ARC Book Review: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Title: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5)
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill/ Penguin Books Australia
Release Date: 29th July 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Format: E-book
Page Count: 380 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley
Rating:

Sydney and Adrian have been torn apart, and now Sydney’s missing with no hint where she is. Adrian’s been dragged back to Court where he sabotages all the progress he’s made with his bi-polar and spirit use before tearing apart the world to find the woman he loves. Can our two lovebirds have their happily ever after?

Silver Shadows, despite forcing our lovebirds apart for large amounts of time, is probably one of the best book in the Bloodlines series, and most certainly the most romantic. Sydney kicks all kinds of ass as she’s trapped in the Alchemist’s re-education centre, a black hole of idiocy, torture, and pseudo-religious-fuelled propaganda that attempts to control the minds of perfectly functioning people. Adrian, understandably, falls completely apart, but to give him credit where it is due he does pick himself back up t become Sydney’s knight in shining armour.

I was completely horrified at the torture Sydney was put through as the Alchemists attempted to control her thoughts and heart. It’s very imaginative, and I commend Mead for finally showing us the horror of re-education, and the depths of the Alchemists’ evil. Sydney was so strong the entire time. She’s always been mentally strong, and she has such a good heart that I was really rooting for her to succeed and outsmart everyone, or just to hold one for a little while longer because I knew Adrian and Eddie would do anything to save her.

It was interesting watching Adrian back at court and basking in the drunken glory of being Lord Ivashkov. I understand why the weird love triangle was written, because after understanding that Sydney fell for Adrian’s charms and good looks, it’s easy to understand that any young girl would. I just really, really hope this doesn’t turn the poor third wheel into a villain in the next book. Although most of the novel was really focused on Sydney’s horrible torture time and Adrian’s subsequent breakdown, we also managed to get a bit more of the spirit-magic Strigoi vaccine plot moved forward, although of course it wasn’t concluded.

I would have been perfectly happy with this book being the final in the series if not the final page twist that means I’m going to rip into the Ruby Circle when it’s available. I feel that Sydney and Adrian’s romance has concluded, even though there are a few plot threads still loose that might threaten them. There are a few plot threads left over from Vampire Academy that’s still unconcluded. Of course, if the Ruby Circle is really the final novel in the Vampire Academy universe I will be so sad. I love this world so much and I’d really love even another six book spin-off series exploring more of the world. Otherwise I’ll just have to re-read the whole series over and over and over again.

Thanks to Razorbill/ Penguin Books Australia and Netgalley for providing a free advanced reader’s copy for an honest review.

About Nemo

A lover of kittens and all things sparkly, Nemo has a degree in English Literature and specialises in reviewing contemporary, paranormal, mystery/thriller, historical, sci-fi and fantasy Young Adult fiction. She is especially drawn to novels about princesses, strong female friendships, magical powers, and assassins.