Swann, Christopher. 2017. Shadow of the Lions. New York, NY: Algonquin Books, an imprint of Workman Publishing Company. ISBN: 978-1616205003. $26.95 USD.
It took me a few tries, but when I finally got into Shadow of the Lions, I read it straight through.
I love campus novels and that was what intrigued me about this title. An author, Matthias Glass, whose life is imploding, takes a job as a teacher at his high school alma mater where years earlier his best friend Fritz inexplicably disappeared from campus, never to be seen again. The author does a great job of describing the impact this tragedy had on the lives of Matthias and the other characters in the book.
There are several unexpected revelations that I did not see coming - always a plus! And the resolution of the book is extremely satisfying. My only small criticism is that the pacing was a little off at times, which affected the flow of the novel. However, this is a debut and Mr. Swann will continue to hone his craft. Overall, it was a truly enjoyable read, and I became invested in the main characters and the outcome.
Kelly--I'm just now reading this. Thank you so much!
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