In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

In the Shadow of Blackbirds

by Cat Winters

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. At her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?Featuring haunting archival early-20th-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

Reviewed by pagingserenity on

5 of 5 stars

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I received this book for free from NetGalley, courtesy of ABRAMS Kids, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. For more reviews like this and other content, visit Paging Serenity.


Iron Cast tells the story of two girls, Corinne and Ada, in Boston 1919, when the city is cracking down hemopaths, those with special abilities. The story Destiny Soria is just as special as the abilities that Corinne and Ada possess. Iron Cast is by far, one of the best books I’ve read all year.


I really loved reading Iron Cast. It did take a few chapters to draw me in completely, but once it did, I could not set it down. The writing, plot, and characters were all intricately woven together to create one satisfying story. In a historical fiction world, with a dash of fantasy, I really appreciated the fact that there were very, very few information dumps. Instead, there are clues scattered here and there that allowed me to get the whole idea. This kept the story from dragging on, especially since the beginning was a bit slow already.


The first half of the story really focused more on the world and the characters and their relationships with one another. Then the plot picks up and the story moves forwards at full speed. The story managed to feel more unique and original than many others in the same genre. I especially loved the blend of fantasy, mystery, history, and action that the plot contains. This is a book that I think could be turned into a very good movie.


As much as I love the plot and the writing, they are not my favorite aspects of Iron Cast . Nope, I love the characters and their relationships way more. I loved the deep sisterly friendship Corinne and Ada share. It was one of the most well-developed relationships that I’ve read in a novel for a long time. I also really enjoyed the fact that every character, not just Corinne and Ada, had their own distinctive personalities, history, and motives, which helped not only to drive the story but help the plot make sense.


In conclusion, Iron Cast is a really special book with well developed characters, relationships, and plot, all created by intricate writing. A unique blend of fantasy, history, mystery, and action makes it a book I would read again without hesitation, even if it does start off a bit slow at first.

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