Review: Into the Shadows by Karly Kirkpatrick
If only dreams did not come true
Not knowing quite what to expect from this new author, I was pleasantly surprised. The beginning of the book opens with what seems to be a nightmare, but we soon discover that the main character, Paivi, can sometimes see visions of the future from her dreams. About five years before she starts high school, she has a nightmare or vision of her best friend’s mom dying in a car accident. She awakes horrified and tells her parents. She has had dreams before that came true, so she wants to warn her friend’s mom so that she doesn’t die. To her horror, her parents tell her she cannot tell anyone about this.
Paivi is a very in depth character and reading this book, you really come to feel what she is feeling, as her thoughts and reactions are described very well and she is easy to connect to. She cares so much about those around her that she sometimes even cares more about them than she does about herself. This can be a good or bad thing, but it becomes dangerous when her world turns upside down and she learns that there are others like her, who have special abilities. But they must keep it a secret.
But the secret gets revealed. And now her very life is in danger. The Red Scare and The Salem Witch Trials are combined together and thrown into modern times with fears of “terrorists”, and it soon becomes like Nazi Germany. It becomes a normal thing for classmates and even friends to turn against the people who were declared “enemies of the state.” It is very scary how realistic this is and how it happens-it shows it can very well happen now. Even the principal of the school is no longer able to protect his students, or else he will also be declared an enemy of the state. Everyone lives in fear and fear breeds hate.
You are the enemy
Anyone who tries to protect them, defend them or stand up for them in any way is violently pushed back and warned about putting their own necks on the line. Other students so easily turn against her. She tries to blend in and follow the rules, not wanting to be arrested or put anyone else in danger for her.
When her parents are in danger of being arrested, the world for her and the other “enemies of the state” becomes completely unrecognizable. And when Paivi and her younger brother have to fight to survive on their own, the situation looks even worse. With few people left to trust and not wanting to put anyone in danger, what else can you do to survive in a world that has turned against you?
Could this really happen?
This book will open your eyes to the horror of how fast this can happen and how people could very well react and be led to do anything for fear of the “terrorist” or the “enemy” and for fear of the consequences of standing up for what is right. Definitely a great read, a thrilling adventure, very thought provoking and while it has some emotional road bumps, it is very much worth it and I would recommend you add it to your to-be-read-next pile.
For information on this author, click here. Book 2 of the trilogy, Darkness Rising will be coming out in 2012. She also has another book coming out, The Green. Stay tuned for reviews and for the latest updates- please follow or sign up for email updates at the top right!
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