Shadow Creatures

I received this from NetGalley and I absolutely loved it! Probably the first book I have ever read about Norway’s occupation during the Second World War. Incredibly interesting to see how that country fared - dare I say much better than most! Although I say that entirely based on this one group of people. Liva especially was a wonderful character to read about and I enjoyed her chapters the most. I am definitely keen to read more from this author, as well as being now on the lookout for more on Scandinavia during WWII.

I love Chris Vick's writing and really enjoyed this historical adventure story based in occupied Norway in World War Two. The story of the small coastal village is told from the point of view of sisters Tove and Liva who are 12 and 9 at the start of the book but who age as the story goes on through the war. It has the expansiveness of Girl, Boy, Sea in the way that the story doesn't feel pinned down to any strict narrative formulas yet still keeps you avidly turning the pages. I also loved the easy way that he wove in traditional folk tales and legends into the story both to add authenticity but also as a symbol for the cultural significance of such things when you are being oppressed. Towards the end of the book the story goes to some dark places, especially when the girl's older friend, Agna, is imprisoned and questioned, but it is sensitively written.

Shadow Creatures is the story of a small village in Norway during World War Two and is inspired by the real events of members of the author's family. It follows two sisters, Tove and Liva; their brother, Haakon; another girl, Agna and the role they all played in challenging the Nazi soldiers who set up an internment camp for Russian prisoners on a small, nearby island.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read a lot about the Second World War - both fiction and non-fiction - but this is the first I've read about Norway's part and I found this really interesting. I also enjoyed how the author has woven fairy tales and 'underjordiske' - shadow creatures - into the story.

I love Chris Vick books and this one did not disappoint. A very different theme to lots of his other stories but it was a welcome change. Set during the Second World War in Norway, this is a story of resilience, courage, and determination. I really enjoyed the different narrative voices and the characters, and their different personalities, were brought to live on the page. The line ‘they were only interested in what you are, not who’ really resonated with me, especially considering all of the awful behaviour in the country at the moment! Definitely one to recommend to my pupils so they learn the message that we are all human beings and therefore deserve to be treated equally and fairly.

We really enjoyed this book. I like to introduce the children to history and how others lived during various periods of history. I love that there can be some educational aspect to a childrens novel. This had that and excitement and intrigue in bucket loads. We will be buying this to put on our carefully curated bookshelf.