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Cast No Shadow
Greg has lived in Lancaster his whole life. The town's always had its quirks, and being born without a shadow means he's counted among them. When Greg discovers an old mansion in the woods just outside of town, he didn't expect to meet a smart, beautiful, funny, and...very dead teenage girl named Eleanor.
Yeah. He's in love with a ghost.
And before he knows what's happening, Greg finds himself at the wrong end of a history lesson when the town's past, and his own, threaten to pull the two of them apart permanently!
From acclaimed comics writer Nick Tapalansky and phenomenal newcomer artist Anissa Espinosa, Cast No Shadow is a teen romance with humor and heart.
Yeah. He's in love with a ghost.
And before he knows what's happening, Greg finds himself at the wrong end of a history lesson when the town's past, and his own, threaten to pull the two of them apart permanently!
From acclaimed comics writer Nick Tapalansky and phenomenal newcomer artist Anissa Espinosa, Cast No Shadow is a teen romance with humor and heart.
224 pages, ebook
First published October 10, 2017
24 people are currently reading
899 people want to read
About the author
Nick Tapalansky
16 books21 followersNick Tapalansky writes some comics you should totally read, including A Radical Shift of Gravity, Awakening, and Cast No Shadow, a fall 2017 Junior Library Guild selection. His work has also been included in the award-winning Popgun and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard anthologies. He currently lives in New York with his wife and daughter.
http://nicktapalansky.com
http://nicktapalansky.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
February 28, 2018
Cast No Shadow, written by Nick Tapalansky and illustrated by Anissa Espinosa, is about a young teen, Greg, struggling to deal with his mother's death and his dad's new girlfriend. He also has no shadow, and falls in love with a ghost, Eleanor, and believe it or not, these two facts require connecting for the plot to resolve. There is a shadow, as it turns out, disconnected from him (right, as in Peter Pan!), but this shadow happens to be evil, an expression of Greg’s darkest desires. So what seems like a simple, young-readers tale becomes a psychological story of Greg's inner turmoil. I do not think this story is quite at the level of other tween graphic ghost stories such as Gaimain's Coraline, or his The Graveyard Book or Vera Brosgol's Anya’s Ghost, but it is pretty cute, with good kid talk in it, a romance that is also about grief.
first-second-publications
October 10, 2017Greg is new to Lancaster, but he can already tell things aren't all right in this quiet, gloomy little town. When Greg finds a creepy abandoned house in the center of town, he thinks maybe he's getting closer to Lancaster's secret. But the ghost of a beautiful teenage girl haunting the house is more than Greg bargained for. Before he knows it, Greg's in love . . . with a dead girl.
January 24, 2020
I am incredibly disappointed with this graphic novel. All of the top reviews made it seem like a cute little romance story about a boy with no shadow who falls in love with a ghost girl. However, the writing was sub-par, the characters were poorly developed, and to top it all off, it had an incredibly problematic twist.
I've yet to see a review comment on the fact that the house was haunted because it was "built on an Indian burial ground." This was published in 2017 -- why is that line even in there? This is incredibly offensive. Why is no one else upset about this? Please, dear readers, take some time to stop and think about the content you're consuming.
After finishing this graphic novel I found myself turning back to this article by Alicia Elliott (https://www.cbc.ca/arts/the-rise-of-i...) where she talks about "the infamous 'Indian burial ground'" and goes on to discuss multiple books by Indigenous authors that are 100% worth reading.
This book was a waste of my time, and I hope others think twice before picking it up.
I've yet to see a review comment on the fact that the house was haunted because it was "built on an Indian burial ground." This was published in 2017 -- why is that line even in there? This is incredibly offensive. Why is no one else upset about this? Please, dear readers, take some time to stop and think about the content you're consuming.
After finishing this graphic novel I found myself turning back to this article by Alicia Elliott (https://www.cbc.ca/arts/the-rise-of-i...) where she talks about "the infamous 'Indian burial ground'" and goes on to discuss multiple books by Indigenous authors that are 100% worth reading.
This book was a waste of my time, and I hope others think twice before picking it up.
February 10, 2019
this was a pretty cute but cheesy story. it involves ghosts which is a complete buzzword for me. if it’s got ghosts in it, i’m pretty much sold on it.
i liked the friendship and the family in this story. i thought the ending was bittersweet but some of the characters got on my nerves at times, though it didn’t ruin the story for me.
overall, this was a fun and light graphic novel about a boy that fell in love with a ghost. it wasn’t a terrible read, but it also wasn’t a “knock-my-socks-off-amazing” type of thing. still, if you’re looking for a quick read with something kinda spooky and a little romance, then i recommend this!
i liked the friendship and the family in this story. i thought the ending was bittersweet but some of the characters got on my nerves at times, though it didn’t ruin the story for me.
overall, this was a fun and light graphic novel about a boy that fell in love with a ghost. it wasn’t a terrible read, but it also wasn’t a “knock-my-socks-off-amazing” type of thing. still, if you’re looking for a quick read with something kinda spooky and a little romance, then i recommend this!
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March 13, 2018Eek! I found this book to be both boring and horrifying.
GR reviewer Liz writes, "the dialogue is cringey af, couldn't finish". Yep. Well, I mean, I did finish it. And kind of wish I hadn't. But, I did. (Liz's review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
The characters are meh. Three white protagonists. Greg, the sulky hero, whose shadow is missing and who can therefore see ghosts. Or at least one ghost. Eleanor. A white ghost girl who had been haunting a local house for quite a few years and who Greg becomes romantically involved with. Greg's best friend Layla, curvy and belligerent (in a book where the two other main characters are skinny and less belligerent...). All Layla ever wants to do is punch everything. Which gets really dull really fast. And then there are the rest of the characters. Jake, the only dark-skinned speaking character in the book (though maybe his oddly caricatured father--very short and bald, half the size of Jake. The mayor of the town and keeper of a giant tourist-magnetizing hairball--has a line or two?) who is supposedly a "buffoon" (or at least Greg tells us so over and over again) and who, in the course of the book, only ever wants to hang out with and be of service to the white main characters (though Greg only ever treats him with disdain). Talk about cringy af.
Then there is Greg's father who is getting remarried to a woman named Ruth "visually coded as Asian-American" (from Kirkus review below) and Greg is bitter and angry about that because he misses his mom.
And then there is the shadow who doesn't come in until after the halfway point, a sudden and completely unremarkable and poorly developed plot device. Well, the shadow, in a way, arrives earlier in the book. But it's kind of neither here nor there. Just a distracting narrative device.
And speaking of poorly developed characters and distracting narrative devices, there's the fortune teller. Who keeps trying to let Greg know how important he is to the story. Who keeps trying to help him even though he brushes her off several times. But she expects that, because she's a fortune teller after all. (Everyone wants to be of service to sulky, shadowless, very important Greg.)
This book is a jumble of mixed up tropes and narrative devices with poorly developed characters and dialogue that is, well, you know. Cringy af. The art? It's okay? It's hard for me to look at it outside the context of the book, which I pretty intensely dislike. So, nothing much to say about it.
I can't recommend this book, though it looks like a fair number of people found it entertaining/engaging enough.
Here is an excerpt of the Kirkus review that I quoted from.
"White, diminutive Greg has been angry and sullen ever since his mom, mayor of their small town, died three years ago. The current mayor’s son is a dark-skinned jock, a “professional buffoon and arrogant jerk extraordinaire,” and Greg is convinced that his dad’s new girlfriend (visually coded as Asian-American) is trying to take the place of his mom." from Kirkus review
GR reviewer Liz writes, "the dialogue is cringey af, couldn't finish". Yep. Well, I mean, I did finish it. And kind of wish I hadn't. But, I did. (Liz's review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
The characters are meh. Three white protagonists. Greg, the sulky hero, whose shadow is missing and who can therefore see ghosts. Or at least one ghost. Eleanor. A white ghost girl who had been haunting a local house for quite a few years and who Greg becomes romantically involved with. Greg's best friend Layla, curvy and belligerent (in a book where the two other main characters are skinny and less belligerent...). All Layla ever wants to do is punch everything. Which gets really dull really fast. And then there are the rest of the characters. Jake, the only dark-skinned speaking character in the book (though maybe his oddly caricatured father--very short and bald, half the size of Jake. The mayor of the town and keeper of a giant tourist-magnetizing hairball--has a line or two?) who is supposedly a "buffoon" (or at least Greg tells us so over and over again) and who, in the course of the book, only ever wants to hang out with and be of service to the white main characters (though Greg only ever treats him with disdain). Talk about cringy af.
Then there is Greg's father who is getting remarried to a woman named Ruth "visually coded as Asian-American" (from Kirkus review below) and Greg is bitter and angry about that because he misses his mom.
And then there is the shadow who doesn't come in until after the halfway point, a sudden and completely unremarkable and poorly developed plot device. Well, the shadow, in a way, arrives earlier in the book. But it's kind of neither here nor there. Just a distracting narrative device.
And speaking of poorly developed characters and distracting narrative devices, there's the fortune teller. Who keeps trying to let Greg know how important he is to the story. Who keeps trying to help him even though he brushes her off several times. But she expects that, because she's a fortune teller after all. (Everyone wants to be of service to sulky, shadowless, very important Greg.)
This book is a jumble of mixed up tropes and narrative devices with poorly developed characters and dialogue that is, well, you know. Cringy af. The art? It's okay? It's hard for me to look at it outside the context of the book, which I pretty intensely dislike. So, nothing much to say about it.
I can't recommend this book, though it looks like a fair number of people found it entertaining/engaging enough.
Here is an excerpt of the Kirkus review that I quoted from.
"White, diminutive Greg has been angry and sullen ever since his mom, mayor of their small town, died three years ago. The current mayor’s son is a dark-skinned jock, a “professional buffoon and arrogant jerk extraordinaire,” and Greg is convinced that his dad’s new girlfriend (visually coded as Asian-American) is trying to take the place of his mom." from Kirkus review
January 3, 2018
Cute little ghost-y magic story. I really liked the emotional bits (new mom's, dating best friends, etc.) and the magic explanations were quite unique. The only thing I didn't particularly like was the narration shenanigans, it's kind cute but also a bit confusing in this format. Cute art styles though! Generally just cute all around!
October 9, 2017
Cute cute cute. Love these oneshots. Very much reminiscent of Friends With Boys.
January 5, 2018
Cast No Shadow was a surprise graphic novel I received but it looked really cute and I couldn't help but read it right away. Of course, this was some time ago and I am only now getting around to writing the review for the book so forgive me.
Greg has no shadow and is kind of an outcast. One day, he discovers a haunted mansion and ends up falling in love with the resident ghost. Obviously, things get a little complicated and there is some good angst going on there too.
The graphic novel is as cute as it sounds but doesn't necessarily leave a lasting impression. Not every book I read, or anyone reads, needs to be revolutionary but I think the premise is so unique that I would have hoped that it's uniqueness actually made it memorable. The problem is that even though this is a story about a boy without a shadow, it's really just a love story. It's a love story between Greg and the ghost and really, Greg and himself. This novel focuses on the characters rather than the world and plot and maybe that's gonna work better for some readers than others but I just wanted there to be a stronger focus on the world building.
It is a graphic novel which means there isn't as much room to convey those things through words but it can be done through the art. The art is just as important in a graphic novel as the words and I found the art wasn't really expressive. It aided the story but it wasn't part of it in many ways.
There is so much potential for this graphic novel to be more than just a ghost love story and it just. doesn't. deliver.
This is all such a subjective opinion though because different readers want different things from their stories. Some are 1000% find a romance focus (I am too sometimes and there is nothing wrong with that) and maybe the graphic novel will work out better for them than it did for me. Some might want a more gothic, horror story vibe that this novel attempts but doesn't deliver on. WHO KNOWS.
One of the book's biggest successes, I think, is the twist at the end. It's foreshadowed well but still comes as a surprise. It was incorporated beautifully into the story and ties the novel up really nicely.
Overall, Cast No Shadow is a graphic novel I'd recommend to people who are fans of cute ghost love stories and interesting premises. Even though I didn't love it, I still found it really enjoyable and it's a nice read to relax with on a cosy winter night :')
***This review was also posted on Xpresso Reads
Greg has no shadow and is kind of an outcast. One day, he discovers a haunted mansion and ends up falling in love with the resident ghost. Obviously, things get a little complicated and there is some good angst going on there too.
The graphic novel is as cute as it sounds but doesn't necessarily leave a lasting impression. Not every book I read, or anyone reads, needs to be revolutionary but I think the premise is so unique that I would have hoped that it's uniqueness actually made it memorable. The problem is that even though this is a story about a boy without a shadow, it's really just a love story. It's a love story between Greg and the ghost and really, Greg and himself. This novel focuses on the characters rather than the world and plot and maybe that's gonna work better for some readers than others but I just wanted there to be a stronger focus on the world building.
It is a graphic novel which means there isn't as much room to convey those things through words but it can be done through the art. The art is just as important in a graphic novel as the words and I found the art wasn't really expressive. It aided the story but it wasn't part of it in many ways.
There is so much potential for this graphic novel to be more than just a ghost love story and it just. doesn't. deliver.
This is all such a subjective opinion though because different readers want different things from their stories. Some are 1000% find a romance focus (I am too sometimes and there is nothing wrong with that) and maybe the graphic novel will work out better for them than it did for me. Some might want a more gothic, horror story vibe that this novel attempts but doesn't deliver on. WHO KNOWS.
One of the book's biggest successes, I think, is the twist at the end. It's foreshadowed well but still comes as a surprise. It was incorporated beautifully into the story and ties the novel up really nicely.
Overall, Cast No Shadow is a graphic novel I'd recommend to people who are fans of cute ghost love stories and interesting premises. Even though I didn't love it, I still found it really enjoyable and it's a nice read to relax with on a cosy winter night :')
***This review was also posted on Xpresso Reads
February 28, 2018
I checked this book out from the library and finished it in an afternoon. I loved this book, it was so amazing to find a comic with such an interesting story and cute drawings (and I just love any story with ghosts incorporated into it :D). The writing was great and the pictures were beyond amazing, so all in all 10/10! I don’t understand why this book does not have more positive reviews, I personally loved it!
January 3, 2018
Cast No Shadow brings together an array of delightful characters and is full of adorable artwork. This is a light, fun, easy read that I do recommend to anyone looking for a graphic novel to giggle and squeal over!
July 31, 2018
Kid who doesn't cast a shadow is the only one who can see ghost-girl.
Solid middle school graphic novel (though may not make my booktalk list in this crowded year of fantastic middle school GNs).
Wish it had been in color.
Cute/creepy, could be a decent pick for Coraline-lovers.
Read with Anya's Ghost, Friends with Boys, The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo, and Nightlights, just for starters.
Solid middle school graphic novel (though may not make my booktalk list in this crowded year of fantastic middle school GNs).
Wish it had been in color.
Cute/creepy, could be a decent pick for Coraline-lovers.
Read with Anya's Ghost, Friends with Boys, The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo, and Nightlights, just for starters.
December 16, 2017
Cast No Shadow is about a young teen struggling to deal with his mother's death and his dad's new girlfriend. So many things in his life keep changing, and he can't handle the turmoil until he meets a ghosts that helps teach him some lessons about moving on. And helps him battle his evil shadow that is hellbent on destroying the town. It's a simple story, but great for younger readers. The art is quite stylised with fantastic backgrounds. The characters are expressive and a good representation of the ups and downs of that period of life.
October 28, 2024
(3.3) This story highlights one boy’s struggle in coping with the death of a loved one and the inevitability of moving on. Almost proclaimed this a DNF, mainly for the opening dual narrative BUT the oddly lovable towns-folks and quirky artwork (similar to Gravity Falls) slowly developed into a really interesting take on the afterlife.
February 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. They have it geared toward YA but I’d hand this to as young as 10 or 11. Twice that I recall they did use the phrase “this sucks” but that’s it. It’s not even scary.
January 23, 2018
I loved this! The art is super cute and aesthetically pleasing, the characters are a lot of fun (I love Layla okay), the dialogue was amusing... Honestly, it reminded me in some ways of Gravity Falls (and as far as I'm concerned, my suspicions about the show's influence on this were confirmed as soon as I spotted that mysterious triangle doodle on page 153...), but it completely felt like its own thing, too. There was... Pretty much nothing I disliked about this, actually?? Really enjoyed it.
October 20, 2017
I didn't know anything about this book when it came across my desk. I opened it, and was immediately drawn in. (get it? drawn in?) Seriously though, this was a good story and the illustrations were good.
October 30, 2017
This graphic novel hits all the adolescent pangs without being saccharine and predictable. The illustrations are at once simple and expressive, and the story and dialogue are touching and funny.
December 18, 2019
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Meet Greg, a teenage boy with a lot of weight on his shoulders. When family and friend issues get to be too much for him he confides in his new ghostly girlfriend, Eleanor. (I'm really loving the names for these characters!) The rest of the book is dedicated to solving his life issues and helping Eleanor out.
Yup, I'm totally great at summarizing. A+.
Any who, this graphic novel is fantastic in my opinion. It is well written with a teen audience in mind. I love the illustrations and the dialogue was quirky and engaging.
Something specific that I enjoyed was the fact that when Greg had questions about Eleanor he went and did research at the library.
F- yeah, research!
Also, I think this would be a really good book to use in bibliotherapy. I believe that a teen, and any person of another age group, going through the same experiences as Greg would be able to easily relate to his struggles and hopefully find their own meaning in his healing process.
TL;DR I enjoyed this graphic novel immensely.
Meet Greg, a teenage boy with a lot of weight on his shoulders. When family and friend issues get to be too much for him he confides in his new ghostly girlfriend, Eleanor. (I'm really loving the names for these characters!) The rest of the book is dedicated to solving his life issues and helping Eleanor out.
Yup, I'm totally great at summarizing. A+.
Any who, this graphic novel is fantastic in my opinion. It is well written with a teen audience in mind. I love the illustrations and the dialogue was quirky and engaging.
Something specific that I enjoyed was the fact that when Greg had questions about Eleanor he went and did research at the library.
F- yeah, research!
Also, I think this would be a really good book to use in bibliotherapy. I believe that a teen, and any person of another age group, going through the same experiences as Greg would be able to easily relate to his struggles and hopefully find their own meaning in his healing process.
TL;DR I enjoyed this graphic novel immensely.
October 6, 2017
This was a very sweet graphic novel. On one hand, the plot was instantly familiar--a boy, Greg, who's a little scared of the changes that are happening in his life (dad's new girlfriend, best friend's new boyfriend) deals with that fear through anger and frustration. Despite Greg's relationship with ghost girl Eleanor, I felt like I knew where the story was headed from pretty much page 1. However, even though the overall emotional arc of Greg coming to terms with and accepting change was expected, this story still felt special. The eventual explanation for Greg's lack of shadow played into his characterization really nicely, and the relationship between shadows and spirits was interesting.
Plus, the art was great--downright adorable in parts and moving in others. The way that Eleanor's memories are made physical was especially striking.
Plus, the art was great--downright adorable in parts and moving in others. The way that Eleanor's memories are made physical was especially striking.
August 28, 2019
So many issues to deal with in this book! Death of parent! Bullying! Haunted house! Hokey town attractions! Friendship fumbles! Where to start discussing it all?
The art is simple and clean and attractive; the storyline is a bit muddled (done that way on purpose, I think, to add to the mystery) and resolves quickly. Too quickly?
Heads up: cartoon-style violence; ghosts; spirits; disrespect to parents; destruction of property; lying; ouija boards, seances, and other supernatural elements touched on without much effect; mediums; bullying, putting friends down and not facing facts
Positive elements: inter-racial romance; friendships fixed; facts faced; people urged to mend relationships before it's too late; respect shown to burial grounds; respect to others; history treated with respect; first love (awww); moving on is hard to do, but possible; parents are supportive and set boundaries
The art is simple and clean and attractive; the storyline is a bit muddled (done that way on purpose, I think, to add to the mystery) and resolves quickly. Too quickly?
Heads up: cartoon-style violence; ghosts; spirits; disrespect to parents; destruction of property; lying; ouija boards, seances, and other supernatural elements touched on without much effect; mediums; bullying, putting friends down and not facing facts
Positive elements: inter-racial romance; friendships fixed; facts faced; people urged to mend relationships before it's too late; respect shown to burial grounds; respect to others; history treated with respect; first love (awww); moving on is hard to do, but possible; parents are supportive and set boundaries
February 26, 2018
They do that annoying two narrator thing at the beginning you know bickering over how to tell the story, but then it picks up pretty well. I meant to check if the author and or illustrator worked on Gravity Falls because there's some Easter eggs in the art. Over all this is a good book to check out.
February 13, 2018
Meh
Not great
but not terrible either.
Not great
but not terrible either.
September 21, 2017
Cast No Shadow is a graphic novel written by Nick Tapalansky and illustrated by Anissa Espinosa. It is currently scheduled for release on October 10 2017. Greg has lived in Lancaster his whole life. The town's always had its quirks, and being born without a shadow means he's counted among them. When Greg discovers an old mansion in the woods just outside of town, he didn't expect to meet a smart, beautiful, funny, and dead teenaged girl named Eleanor. Yeah. He's in love with a ghost. And before he knows what's happening, Greg finds himself at the wrong end of a history lesson when the town's past, and his own, threaten to pull the two of them apart permanently.
Cast No Shadow is an engaging graphic novel. I enjoyed the unusual lack of a shadow from our main character, and the story that stemmed from that. I really liked how that played out. I also liked that Greg faces some realistic family issues, and complicated friendships. His imperfect life made his emotions and the trouble he faced that much more real and relatable as a reader. While there is a romance involved, I also liked that his best friend is a girl and the idea of girls as more than a romantic interest is clear. Although, the fact that she has her own romance negates that a little bit, her clear personality and utter lack of fitting the 'girl best friend' stereotype did help a little. I like that the town and most of its inhabitants are a little odd, and the story is unexpected in many ways. I thought the art did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life, adding details and little bits of information that made the read even more enjoyable. The combination of heart felt emotion and facing real life struggles of family and friend relationships along-side the paranormal aspects and humor struck a chord with me.
Cast No Shadow is a graphic novel with a unique twist to teen romance. I enjoyed the art and the story and think that many readers from middle grade on up through adults will enjoy the read.
Cast No Shadow is an engaging graphic novel. I enjoyed the unusual lack of a shadow from our main character, and the story that stemmed from that. I really liked how that played out. I also liked that Greg faces some realistic family issues, and complicated friendships. His imperfect life made his emotions and the trouble he faced that much more real and relatable as a reader. While there is a romance involved, I also liked that his best friend is a girl and the idea of girls as more than a romantic interest is clear. Although, the fact that she has her own romance negates that a little bit, her clear personality and utter lack of fitting the 'girl best friend' stereotype did help a little. I like that the town and most of its inhabitants are a little odd, and the story is unexpected in many ways. I thought the art did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life, adding details and little bits of information that made the read even more enjoyable. The combination of heart felt emotion and facing real life struggles of family and friend relationships along-side the paranormal aspects and humor struck a chord with me.
Cast No Shadow is a graphic novel with a unique twist to teen romance. I enjoyed the art and the story and think that many readers from middle grade on up through adults will enjoy the read.
Read
October 18, 2017I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Greg is dealing with a lot--the loss of this mother, his best friend liking his enemy, and his lack of a shadow casting him as an outsider. On top of everything else, he has a new crush...on a ghost. Cast No Shadow is a quirky, heartfelt graphic novel about letting go and finding yourself.
Greg's mother passed away and his father has moved on and invited his significant other to move in. Greg is having a hard time accepting this on top of so many other changes in his life. His best friend, Layla, has started hanging out with the bully from Greg's past and he's feeling left out. When Greg and Layla go to an old abandoned house, Greg finally finds his own new beginning in the form of a teenage ghost named Eleanor. Grief and regret are perfectly captured in the bond that Greg and Eleanor share.
There were several competing storylines that didn't always seem to flow together. Greg's lack of shadow seems pretty forgotten and unimportant at the beginning of the book. This part of the story seems superfluous compared to the rest, even though it does become important later on. However, it's a solid paranormal teen love story that will attract a lot of readers. The black and white pictures and text are easy to read and understand. The story moves along at a nice pace and keeps you interested in how Greg will help Eleanor. There are serious moments nicely interrupted by typical funny ghost shenanigans.
Greg is dealing with a lot--the loss of this mother, his best friend liking his enemy, and his lack of a shadow casting him as an outsider. On top of everything else, he has a new crush...on a ghost. Cast No Shadow is a quirky, heartfelt graphic novel about letting go and finding yourself.
Greg's mother passed away and his father has moved on and invited his significant other to move in. Greg is having a hard time accepting this on top of so many other changes in his life. His best friend, Layla, has started hanging out with the bully from Greg's past and he's feeling left out. When Greg and Layla go to an old abandoned house, Greg finally finds his own new beginning in the form of a teenage ghost named Eleanor. Grief and regret are perfectly captured in the bond that Greg and Eleanor share.
There were several competing storylines that didn't always seem to flow together. Greg's lack of shadow seems pretty forgotten and unimportant at the beginning of the book. This part of the story seems superfluous compared to the rest, even though it does become important later on. However, it's a solid paranormal teen love story that will attract a lot of readers. The black and white pictures and text are easy to read and understand. The story moves along at a nice pace and keeps you interested in how Greg will help Eleanor. There are serious moments nicely interrupted by typical funny ghost shenanigans.
October 26, 2017
In a town where the world's largest hairball is a tourist attraction, the fact that Greg was born without a shadow is hardly noteworthy. In fact, people hardly notice him at all. Then Greg meets a lovely girl who "totally gets" him and he's in love and feeling fine. It happens that she is a ghost stuck in an abandoned old house, and died 80 years ago. And there is a connection between his errant shadow and Eleanor the ghost. Drama with friends and family fizz around Greg, and Eleanor is the only thing that makes sense to him. I like that it's a boy who is lovelorn, instead of the usual girl in love and acting all crazy. The black and white cartoons are spare but make great use of gray tones.
However, the story is crowded with issues: grief, family, friends, ghosts, bullying; it has good bones but tried to do too much. Greg's lack of a shadow doesn't really come into play until past halfway into the story, and there's never an explanation as to why it's missing. The drawings seem a bit slapdash at times.
However, the story is crowded with issues: grief, family, friends, ghosts, bullying; it has good bones but tried to do too much. Greg's lack of a shadow doesn't really come into play until past halfway into the story, and there's never an explanation as to why it's missing. The drawings seem a bit slapdash at times.
December 19, 2017
Greg is a boy who has no shadow. He was born that way and it seems to be a nonissue in the little town of Lancaster, where the mayor and his son try to cook up scheme after scheme to draw tourists in. One feature of Lancaster is a very old mansion, where it is rumored the family was torn apart when the father brutally murdered his daughter. But the house is haunted, or seems to be. When Greg ventures in, he discovers there really is a ghost, but things aren't as they appear. In fact, things become very bad and very complicated. Something evil is unleashed, Greg is blamed for trouble both at home and around town, and his friends are quickly becoming enemies. It is up to Greg and his ghostly friend to figure out what's going on and how to stop it before the little town of Lancaster is utterly destroyed. A cute, quirky romance illustrated very well in black and white. Students in middle school and up would enjoy this story.
August 30, 2017
Disclaimer: I received early digital access to this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Who amongst us has not grown up in a weird little town, or at least known someone who grew up in a weird little town? Greg is that kid, but his town is made even weirder by a few things: the fact that he has no shadow, that his former bully is now trying to become his best friend (after a walloping by his best gal pal, Layla), and there's a haunted house on the edge of town. When Greg and Layla go to explore the haunted house, Greg encounters someone quite unexpected -- and what follows forces him to reckon with his bully, his town, and issues within himself. A quirky, well-told tale. Nick Tapalansky is gonna be one to watch out for!
Who amongst us has not grown up in a weird little town, or at least known someone who grew up in a weird little town? Greg is that kid, but his town is made even weirder by a few things: the fact that he has no shadow, that his former bully is now trying to become his best friend (after a walloping by his best gal pal, Layla), and there's a haunted house on the edge of town. When Greg and Layla go to explore the haunted house, Greg encounters someone quite unexpected -- and what follows forces him to reckon with his bully, his town, and issues within himself. A quirky, well-told tale. Nick Tapalansky is gonna be one to watch out for!
August 20, 2017
So, combine one boy born without a shadow, one lonely girl who happens to be a ghost, and what do you get? A love story? Yeah, that's part of it. It's not surprising that they would be attracted; they are both outsiders of a sort and they share similar stories of a mother dying young and unexpectedly, a father finding a new companion after his grief, and how difficult it can be to let someone else into a family. But Greg also has his friend Layla, her new boyfriend Jake (that Greg can't stand), and the antics of Jake's father - who became mayor of their town after Greg's mother died. There is a lot of anger and frustration building up inside this boy, and when it breaks loose, the town is in for a wild ride. Can Greg, Eleanor (the ghost), Layla, Jake (the new boyfriend), and the town's soothsayer really figure out a way to put everything right?
Tapalansky and Espinosa have created an amusing story that also manages to touch on grief, change, growing up, and letting go. Not that the story is a downer, far from it. What story containing the world's biggest hairball, the world's biggest collection of souvenir spoons, and a psychic singalong be a downer? Great for readers who like some spookiness and action mixed in with their star-crossed lovers.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher for review purposes.
Tapalansky and Espinosa have created an amusing story that also manages to touch on grief, change, growing up, and letting go. Not that the story is a downer, far from it. What story containing the world's biggest hairball, the world's biggest collection of souvenir spoons, and a psychic singalong be a downer? Great for readers who like some spookiness and action mixed in with their star-crossed lovers.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher for review purposes.
February 23, 2018
Cast No Shadow is packed with wry humor and cute illustrations. The premise and setup for the book are fascinating and had me hooked from the start. Unfortunately, the ending sequence and character conflict resolution all unfolded rather quickly, I was surprised by how many things suddenly happened all at once. Several complex themes could have been explored more deeply, but the friendships at the heart of this graphic novel remain the most successful aspect of the book. Overall it is a fun, enjoyable book. This is a great graphic novel for younger teens, with many positive characters and relationships.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
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