The Shadow Thieves

It has been far too long since a review has been posted on this blog and that, sad to say, is entirely my fault. I completely dropped the ball when it was my turn to review. I shall endeavor to do better next time. In the meantime, here's a review!

My sister gave me The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu for Christmas. Well, when I read it, I wondered (as I often do) why it had taken me so long to read it. The book is utterly delightful!

The book tells the story of middle-schooler Charlotte Mielswetzski (pronounced Meals-wet-ski) and her cousin Zee who find themselves knee-deep in mythological mayhem when they discover that someone is stealing the shadows of the all of the local children. As they are the heroes of our story, they decide to do something about it and, before long, find themselves on an unusual adventure into the Underworld.

The book is laugh-out-loud hilarious from start to finish. Ursu's quips and sarcasm bring a fun and wacky element to the mythological world that is very enjoyable. There are some pretty creepy moments that would be a lot creepier if they weren't coated with Ursu's fresh sense of humor. Both of her main characters are unique and completely likeable. I've read several mythologically-inspired books lately and I especially like Ursu's take on the myths and the characters.

Which Greek god do you wish were immortalized more often in fiction?