Review: Great First Novel!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 22, 2012
Something happened when Iris was fourteen.  Something bad, apparently, because since her fourteenth birthday, Iris has been able to see shadows.  Not the sun's going down and you're casting a shadow type - the scary, mind-numbing type that cause depression, hatred and life changing events.  She's never told her best friends about it but they know she doesn't do crowds any more and absolutely hates to go places like the Mall.Lexi and Nicole are always supportive, as Iris is to them but things begin to change when Iris gets her first boyfriend and the schematics of her life evolve.  Also evolving is her English teacher who is new to the school this year and is a handsome man who seems to understand everything. Could he possibly?This first-person YA novel was a quick one to read but had a lot of thought-provoking ideas as well.  Could people's actions be caused by shadows from places below us?  Could they be trying to take control?  How do we stop them?  What can one 17-yr-old do?For a first novel, this one was a treasure.  Hopefully there will be more like it because I'm not really sure that Iris and crew are ready to be "shelved!"