Shifter and Shadow by Sharon Shinn
Sharon Shinn wrote released Mystic and Rider, the first novel in her Twelve Houses series, in 2005 and I have been a fan since the very beginning. The series follows a small group of people across four books, each focusing on a different person. When a fifth book was released in 2008, I was devastated to find out that it was not from Donnal's point of view (he was the only person in the group without his own book), but instead followed a secondary character on her own journey. Don't get me wrong, I still really liked that novel, but I have been waiting for Donnal's story for nearly two decades... and now I finally get it! In the form of a novella that takes place between The Thirteenth House and Dark Moon Defender, we get the long awaited (at least by me) Shifter and Shadow. It deals with infidelity, terminal illness, grief, and child death.
When the dazzling serramarra Kirra Danalustrous fell in love with another man, it broke Donnal's loyal heart. He had been her steadfast companion since they were children and Donnal was chosen to be tutored alongside Kirra even though their backgrounds were so different. Kirra is the daughter of nobility, Donnal the son of peasants, but both of them were able to switch their shapes at will. But watching her give her own heart away was too much for Donnal. He chose to leave, but he couldn't stay away and waited just out of sight, never thinking that Kirra would choose to leave the man she fell in love with. But now, with her own heart broken, Donnal has rejoined Kirra on her journey to Dorrin Isle, where families with children afflicted a mysterious, incurable illness have gathered. Kirra thinks she can help them and Donnal knows there is no place for him except for next to Kirra's side. It's too hard for him to be a man around her, to talk to her, so he stays in the familiar shape of a shaggy but friendly black dog. But once on Dorrin Isle, he realizes it may be impossible to help either Kirra or the patients while staying in that shape and protecting himself from further hurt.
Okay, Donnal has always been a favorite of mine. I'm drawn to a strong, silent character - which is ironic because my own husband is always talking. But as a quieter character, Donnal is often overshadowed by the glamorous Kirra and the loudmouth Justin. This novella was such a wonderful way to get to know Donnal on a more intimate level and I loved it. It was not a long story, but Sharon Shinn once again managed to lure me right back into her universe and made me care about new characters. A terrific way to tie up Donnal and Kirra's story, and just the thing my little heart needed. I'm eager to reread the series now, and I can't wait to be reintroduced to some of my favorite characters.
I'm giving Shifter and Shadow 4.5 stars out of 5. I would not recommend starting with this book if you've never read the series, but I would definitely recommend reading the series because it is wonderful and often overlooked. The summary for Shifter and Shadow is up on our Twelve Houses series page, with the other books coming soon.
For more from Sharon Shinn, I encourage you to check out her work at https://sharonshinn.info/
Pairs well with dried fruit and nut cake and saying the things that a hard. Maybe especially those things.
My favorite quotes:
"Some people think the only way to keep themselves safe is to get rid of the people they're afraid of."
"They were so intertwined they could never be separate, and they were so far apart they could never be together."
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