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3.5 

Chasing Shadows

By Swati Avasthi & Craig Phillips
Chasing Shadows by Swati Avasthi & Craig Phillips digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

“A superb novel about grief, friendship, and mental illness, mixing in graphic-novel elements and themes from Hindu mythology.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
Corey, Holly, and Savitri are closer than family until a random act of violence shatters their world. A gunman shoots at their car, leaving Corey dead, Holly in a coma, and Savitri the sole witness to the crime.
 
When Holly wakes up, she is changed—determined to hunt down Corey’s killer, whatever the cost. Savitri fears that Holly is running wild, losing her grip on reality. Friends should stand by each other in times of crisis. But can you hold on too tight? Too long?
 
Swati Avasthi delivers a riveting novel that will appeal to fans of Laini Taylor and Laurie Halse Anderson.
 
“Haunting, mesmerizing and intense.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred
 
“[A] visceral story of love, grief, and madness that is both action-packed and psychologically acute.” —The Horn Book

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36 Reviews

3.5
“Chasing Shadows really surprised me with how enveloping the story turned out to be and left me with chills. Centering around two high school seniors who must deal with the aftermath of the death of someone very near and dear to them, Chasing Shadows spins a fast paced and unique story of loss, recovery, and mental illness. The backdrop of Chasing Shadows is Chicago which Holly, Corey, and Savitri have turned into their freerunning haven. This is the first book I have read with freerunning incorporated and now I need more. The passages where Savitri and Holly are sprinting and leaping are so much fun to read, even when it’s in the middle of something heavy. When I first started this novel I had no idea that it was going to have graphic novel type sections, and I must say I loved it’s incorporation. It is used during Holly’s chapters and sort of marks her slow decent into mental illness, but I think being able to see what she was seeing made her pov seem more ‘real’ even though it’s clearly unreliable. The whole journey that Avasthi takes us on is full of emotion, ranging from exhilaration and love to panic and fear. The friendship between Holly and Savitri is at the forefront of this novel. It focuses on how close they were, how the death of Corey begins to tear them apart and glue them back together into something else entirely. It touches on how sometimes friendships become bad for you, and how even though it hurts letting go might be for the best. Overall Chasing Shadows was a pleasant surprise that left me wanting more from this author. I loved the setting, the incorporation of mental illness, and even though parts of this tore my heart out I enjoyed seeing how Savitri and Holly dealt with their grief.”

About Swati Avasthi

SWATI AVASTHI is the author of the highly acclaimed novel Split, winner of the IRA Book Award and the Cybils Award. Ms. Avasthi received her MFA from the University of Minnesota and currently teaches in Hamline University’s MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two children. Visit her at swatiavasthi.com.
 
CRAIG PHILLIPS is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared on book jackets, in publications like Rolling Stone, and on tour posters for bands, including the Foo Fighters and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He lives in New Zealand with his family.

Other books by Swati Avasthi

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