Son of Shadow: Blog Tour

I’m back again with another blog tour, this time for a book I’ve really enjoyed! Thank you to Dave from The Write Reads for including me in this tour, and to Eye and Lightning and John Lenahan for providing an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

The Blurb:

A world of faeries, leprechauns and dragons – and magic fueled by the blood of trees.

A mystery portal to the Real World.

And a pair of curious young adventurers who know they shouldn’t step through it…

Meet Fergal the Second, nicknamed ‘two’. Or ‘Doe’, in his own language. He can do magic. But, for the moment, he’s forgotten where he’s from. Or what’s happened to his blind friend Ruby.

He’s actually from Tir na Nog, the enchanted world of Shadowmagic, where a new generation of the royal House of Duir are cheeking their parents, preparing for adulthood and itching to see the Real World for themselves – whatever the peril.

The Review:
As I’ve already mentioned, I really enjoyed this book. I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed it! This book is split into three parts, which are done really well, and I enjoyed the order in which we learned about Doe’s life. I didn’t know much about the legend of Tir na Nog, but this book has sparked my interest in it, especially as I currently live in Ireland. I’d love to learn more about these Celtic myths now, and more about some of the creatures mentioned.

I enjoyed all of the characters in this book, especially Doe. He interacts with a lot of really interesting characters and in a lot of different settings which is great to read about. I especially liked his first encounter with pizza in the Real World! Doe is such a likable character who wants to protect his friends and family, and seek out adventure, learning more about the two worlds he is aware of.

I’ve not read many fantasies that have portal magic, but this was done really well. I liked the way the magic system worked, where gold fueled spells, and how certain spells were performed. I loved how many creatures were mentioned or seen throughout this book as well, especially Frankie, the Brownie. I loved seeing how Frankie mixed with Stony, Ruby, and Doe, and how their friendship dynamics changed throughout. I think this book focused strongly on the relationships Doe formed, and I loved that! I loved the addition of Sarah as well, she was so interesting and I loved seeing how Tir na Nog and the Real World crossed over.

The settings in this book were excellent – I loved the contrast between the Real World and Tir na Nog. The way the Land worked and was split was very interesting, and I’d be interested to learn more about the history of it. I think I’ll have to pick up the previous trilogy now!

Overall I gave this book 4 stars, and I will definitely be picking up the Shadowmagic trilogy, which focuses on Doe’s dad I believe! This was a great book, and I have a feeling it’ll be a series as well. If so, I can’t wait to read more of Doe’s adventures, especially after the ending!

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