Short and Sweet:
I absolutely loved this book. It was gorgeous, interesting, creepy, heartbreaking, insightful. Just a stunning book. I can't recommend this one enough!

To Elaborate....
In the Shadow of Blackbirds is one of those books I almost didn't pick up. I am fascinated by WWI, especially the year 1918 and the Spanish influenza, but I wasn't as interested in the second half of the books blurb concerning the spiritual fascination of the time. I am SO glad I did pick it up. This was just one of those books that I couldn't put down. I didn't want to sleep, or eat, or leave my house. :) It was an experience.
It is 1918. The war and the influenza pandemic have made the world a grave, dreary place. There are coffins lining the streets. People wrap their faces in gauze to stave off illness, keep to themselves, and fear one another. It is a heavy and hopeless time.
Mary Shelley, named after the author of Frankenstein, has always been an eccentric girl. Fascinated by the way things work, electricity, and books she is, as her childhood friend and sweetheart, Stephen, fondly calls her: 'original.' After her father is arrested for being unsupportive of the war, Mary is forced to move in with her Aunt Eva. Soon after, Stephen, the boy she loves, dies at war and Mary, half-crazed with grief, rushes out into a dangerous storm, is struck by lightning, and dies.... just for a moment.
From then on Mary feels different. She can taste emotion and sense the dead; Stephen in particular. His desperate pleas to 'keep him with her' and his incoherent rants about being attacked by blackbirds have Mary more than a little shaken up. Driven by her desire to put his spirit to rest, Mary investigates the details of Stephen's death and tries to piece together what truly happened to him before the flu claims her life or she loses her mind.
I was so intensely invested in the outcome of this story. I really cared for and wanted peace for them. Their love story is one I ached for. Mary and Stephen are smart and passionate characters who care for each other because of real, admirable qualities.

Cat Winters has done a fantastic job. She puts you in 1918. You experience in some small way the anxiety, desperation and terror of death and disease. It's an dark, emotional ride, but it's a near perfect one. (Originally published @iheartyafiction.blogspot.com)

Share/Like this Review?

This was an very interesting book set during the Spanish Influenza outbreak of 1918. What really sets this book apart from other young adult books is the setting. There is just so much going on that humanity is struggling with. World War I is in full swing, Americans are paranoid, and the flu is killing people by the millions.

Amidst all this we meet sixteen year old Mary Shelley Black who has been sent from Portland to San Diego to live with her aunt after her father is arrested for anti-war sentiment.

Mary Shelley had a sweetheart, Stephen, but he went off to war. Stephen's brother has turned to spiritual photography in order to make a living. People are absolutely desperate to see their deceased loved ones, whether they died of influenza or war. Stephen's brother Julius is more than happy to take advantage of this.

Mary Shelley loves everything mechanical and definitely doesn't believe in ghosts. However after some horrible events ghostly things start happening around her that she can't explain. I really enjoyed Mary Shelley and her innovation and curiosity. She was an excellent character and very entertaining to read about.

This book is a wonderful look at the history of the year 1918. It looks into society at that time, medical beliefs, and spiritual beliefs. We get to see women starting to take their place as workers in society. We get to see the strange medical practices people thought would keep the flu away. It is a period of time where humanity is struggling to go on with life.

The whole story has this mystical paranormal element woven through as well which makes things even more intriguing. It's mostly a mystery but is also a fascinating glimpse into history. There are wonderful photographs from that year throughout which add a lot to the story. In fact the whole book is really well designed so I recommend reading it in paper format.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I honestly think I enjoyed the setting and the history more than the actual story about Spiritualists conning people and about Mary Shelley's ghostly abilities. I however really did enjoy Mary Shelley as a character and found the story to be very engaging. I would recommend as a good read to everyone; this book gives an excellent look at the year 1918, the Spanish influenza, and American culture during World War I...all in a story that is very engaging.

Share/Like this Review?