Conspiracy of Ravens: The Shadow, Book Two (Shadow, #2)

by Lila Bowen

'I don't care what else you've seen in the bookstore today. Read this one' - Kevin Hearne

Following the thrilling and critically acclaimed Wake of Vultures comes the next spellbinding novel in the Shadow series - a tale of the supernatural world hiding beneath the surface.

Nettie Lonesome jumped off a cliff, not knowing what she'd become. She's still not sure, but the destiny of the Shadow is calling her to help someone she'd just as soon watch die. Her new sidekick, an annoying shifter named Earl, is hellbent on finding the Rangers. He's just escaped a railroad camp where monsters are held captive, their very bones used to fuel the tracks scarring Nettie's wild, beloved Durango. And he wants revenge. Nettie, now facing the truth of her own identity and going by Rhett, must decide whether to side with her friends and the badge on her chest or take off alone on the dangerous mission pulling her inexplicably toward the fight of her life.

When it comes to monsters and men, the world isn't black and white. What good are two wings and a gun when your enemy can command a conspiracy of ravens?

• ISBN10: 0356506584
• ISBN13: 9780356506586
• Publish Date: 13 October 2016 (first published 11 October 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Orbit
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[Berls]

Another DNF :(

After how much I loved the first book, I'm sad to say I had to DNF this one. I probably could have pushed myself to finish it - it wasn't horrible (hence 2 stars despite my DNF), I just lost interest. It was in many ways a repeat plot - same story, different bad guys - and that just lost my interest.

I continue to be interested, however, in the way that Lila Bowen is writing the complexities of a transgender individual. On one hand, there's this marvelous point in this book where a mental shift happens and our main character is no longer thinking of themselves in the feminine - suddenly she isn't a woman struggling with wanting to be a man; now he is a man, trapped firmly in a man's body. I loved this moment, though I have no idea how the trans community would feel about it.

On the other hand, I disliked that with this change in thinking about himself he also seemed to have a kind of personality transplant - at least sexually. The person who was once awkward about sex now seems comfortable with sex and not in a "I'm finally comfortable in my head" kind of way but in a "I'm a man and men rut around" kind of way.

Anyway, I lost interest, but I could see it being worthy of continued reading.