School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Kira is almost 13 and, by law and at her parents' insistence, must be married by her birthday or be sent to prison. She is devastated as she secretly dreams of working with dragons, though she knows it's illegal. She goes for a walk, followed by her younger sister, Elspeth, who tends to shadow Kira's every move. While they are gone, their family is captured by Lord Dorcan, who believes that Kira's father has wronged him. Her father and brother are sent to the dragon army, a sister is imprisoned, and their mother is made a servant. Kira and Elspeth flee to a mountain where a rogue dragon lives, and Elspeth's powers with animals allow them to tame one of his offspring. The girls are befriended by a wizard who tells them of a prophecy that a girl with a dragon will bring down the king. The sisters and their brother Dane separately begin to bring about what the king fears most: the loss of his kingdom and power. The story alternates narratives between Kira and Dane, which serves to heighten the suspense as things race toward a confrontation. At times the events seem a bit too convenient, but on the whole the adventure is exciting and fast paced. The characters are well rounded and believable. Shadow will be popular with fans of Anne McCaffrey's "Harper Hall" trilogy (S & S).-Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Entering the crowded field of middle-grade high-fantasy series featuring feisty heroines and dragons, this largely predictable first novel fails to distinguish itself from the herd. The setting is a generic rural kingdom where girls are forbidden to read and must marry by age 13. After evil Lord Dorcon torches the family farm and marches their parents and siblings off to serve the king, Kira, 12, and Elspeth, seven, magically able to communicate with animals, evade capture in a cave on a mountain that's home to a rogue dragon and its mate. During their cave sojourn, the girls rescue and raise the dragons' hatchling, but pursued by Dorcon and the hatchling's parents, they flee again, this time to the castle of Paradon, a wizard with an uneven track record. In a second plotline, their brother Dane, whose ambition is farming, is drafted into the dragon-riding arm of the military. Charactersthe dragons exceptedare flat. The story comes to life whenever the girls escape, but adult characters repeatedly step in and take the initiative from them, making this an ultimately disempowering contribution to the genre. (Fantasy. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Twelve-year-old Kira and her family struggle in a totalitarian society ruled by a misogynist king. Governed by First Law, all women must be married by the age of 13 and are forbidden to use weapons or train with dragons. After the king's advisor Lord Dorcon arrives at the family farm and arrests Kira's family, Kira and her younger sister, Elspeth, escape and go into hiding, where they adopt a baby dragon that provides protection. As the king sends men to war, including Kira's brother, Kira and Elspeth must defy their enemies to save their family, thus setting off a chain reaction that will change the kingdom forever. In the first book in the Shadow of the Dragon series, O'Hearn creates a fantasy world with relativities to history, including connections to World War II. With plenty of exciting action sequences, this debut fantasy will appeal to girls clamoring for a hearty heroine, and the cliff-hanger ending will have readers checking the release date for the next book.--Garnick, Kimberly Copyright 2009 Booklist
