Review: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines #5)

Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5)
Richelle Mead
Published: July 29, 2014 (Razorbill)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Chelsea

Rating (out of 5): 5 stars

Note: While this review will remain spoiler-free, it will assume you’ve read the previous books in the Bloodlines series. If you haven’t, take a peek at our review for Bloodlines, the first book in the series.

Silver Shadows is the darkest book in the Bloodlines series to date. It’s also the best. Richelle Mead has deftly woven painful, deep scenes with breaths of warmth, light and hope.

Longtime fans of Mead’s work will know she tends to go for the gut punch and the tears on the emotional roller coaster. I’ve never been one to really complain about that. However, the balance of light and dark in this novel is, simply, better. Part of that comes from the shift of this series to dual points of view. Adrian, who so long has been besieged by his own demons and the depression brought on by his spirit use, becomes a point of light this time. His chapters are the scenes that let us breathe in this book, and even when he makes mistakes he’s nothing short of a source of hope.

The ending of The Fiery Heart was wicked. If you thought we would escape seeing Sydney in re-education camp, you’d be wrong. She’s in solitary confinement when the novel begins, and her torture—both mental and physical—continues for chapters and chapters. It’s heavy, and painful, but her love for Adrian keeps her whole. She is strong and has become a character you can’t help but admire. She’s grown so much over the last five novels, and you’ll want to rally behind her as she does her best for others even in the midst of Hell.

Adrian has his own struggles, but his top goal is saving Sydney. I didn’t think I could be more in love with Adrian Ivashkov, but Silver Shadows did it. It doesn’t matter that this novel has scenes of torture; it’s a romance through and through. The power of love is a big deal here. It helps us grounded and centered and provides the hope that we can survive.

I “one more chapter”-ed the last 150 pages of this novel. You will, too.

Sexual content: Sex