, the spell had been well and truly baked, his destiny altered by the making of a cake. Gardner knows how to tell what she wants to tell without saying too much or too little. Her descriptions are like little paintings dying to be seen.
I also really liked the characters. Amaryllis behaves irresponsible and mean at times, yet it becomes painstakingly obvious to the reader that this is a desperate cry for attention. She is in need of love, yet no-one around her apart from Ezra’s mother and later Ezra himself seem to notice this. Ezra is a brave boy with a big heart who truly knows what the value of family is and who stops at nothing to make sure that he people he loves are safe. The plot might be somewhat confusing for some readers, switching between different viewpoints, settings and time periods. Personally, I found that this only added to the mystery of the novel.
All in all this novel has so many appealing aspects that propelled it to my top-10 favourite books list and everything we have come to expect from a Sally Gardner-novel. Stay away if you want to read something light, because this story as a lot of elements that make it more complex than its length might suggest, such as rape, identity and human failure. Do read if you enjoy gorgeous prose, complicated characters and an original structure.
The double shadow has two time-lines. The first time-line takes place in an ever-changing wasteland, where a young girl is trapped with a soldier who can only talk about the Great War and making tea. She longs to remember, to understand how she came to be in this strange place and how she can escape, but her memory fails her. What do a green light, a white tiger and a picture palace have to do with her? The second one tells the tale of Amaryllis Ruben, a spoilt girl with no mother. When she was eight a brain fever took all of her memories away, leaving her father devastated and the bond they once shared broken beyond repair. He invests all his time in the making of a memory machine, where memories can be relived over and over again. When Amaryllis is kicked off yet another boarding school, her father decides that she will be home-schooled. He hires a governess and also decides that Ezra, the son of one of his employees, is to be taught together with his daughter, so that she might learn to understand how privileged she really is. Slowly, a bond starts to form between the two. On Amaryllis’ seventeenth birthday, her father gives her the memory machine he has been working on, after which the entire house is consumed by a raging fire. People from Ezra’s village claim to see the picture palace Arnold Ruben built for his little girl appearing and disappearing in the woods. When German planes bring destruction to England, Ezra is contacted by the government to help them find out what happened on that mysterious summer evening.
Sally Gardner knows her way around with words, which is even more impressive when you know that she could not read until she was fourteen because of her dyslexia. Expect lyrical prose such as unknown to him, his future became mixed with Amaryllis's, so that by the time the oven door was opened, the spell had been well and truly baked, his destiny altered by the making of a cake. Gardner knows how to tell what she wants to tell without saying too much or too little. Her descriptions are like little paintings dying to be seen.
I also really liked the characters. Amaryllis behaves irresponsible and mean at times, yet it becomes painstakingly obvious to the reader that this is a desperate cry for attention. She is in need of love, yet no-one around her apart from Ezra’s mother and later Ezra himself seem to notice this. Ezra is a brave boy with a big heart who truly knows what the value of family is and who stops at nothing to make sure that he people he loves are safe. The plot might be somewhat confusing for some readers, switching between different viewpoints, settings and time periods. Personally, I found that this only added to the mystery of the novel.
All in all this novel has so many appealing aspects that propelled it to my top-10 favourite books list and everything we have come to expect from a Sally Gardner-novel. Stay away if you want to read something light, because this story as a lot of elements that make it more complex than its length might suggest, such as rape, identity and human failure. Do read if you enjoy gorgeous prose, complicated characters and an original structure.
November 9, 2011
I'd previously read and enjoyed Sally Gardner's two historical novels, 'The Red Necklace' and 'The Silver Blade', so had been looking forward to her new offering immensely. This book is very different to anything else she's written but in a good way. Trust me, in a really good way! I enjoyed it so much that even after having finished reading it over a week ago, I still can't stop thinking about it. The plot is so detailed and complex that you'll want to pick it up and re-read it again as soon as you've finished.
What's so amazing about 'The Double Shadow' is the absolute uniqueness and originality of the story, which has sprung from an imagination that I'm seriously envious of. It's totally different from anything else I've read that it really stands out from any other offering currently gracing the shelves in bookshops. The plot and the characters are both multi-layered and as I was reading it, I continually felt that there was always something else waiting to be uncovered.
The first half of the book introduces the reader to Amaryllis Rubens around which most of the pivotal events of the story revolve. Having been expelled from school following an incident with an older man, 16 year old Amaryllis returns home to live with her father. Mixed-up and confused, she wants nothing more than her father's love and attention but he's more interested in spending time working on his invention - a memory machine housed within a picture palace in the grounds of Warlock Hall. With the threat of war coming, he wants to use the machine to not only wipe away Amaryllis's bad memories but to also keep her safe and ensure that everything remains the same for her, even with war on the horizon. The second half of the book deals with the aftermath of the memory machine being activated and the effect this has on not only the people trapped within the machine, but also on those who are left behind.
I found 'The Double Shadow' to be endlessly fascinating. The whole concept of the memory machine was incredible and the idea that someone could build something which could potentially create a three or four dimensional world in which only perfect memories could exist was amazing. Although Amaryllis's father's intentions are good, a major issue in the book is the broken relationship between a father and daughter and how each can be so oblivious to the needs of the other that the very foundation of their bond is lost. Each of them is so consumed with their own world that they isolate themselves and prevent the fragile link between the two of them from being repaired. Another major relationship in the book is between Amaryllis and local boy Ezra and the gradual blossoming of the love between them was wonderful to behold.
The book does deal with some heavy themes which makes it more suited to a slightly older teen audience, but it holds so much appeal that I will be recommending it to everyone! It has an extremely clever narrative and Sally Gardner's writing is both sharp and insightful which made this book a joy to read. The language used is also beautifully poetic at times and I literally savoured every word on the page of this wonderful story. I'm in awe of Gardner's storytelling skills and envious of anyone getting to read this book for the very first time. It's an experience you won't forget!
What's so amazing about 'The Double Shadow' is the absolute uniqueness and originality of the story, which has sprung from an imagination that I'm seriously envious of. It's totally different from anything else I've read that it really stands out from any other offering currently gracing the shelves in bookshops. The plot and the characters are both multi-layered and as I was reading it, I continually felt that there was always something else waiting to be uncovered.
The first half of the book introduces the reader to Amaryllis Rubens around which most of the pivotal events of the story revolve. Having been expelled from school following an incident with an older man, 16 year old Amaryllis returns home to live with her father. Mixed-up and confused, she wants nothing more than her father's love and attention but he's more interested in spending time working on his invention - a memory machine housed within a picture palace in the grounds of Warlock Hall. With the threat of war coming, he wants to use the machine to not only wipe away Amaryllis's bad memories but to also keep her safe and ensure that everything remains the same for her, even with war on the horizon. The second half of the book deals with the aftermath of the memory machine being activated and the effect this has on not only the people trapped within the machine, but also on those who are left behind.
I found 'The Double Shadow' to be endlessly fascinating. The whole concept of the memory machine was incredible and the idea that someone could build something which could potentially create a three or four dimensional world in which only perfect memories could exist was amazing. Although Amaryllis's father's intentions are good, a major issue in the book is the broken relationship between a father and daughter and how each can be so oblivious to the needs of the other that the very foundation of their bond is lost. Each of them is so consumed with their own world that they isolate themselves and prevent the fragile link between the two of them from being repaired. Another major relationship in the book is between Amaryllis and local boy Ezra and the gradual blossoming of the love between them was wonderful to behold.
The book does deal with some heavy themes which makes it more suited to a slightly older teen audience, but it holds so much appeal that I will be recommending it to everyone! It has an extremely clever narrative and Sally Gardner's writing is both sharp and insightful which made this book a joy to read. The language used is also beautifully poetic at times and I literally savoured every word on the page of this wonderful story. I'm in awe of Gardner's storytelling skills and envious of anyone getting to read this book for the very first time. It's an experience you won't forget!
March 28, 2015
From the first page you step into a whole new ethereal world created by Sally Gardner. We are introduced to a young girl who has found herself in a surreal environment, a room with a flickering green light which prevents her from remembering, her memories are all but gone. Where is she? Nothing makes sense, but she has an inkling that something is very, very wrong.
Amaryllis is searching for something that is missing from her life. Without an identity or memory of her past will she find it?
Set during the 1940’s and on the cusp of the Second World War, Amaryllis seems like an attention seeking and spoilt teen, in the absence of her mother, her father gives her everything; a nice home, a private education but he is rarely around and is often working on his special invention.
The ‘wayward’ girl rewards the nice lifestyle she’s been provided with by sneaking off school and getting herself expelled and developing quite an attitude. But no one knows that she conceals a secret that she can’t confide in anyone, about the awful day she drank champagne with a ‘charming’ man by the name of Maurice Sands.
She becomes home educated by Miss Bright, meets Ezra Pascoe, a neighbour’s boy, whom she taunts and teases and is generally unpleasant to. All the while her father’s assistant is ever watchful, ever present and announces that on her seventeenth birthday her father has a special gift for her – even though he’s not there to give it to her personally.
His gift is The Picture House, something her father has been working on for years in the grounds of their home. This is a place that holds mind recordings from people in the village, as well as Amaryllis. It’s a palace of memories where all the bad ones have been filtered out for her. Inside this time-paused-bubble his daughter will be cocooned away from the War. But fathers can’t protect their daughters from everything, no matter how hard they try.
The Picture House has attracted interest from the Government. They don’t want it to fall into the enemy’s hands and they go to great lengths to prevent this from happening.
Before I knew it I’d stepped into an eroding illusion of Amaryllis’s world. There’s far too much to describe: People are sucked into this strange place. Characters conceal dark pasts. There’s a mysterious White Tiger prowling the interior of The Picture House. And the familiar childhood tune of the Teddy Bears Picnic playing over in Amaryllis’s mind at intervals is quite unnerving.
Although it’s ‘fantastic’ enough to be a fairy tale I couldn’t describe it as such – it’s a much darker story of being lost and being loved.
To summarise, it’s loosely akin to an amnesic Alice in Wonderland, passing through Narnia in a customised T.A.R.D.I.S., while German bombs start to fall like rain.
This unique, vivid story may not appeal to everyone, but I certainly found it to be an unexpected and engrossing distraction and I’m keen to explore more of this author’s work.
(Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the paperback for review.)
Amaryllis is searching for something that is missing from her life. Without an identity or memory of her past will she find it?
Set during the 1940’s and on the cusp of the Second World War, Amaryllis seems like an attention seeking and spoilt teen, in the absence of her mother, her father gives her everything; a nice home, a private education but he is rarely around and is often working on his special invention.
The ‘wayward’ girl rewards the nice lifestyle she’s been provided with by sneaking off school and getting herself expelled and developing quite an attitude. But no one knows that she conceals a secret that she can’t confide in anyone, about the awful day she drank champagne with a ‘charming’ man by the name of Maurice Sands.
She becomes home educated by Miss Bright, meets Ezra Pascoe, a neighbour’s boy, whom she taunts and teases and is generally unpleasant to. All the while her father’s assistant is ever watchful, ever present and announces that on her seventeenth birthday her father has a special gift for her – even though he’s not there to give it to her personally.
His gift is The Picture House, something her father has been working on for years in the grounds of their home. This is a place that holds mind recordings from people in the village, as well as Amaryllis. It’s a palace of memories where all the bad ones have been filtered out for her. Inside this time-paused-bubble his daughter will be cocooned away from the War. But fathers can’t protect their daughters from everything, no matter how hard they try.
The Picture House has attracted interest from the Government. They don’t want it to fall into the enemy’s hands and they go to great lengths to prevent this from happening.
Before I knew it I’d stepped into an eroding illusion of Amaryllis’s world. There’s far too much to describe: People are sucked into this strange place. Characters conceal dark pasts. There’s a mysterious White Tiger prowling the interior of The Picture House. And the familiar childhood tune of the Teddy Bears Picnic playing over in Amaryllis’s mind at intervals is quite unnerving.
Although it’s ‘fantastic’ enough to be a fairy tale I couldn’t describe it as such – it’s a much darker story of being lost and being loved.
To summarise, it’s loosely akin to an amnesic Alice in Wonderland, passing through Narnia in a customised T.A.R.D.I.S., while German bombs start to fall like rain.
This unique, vivid story may not appeal to everyone, but I certainly found it to be an unexpected and engrossing distraction and I’m keen to explore more of this author’s work.
(Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the paperback for review.)
November 23, 2011
You know when you agree to review a book you wouldn't normally read, then you get worried starting it that you'll hate it and have to go back and say you couldn't read it? Yeah, I got a little case of that when I started this, I feel silly now though! Literally within a few pages I was engaged in the book, before I knew it I was 130 pages in and it was 2am! I really was swept into the book and had no trouble getting into the era it was set into or getting used to the way the characters talked. I've never read any book set in a different time, not a real one anyway and I know little about WWII but I felt Gardner eased me into it really well and her descriptions were very thorough, she gave a great sense of how terrifying it must have been to live in that time, what life must've been like, whilst at the same time telling a neatly woven, imaginative story.
She also gave the book an extra dimension when she added some real science into it which I found really interesting, there were times it could have gotten complicated but the author took her time to explain properly within the story so it didn't feel like a school lesson, so I didn't struggle to keep up.
She also dealt with a lot of different issues really well and again gave the impression of what it was like for people.
I enjoyed all the characters, even the bad guys! But my favourites were defintiely Tommy treacle, for his innocence and vulnerability and Ezra. Whilst the book starts around Amaryllis and what happens to her, I felt we saw Ezra grow the most throughout the span of the book, from a naive teenage boy into a handsome young man. He's extremely brave a number of times and I was on the edge of my seat for him at the end.
Though she's more a side character, one more person I want to mention is Nancy, Ezras mother who also endures a lot throughout the book and stays strong.
The book seamlessly flows between characters and past and present as we see the memories that help set the scene for the present and gives the reader a real understanding of all the characters and everything ties together nicely to make for a very rounded story that left me staisfied.
The writing was absolutely beautiful and gave a great description of places and emotions, I really cared for the characters and about what happened to them.
I'm so glad I was offered the chance to review this book because I'm sure I'd never have picked it up otherwise and I just loved it. I'd certainly consider reading something else like this in the future and would defintiely read more by the author.
Favourite quotes
'Home was in the memory machine.'
'Ezra fell to the ground, Orpheus returned from the underworld to a bluebell wood.'
She also gave the book an extra dimension when she added some real science into it which I found really interesting, there were times it could have gotten complicated but the author took her time to explain properly within the story so it didn't feel like a school lesson, so I didn't struggle to keep up.
She also dealt with a lot of different issues really well and again gave the impression of what it was like for people.
I enjoyed all the characters, even the bad guys! But my favourites were defintiely Tommy treacle, for his innocence and vulnerability and Ezra. Whilst the book starts around Amaryllis and what happens to her, I felt we saw Ezra grow the most throughout the span of the book, from a naive teenage boy into a handsome young man. He's extremely brave a number of times and I was on the edge of my seat for him at the end.
Though she's more a side character, one more person I want to mention is Nancy, Ezras mother who also endures a lot throughout the book and stays strong.
The book seamlessly flows between characters and past and present as we see the memories that help set the scene for the present and gives the reader a real understanding of all the characters and everything ties together nicely to make for a very rounded story that left me staisfied.
The writing was absolutely beautiful and gave a great description of places and emotions, I really cared for the characters and about what happened to them.
I'm so glad I was offered the chance to review this book because I'm sure I'd never have picked it up otherwise and I just loved it. I'd certainly consider reading something else like this in the future and would defintiely read more by the author.
Favourite quotes
'Home was in the memory machine.'
'Ezra fell to the ground, Orpheus returned from the underworld to a bluebell wood.'
April 9, 2015
Amaryllis is a troubled teenager. She's sixteen years old and has no memory of the first eight years of her life. Her father is strict from afar as he isn't around much and her mother passed away when Amaryllis was a young girl. After a disastrous night Amaryllis is being kicked out of boarding school. Her father decides to hire someone to tutor her instead of sending her away again. Her new teacher is very smart, but Amaryllis has no interest in the lessons. Her father hires Ezra, the son of their cook, to keep her company and to attend the lessons which will be good for his education.
Amaryllis will soon be seventeen. It's 1937 and in Britain there are already signs of an inevitable war. There's something else of major importance happening in her father's picture palace as well. When at the night of a fire several people disappear there's a man called Basil who's starting to ask questions. He's been keeping an eye on the memory machine Amaryllis's father has built for many years and is now afraid the idea might fall in the wrong hands. When more people disappear and aren't coming back it's clear that something isn't right, it isn't right at all.
The Double Shadow has been published by Orion Children's Books and this is one of those rare gems that can easily become a classic. The writing is amazing, the story is beautiful and the idea behind it is so original. I liked the clever theories about time and the memory machine. When the story begins Ezra and Amaryllis are at the end of their childhood, almost ready to become adults. They form an unusual bond, one that's vital to the story. I loved that part and couldn't wait to see how their connection would develop. This book is amazing on so many levels and all the characters play their own key part. It's is an excellent example of how fine literature can be.
Amaryllis will soon be seventeen. It's 1937 and in Britain there are already signs of an inevitable war. There's something else of major importance happening in her father's picture palace as well. When at the night of a fire several people disappear there's a man called Basil who's starting to ask questions. He's been keeping an eye on the memory machine Amaryllis's father has built for many years and is now afraid the idea might fall in the wrong hands. When more people disappear and aren't coming back it's clear that something isn't right, it isn't right at all.
The Double Shadow has been published by Orion Children's Books and this is one of those rare gems that can easily become a classic. The writing is amazing, the story is beautiful and the idea behind it is so original. I liked the clever theories about time and the memory machine. When the story begins Ezra and Amaryllis are at the end of their childhood, almost ready to become adults. They form an unusual bond, one that's vital to the story. I loved that part and couldn't wait to see how their connection would develop. This book is amazing on so many levels and all the characters play their own key part. It's is an excellent example of how fine literature can be.
March 24, 2013
The double shadow is very odd.
I love Sally Gardner, she is one of my favourite authors and I have read all of her books, but this is my least favourite.
The story is set just before the second world war and is from the perspective of Ezra Pascoe, who is a working class boy. He ends up going with his mother to work at the Rubens house where he has to play with Amaryllis Ruben, which is sort of like Pip with Estella in great expectations. Anyway Amaryllis's father builds a memory machine and sends his daughter into it when she's 18. Ezra by then is working for this government agency which investigates this machine and it's kind of the story of what then happens.
My main problem with this book was the fact even after rereading it I still can't understand the whole concept of the memory machine.
Also Amaryllis's character completely changes throughout the book, which makes her and Ezra's relationship so strange and unbelievable. She is surrounded in this weird mystery which includes a white tiger and where her mother went, and at least half of this mystery is never really solved.
I couldn't understand the point of probably the first hundred pages of this book, because everything completely changes, tone, character, plot, everything. I still don't get why its called the double shadow.
If your a fan of Sally Gardner don't read this book because I am afraid you'll be disappointed, but definitely read the I coriander and the red necklace because they are amazingly, incredibly, wonderfully, fantastically great.
I love Sally Gardner, she is one of my favourite authors and I have read all of her books, but this is my least favourite.
The story is set just before the second world war and is from the perspective of Ezra Pascoe, who is a working class boy. He ends up going with his mother to work at the Rubens house where he has to play with Amaryllis Ruben, which is sort of like Pip with Estella in great expectations. Anyway Amaryllis's father builds a memory machine and sends his daughter into it when she's 18. Ezra by then is working for this government agency which investigates this machine and it's kind of the story of what then happens.
My main problem with this book was the fact even after rereading it I still can't understand the whole concept of the memory machine.
Also Amaryllis's character completely changes throughout the book, which makes her and Ezra's relationship so strange and unbelievable. She is surrounded in this weird mystery which includes a white tiger and where her mother went, and at least half of this mystery is never really solved.
I couldn't understand the point of probably the first hundred pages of this book, because everything completely changes, tone, character, plot, everything. I still don't get why its called the double shadow.
If your a fan of Sally Gardner don't read this book because I am afraid you'll be disappointed, but definitely read the I coriander and the red necklace because they are amazingly, incredibly, wonderfully, fantastically great.
December 19, 2015
Published: 03/11/2011
Author: Sally Gardner
Recommended for: fans of YA novels
I won this book in the GoodReads FirstReads competitions.
I thought that this book was an amazing book to read! Right from the first page it got me hooked on it, I found it to be incredible hard to put down, it kept drawing me back to it. The description in the book paint the most amazing image into the readers mind, the writing style of Sally Gardner is outstanding I cannot fault it at all.
The characters stood out and brought with them their own part to the story they didn't shrink into the background. The book was written through various different points of view which gives the book a fresh and new approach and means you got to know the characters better and in more depth. The storyline of this book is original and captivating, it is the type of book that is unforgetable and after reading it Sally Gardner is now one of my favourite authors.
Author: Sally Gardner
Recommended for: fans of YA novels
I won this book in the GoodReads FirstReads competitions.
I thought that this book was an amazing book to read! Right from the first page it got me hooked on it, I found it to be incredible hard to put down, it kept drawing me back to it. The description in the book paint the most amazing image into the readers mind, the writing style of Sally Gardner is outstanding I cannot fault it at all.
The characters stood out and brought with them their own part to the story they didn't shrink into the background. The book was written through various different points of view which gives the book a fresh and new approach and means you got to know the characters better and in more depth. The storyline of this book is original and captivating, it is the type of book that is unforgetable and after reading it Sally Gardner is now one of my favourite authors.
January 11, 2015
Es una historia extraña, un poco confusa durante la primera mitad de la novela. Aún no sé si he llegado a enterarme de todo. Quizá también se deba a que estos días tengo la cabeza en otra cosa y me cuesta un poco concentrarme. En cualquier caso no ha sido hasta la segunda mitad que ha conseguido captar mi atención. Desde luego es una novela interesante, pero no me ha llegado a gustar tanto como Las tres caras de la luna.
June 5, 2023
Two weeks ago I had an epic fall and face planted the paving stones in our garden. As a result I broke both elbows and one little finger in 2 places. Consequently I’ve been laid up as basically most things you do with your hands I’ve not been able to do. I’ve managed to read though thank goodness. I’ve whizzed through this (for me). Thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s listed as an “older teen” book but I would disagree with that. The story starts with the main protagonist as a young girl of 16 and includes adult themes of sex (including rape) and drugs. Many of the characters are adults so it doesn’t seem to fit in the “teen novel” category in my opinion. I’ve always loved mystery novels set in the past and this book ticked all those boxes, add in a touch of science fiction and I was on to a winner. It starts in 1937 and concludes in 1945 so is also based around WWII. I loved the writing style, the chapters swap from one point of view to another so there is some overlapping, however this would usually have annoyed me but in this case did not distract from the overall story. It did meander a little at one point so I’ve given it 4.5 ⭐️
September 14, 2021
Never knew children’s literature had become this dark, mature, and cinematically imaginative. If only the formulaic good-versus-evil didn’t bother so much, that the story had become predictable. But hey—this book is one hell of a leap in keeping children’s literature from being so white and generic!
And also, this is a long lost heir of Eliot, Pound, Proust, and early cinema. The Double Shadow had mused on The Waste Land, much like any other author are still doing until this day. Read Umberto Eco. You’d know what I meant.
And also, this is a long lost heir of Eliot, Pound, Proust, and early cinema. The Double Shadow had mused on The Waste Land, much like any other author are still doing until this day. Read Umberto Eco. You’d know what I meant.
June 28, 2017
It was a good but complicated read I enjoyed it although it took me longer than usual to read. Amaralysis was slightly annoying but had great character development and I liked her at the end. Her and Ezra had a beautiful story and it was an intriguing beautiful read. it went to places not many books go and was really honest. The show not tell was brilliantly executed it made one pay attention because you didn't want to miss any details.
August 29, 2020
Purchase The Double Shadow here for just $10!
Against the tense backdrop of the second World War Sally Gardner explores families and what binds them, fathers and daughters, past histories, passions and cruelty, love and devastation in a novel rich in character and beautifully crafted.
Kelly, The Book Grocer
Against the tense backdrop of the second World War Sally Gardner explores families and what binds them, fathers and daughters, past histories, passions and cruelty, love and devastation in a novel rich in character and beautifully crafted.
Kelly, The Book Grocer
August 20, 2022
DNF at 120 pages. Enjoyed the writing style and the story, but the main character was an insufferable brat, I could not cope anymore. And no, I don't buy the "oh poor me, daughter of a millionare, so oppressed, need to rebel" shtick. Also the romance was sudden and unbelievable. Sally Gardner is a hit & miss for me, but I will read more of her books, because if it's a hit, it's worth it.
October 25, 2022
not sure how to rate the book? some parts are super compelling and the plot is so gripping and interesting, and beautifully written. but there's a few loose ends/plot reveals that were already obvious or revealed and I really can't get past the rape scene or the weirdly graphic sexual scenes? so close to being a 4/5 but it kind of ruined the whole book for me
September 6, 2018
Neat plot. Some characters are rather over charicaturised but it’s a YA, I think so maybe acceptable and possibly wouldn’t work without it. The picture house scenes quite eerie and a small nod to a few social issues, ot necessarily only of the interwar years.
June 19, 2019
So different and addictive
I knew I liked Sally Gardner’s writing as Maggot Moon is one of my favourite young adult books. This one lived up to my very high expectations. Mesmerising. I could not stop reading until the end.
I knew I liked Sally Gardner’s writing as Maggot Moon is one of my favourite young adult books. This one lived up to my very high expectations. Mesmerising. I could not stop reading until the end.
June 15, 2017
An interesting book, and not enough time :'( It's a very different book and I wish I could have enough time to give it a good chance.
March 12, 2019
I really enjoyed this book except the ending was very abrupt compared to the rest of the storyline and build up.
July 11, 2019
Definitely my favourite books! Got mystery, romance and fantasy all in one! Words can not describe my love for this book, I really wish I could find more that tick all these box’s.
November 5, 2019
It was good
July 30, 2021
My favourite Sally Gardner novel for sure. I liked I, Coriander and Tinder but not like I loved this one.
December 10, 2011
Beautiful, haunting and evocative, this is a real book to lose yourself in. Recommended for teens upwards.
This novel is extraordinary. Lyrical, elusive and utterly compelling, it draws you and hooks you long before you have any real sense of exactly what is happening.
When I first read the info about this book, it made me think of Angela Carter - probably because of the surreal machine plan and the uncanny double idea hinted at in the title. That comparison was borne out in the reading, due to the lyrical beauty of Gardner's writing, the surrealism and the mythic sense of symbolism created. But that isn't to say this is a derivative work, by any means. This is a truly original novel with genuine literary quality. It's great to see something so unashamedly literary produced for teens.
The characters of Amaryllis and those around her are beautifully drawn and the period detail (the novel is set largely between the world wars) is informative, creating a realistic backdrop to the crazy memory machine. As well as the gorgeous and imagery-rich writing, we are drawn in by the characters' feelings and behaviour, which, together with the setting provide a grounded realism to support the extravagant fantasy of the memory machine, sited in the picture palace. This glorious building stands as a symbol of the nostalgia and unreality which haunt the inventor Ruben.
The narration shifts around in time, adding an additional layer of complexity to the plot, and contributing to the theme of the nature of memory. These shifts in time are matched with changes in tense, switching between a dreamy and fairytale-like past and an immediate and more charged present, giving a sense of urgency to these sections. The narration is all third person in an omniscient style, adding a further sense of the past due to the old-fashioned tone of this narrative style.
The novel has dark overtones and touches on some unpleasant themes. As Gardner stated in her guest post here as part of the blog tour for this book, the past contains some unpleasant truths and it would be wrong to pretend otherwise and prettify them in writing. This darkness, as well as the novel's complexity, make this a book suitable for teens and adults rather than children. I would strongly recommend it to anyone of around 14 and up.
Thank you to Indigo at Orion for sending this lovely book for review.
This novel is extraordinary. Lyrical, elusive and utterly compelling, it draws you and hooks you long before you have any real sense of exactly what is happening.
When I first read the info about this book, it made me think of Angela Carter - probably because of the surreal machine plan and the uncanny double idea hinted at in the title. That comparison was borne out in the reading, due to the lyrical beauty of Gardner's writing, the surrealism and the mythic sense of symbolism created. But that isn't to say this is a derivative work, by any means. This is a truly original novel with genuine literary quality. It's great to see something so unashamedly literary produced for teens.
The characters of Amaryllis and those around her are beautifully drawn and the period detail (the novel is set largely between the world wars) is informative, creating a realistic backdrop to the crazy memory machine. As well as the gorgeous and imagery-rich writing, we are drawn in by the characters' feelings and behaviour, which, together with the setting provide a grounded realism to support the extravagant fantasy of the memory machine, sited in the picture palace. This glorious building stands as a symbol of the nostalgia and unreality which haunt the inventor Ruben.
The narration shifts around in time, adding an additional layer of complexity to the plot, and contributing to the theme of the nature of memory. These shifts in time are matched with changes in tense, switching between a dreamy and fairytale-like past and an immediate and more charged present, giving a sense of urgency to these sections. The narration is all third person in an omniscient style, adding a further sense of the past due to the old-fashioned tone of this narrative style.
The novel has dark overtones and touches on some unpleasant themes. As Gardner stated in her guest post here as part of the blog tour for this book, the past contains some unpleasant truths and it would be wrong to pretend otherwise and prettify them in writing. This darkness, as well as the novel's complexity, make this a book suitable for teens and adults rather than children. I would strongly recommend it to anyone of around 14 and up.
Thank you to Indigo at Orion for sending this lovely book for review.
September 5, 2012
The Double Shadow is the perfect mix of magic, mystery and adventure against the backdrop of World War II. Amaryllis Ruben is a troubled seventeen year old who has been expelled from one too many boarding schools. Though she hates it, Amaryllis has no choice but to return home to her distant father. Amaryllis can’t remember much of her childhood and her father with whom she was supposedly once very close with which leads to her anger and frustration.
Her father, Arnold Ruben, has created a memory machine; a utopia where Amaryllis can relive her good memories for eternity, even ones her father has lovingly edited, safe from the bad memories of her childhood. However, it is not that simple. There are other people who would go to any lengths for such a weapon, especially in wartime, and Arnold has inadvertently led his daughter into danger he could never have fathomed. Can Amaryllis be saved?
Following multiple characters, The Double Shadow is a wonderfully imaginative piece of fiction which is both dark and constantly enlightening. Gardner’s writing style is lyrical and engaging. I felt involved with all the characters, especially Ezra, Amaryllis’ adversary and then reluctant friend. At first, Amaryllis is hard to like, but once you learn about her forgotten memories, it is easy to see how she turns out the way she does.
Other memorable characters were Vervaine Fox, who wanted to keep her good looks from fading (much like her career) and Tommy Treacle, who was smarter than anyone gave him credit for. The Double Shadow is a complex web of mystery (worthy of Sherlock Holmes) that is slowly untangled as the story goes on. I found it very suspenseful and read the book in a matter of days.
Overall, The Double Shadow is a brilliantly imagined world with a fantastic cast of characters, vivid writing and original ideas. I loved the history, the mystery and the science. There was a dramatic climax and a great ending. This was my first foray into Sally Gardner’s writing, but it won’t be the last. There is a little bit of everything in The Double Shadow and it is one not to be missed.
Her father, Arnold Ruben, has created a memory machine; a utopia where Amaryllis can relive her good memories for eternity, even ones her father has lovingly edited, safe from the bad memories of her childhood. However, it is not that simple. There are other people who would go to any lengths for such a weapon, especially in wartime, and Arnold has inadvertently led his daughter into danger he could never have fathomed. Can Amaryllis be saved?
Following multiple characters, The Double Shadow is a wonderfully imaginative piece of fiction which is both dark and constantly enlightening. Gardner’s writing style is lyrical and engaging. I felt involved with all the characters, especially Ezra, Amaryllis’ adversary and then reluctant friend. At first, Amaryllis is hard to like, but once you learn about her forgotten memories, it is easy to see how she turns out the way she does.
Other memorable characters were Vervaine Fox, who wanted to keep her good looks from fading (much like her career) and Tommy Treacle, who was smarter than anyone gave him credit for. The Double Shadow is a complex web of mystery (worthy of Sherlock Holmes) that is slowly untangled as the story goes on. I found it very suspenseful and read the book in a matter of days.
Overall, The Double Shadow is a brilliantly imagined world with a fantastic cast of characters, vivid writing and original ideas. I loved the history, the mystery and the science. There was a dramatic climax and a great ending. This was my first foray into Sally Gardner’s writing, but it won’t be the last. There is a little bit of everything in The Double Shadow and it is one not to be missed.
October 20, 2012
I'm deeply impressed with Sally Gardner's prose, particularly as I recently learned she's dyslexic. I read Maggot Moon recently and was blown away, reading it in two sittings.
I didn't find The Double Shadow quite as gripping, hence just 4 stars but I think it's a very clever book and a wonderfully original idea.
Amaryllis is a young woman born into great wealth who nonetheless knows nothing but tragedy and pain as a young girl. Though initially proud and full of love for her father, This changes when she mysteriously loses her memory. After that she becomes cold and wayward. Her loving, but flawed, father tries to protect her and keep her young by developing a memory machine which he hopes to use to expunge her bad memories and recreate the happy ones she has lost.
The plan goes awry and Amaryllis is trapped within the machine along with an assortment of characters, some real, some merely remembered. Her only hope of rescue lies with Ezra, the son of one of her father's employees.
I enjoyed the book, though took quite a long time to read it. I found it didn't grip me. The reason for this I think is due to the slightly fractured nature of the writing. The POV switches regularly, which is a little disarming. There are many characters, some of who are introduced only to be abandoned quickly, then re-introduced later in the book and I lost track of who they all were a couple of times. Some of the action moves along quite lethargically, then in the next paragraph time has moved on and suddenly it's 6 months later.
I think this style is quite intentional. The fractured, disjointed nature of the writing mirrors the damaged, incomplete memories and perspectives of the characters. I actually liked the form of the book, but nonetheless, didn't feel it lent itself well to what I think could have been an exciting, driving narrative.
Overall though, an wonderful and important novel, perfect for teenagers or young adults, and I look forward to reading more of Sally Gardner's books,
Here's a link the the British Dyslexia Association's website:
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
I didn't find The Double Shadow quite as gripping, hence just 4 stars but I think it's a very clever book and a wonderfully original idea.
Amaryllis is a young woman born into great wealth who nonetheless knows nothing but tragedy and pain as a young girl. Though initially proud and full of love for her father, This changes when she mysteriously loses her memory. After that she becomes cold and wayward. Her loving, but flawed, father tries to protect her and keep her young by developing a memory machine which he hopes to use to expunge her bad memories and recreate the happy ones she has lost.
The plan goes awry and Amaryllis is trapped within the machine along with an assortment of characters, some real, some merely remembered. Her only hope of rescue lies with Ezra, the son of one of her father's employees.
I enjoyed the book, though took quite a long time to read it. I found it didn't grip me. The reason for this I think is due to the slightly fractured nature of the writing. The POV switches regularly, which is a little disarming. There are many characters, some of who are introduced only to be abandoned quickly, then re-introduced later in the book and I lost track of who they all were a couple of times. Some of the action moves along quite lethargically, then in the next paragraph time has moved on and suddenly it's 6 months later.
I think this style is quite intentional. The fractured, disjointed nature of the writing mirrors the damaged, incomplete memories and perspectives of the characters. I actually liked the form of the book, but nonetheless, didn't feel it lent itself well to what I think could have been an exciting, driving narrative.
Overall though, an wonderful and important novel, perfect for teenagers or young adults, and I look forward to reading more of Sally Gardner's books,
Here's a link the the British Dyslexia Association's website:
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
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