Master of Shadows
Janet Lorimer
Reviewed by Sabrina Williams
Ariel McPherson consistently reminds herself that life is not a fairy
tale throughout Janet Lorimer's novel Master of Shadows. The irony is
that she is actually living out a fairy tale—Lorimer's modern version
of Beauty and the Beast. Through Ariel, readers can return to the bliss
and escapism of Prince Charming and "Once upon a time..." stories.
Legends permeate the rural village where Ariel and her mother Ada have
found themselves living after years of luxury and abundance. One such
legend tells of a beast that walks and talks like a man and haunts the
forest by the full moon.
"They say there's a beast that lives in those woods. A horrible
creature that tears out men's hearts and eats them while they're still
warm and beating."
Another tells of spring water with healing properties that can be found
in the very same forest. It is the prospect of finding this miraculous
spring that leads Ariel into a journey of magic and mystery, despite
the threat of the beast lurking in the shadows.
The enchantment of the forest cannot last forever, as critical matters
at home demand her attention. Murder and deception are threatening her
"happily ever after." Everyone harbors secrets, but some may prove
deadly if Ariel doesn't uncover them in time.
"Be not deceived by appearances, Princess. Sometimes a beast hides in
the shadow of a soul; sometimes a beast masks it. Look into your heart
to find the truth."
Lorimer incorporates mystery into the novel with skill. Nothing is as
it seems and just when the puzzle seems to be coming together, she
propels the story with another twist. Master of Shadows contains a
magic of its own, transporting the reader to childhood, where being a
princess is not an impossible dream and chivalry is alive and well.
Ariel flits back and forth between fantasy and reality, but neither is
absolute and eventually the two will coalesce. Creating her own reality
and rejecting the one she has been given is part of Ariel's journey.
Patience and courage will carry her through.