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Something extraordinary is about to happen to Charlotte Mielswetzski.
It's not the very cute kitten that appears out of nowhere. It's not the arrival of her cousin Zee, who believes he's the cause of a mysterious sickness that has struck his friends back in England. And it's not the white-faced, yellow-eyed men in tuxedos who follow Charlotte everywhere. What's so extraordinary is not any one of these things. It's all of them.
When Charlotte's friends start to get sick, Charlotte and Zee set out to find a cure. Their quest leads them to a not-so-mythical Underworld, where they face Harpies that love to rhyme, gods with personnel problems, and ghosts with a thirst for blood.
Charlotte and Zee learn that in a world overrun by Nightmares, Pain, and Death, the really dangerous character is a guy named Phil. And then they discover that the fate of every person -- living and dead -- is in their hands.
- Sales Rank: #124769 in Books
- Brand: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
- Published on: 2007-04-24
- Released on: 2007-04-24
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 7.63" h x 1.20" w x 5.13" l, .63 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 432 pages
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-9-With a wit and cynicismthat will enchant most readers, Ursu weaves an extraordinary tale filled with Greek gods, sick and shadowless children, and a plot to overthrow the Lord of the Dead. Charlotte Mielswetzki is in such a bad mood that she doesn't notice a freakish man in a tuxedo following her home from school. But something extraordinary is about to happen. Charlotte's cousin Zee lives in England, where all of his friends are becoming mysteriously and seriously ill. Sent to Charlotte's family in America, he discovers that the same thing is happening to his new friends. It turns out that Philonecron, born in the Underworld, is determined to overthrow Hades and builds an army from children's stolen shadows, getting at them through Zee. The quick-paced novel takes readers on a danger-filled journey from the Midwest to Hades, where Charlotte and Zee make their final stand against the evil threatening to destroy the world of the dead. The Shadow Thieves is a great addition to this newly popular Greek-myth genre. Readers of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (Hyperion) and Jane Yolen's Young Heroes series (HarperCollins) will delight in this new helping of myth-based fiction.-Lisa Marie Williams, Fairfax County Public Library System, Reston, VA
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. Forget heaven and hell, the Greek underworld isn't a myth! When it's time to leave the corporeal world, everyone makes the journey to Hades' realm, where they spend eternity as a Shade, first waiting in line to cross the river Styx, and thereafter roaming aimlessly. All is status quo until power-hungry Philonecron resolves to reanimate the dead with blood from the living, create an army from the shadows of living children, and usurp Hades' throne. Enter Charlotte Mielswetzski, unwitting accomplice; her cousin Zee, a boy with an unusual bloodline and an unusual shadow; and a kitten named Mew. The cousins come to understand they are at the center of a nefarious underworldly plot, and must protect themselves, foil Philonecron, and reunite the children with their shadows. This story is charmingly silly, but has enough serious moments to carry the plot forward. It unwinds with such unabashed cheerfulness and gusto that readers will find much to enjoy, especially if they can connect with its mythological base. Holly Koelling
Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"(A) flashy debut...Ursu draws her characters with broad, nimble-witted strokes..." -- Kirkus Reviews Spring/Summer Preview
"...genuinely creates excitement not only about itself but about what might follow..." -- Chicago Tribune, 2/26/06
"..genuinely creates excitement not only about itself but about what might follow..." -- Chicago Tribune, 2/28/06
"A fast-paced action adventure...this Greek-themed frolic is set apart by the voice of its omniscient narrator." -- Horn Book, March/April 2006
"A fun and funny tale of youthful heroism." -- Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2006
Most helpful customer reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful.
Shadows dark against the wall
By E. R. Bird
Anne Ursu has penned two adult novels as of this review. With the understanding that adult authors are often completely incapable of writing children's books (to say nothing of children's fantasy novels) I approached, "The Shadow Thieves" with the greatest of trepidation. The first in a series called, "The Cronus Chronicles" (a particularly interesting name when you consider that Cronus never makes an appearance), the book yet another addition in the Greek mythology trend sweeping libraries and bookshelves nationwide. "The Lightening Thief" and "Corydon" were just some of the first of these. What sets "The Shadow Thieves" apart is that we're looking at a whole new setting. It's Hades, ladies and gents! And Ursu, for the record, is doing a fabulous job of bringing its various charms to our attention.
Two kids. Two stories. On the one hand you have Charlotte. She's been having kind of a crappy time of it at school. She's not popular, she doesn't like her new English teacher, and she didn't get into the school play. So when she finds a new kitten, she feels a little better. And when her cousin Zee comes to live with her family (and he's cool) things seem okay. Of course there's that thing where all the kids in school have started getting some bizarre wasting disease. Add onto that Zee's story, and suddenly things don't seem so hunky-dory after all. Apparently Zee has provided a supervillain by the name of Philonecron (call him Phil) with the means of raising the ultimate army. The army is made out of the shadows of children and with it he means to conquer Hades. Yup, you heard me. Hades is real. The Greek gods are real. And it's basically up to two kids to save humanity from a fate worse than death.
I got one word for you: compelling. Ursu knows how to set up suspense, drama, and a great deal of fear. Her bad guy is bad. Her good guys are conflicted. And most importantly? The entire endeavor is shot through with a healthy dose of humor. Sometimes this can be a little much. The narration is fond of putting in a word or a joke where words and jokes are not necessarily needed. But by and large I was relieved to find myself enjoying the story thoroughly. Standing at a healthy 424 pages, the book is actually quite a quick read. The illustrations at the beginning of the chapters don't hurt a bit either.
One of the nicest things about, "The Shadow Thieves" is the fact that while you can see a sequel as coming, the first book doesn't leave you hanging. Some fantasy series ("Door of Time" I'm looking at YOU) use their first book merely as a set-up for future titles. Ursu doesn't do that. Honestly, "The Shadow Thieves" could be a stand alone novel and it wouldn't be any the worse for it. Maybe a little depressing, considering what happens to us all when we die (think harpies), but no more so than the existence meted out in Philip Pullman's, "The Amber Spyglass". Ursu writes at a steady clip without sacrificing character or emotional resonance to plot.
Being a former resident of Minnesota I was pleased as punch to see that wonderful area of the country finally given a little attention kiddie lit-wise. And what better place to put the door to the underworld than in The Mall of America? Oddly, Ursu never calls it "The Mall of America" in so many words. It's just "The Mall" (which makes me wonder if legal issues came up in some way). Not that it's hard to recognize. Legoland and the late-lamented (but now glorified forever thanks to this book) Cereal playground. The amusement park, the movie theater, and the fact that The Mall is located near the airport? It could only be one place and that place could only contain the door to the Underworld itself.
2006 seems to be the year of the shadow thefts. You have it in "The Shadow Thieves", Dave Barry's lamentable, "Peter and the Shadow Thieves", and Larry DiFiori's amusing picture book, "Jackie and the Shadow Snatcher". It never rains but it pours. Now far be it from me to point out some of the more familiar aspects in this tale, but bear with me. In this book the villain Philonecron has multiple deadly servants. They are tall with bald heads and they wear superb tuxes. They also go around stealing shadows from children, sometimes by reaching into those kids' very chests. Oh, and by and large they do not speak. Now anybody who's ever seen the best-known "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" episode entitled, "Hush", will realize that I'm describing The Gentlemen. I don't think Ursu actually ripped off "Buffy", but the similarities are striking. Add onto that the fact that Phil likes to call Zee "Zero". Zero is a black character in "Holes" of African-American descent. Zee too is black. And then there's the whole shadow stealing business. That in particular seems similar to the work done in "His Dark Materials" by the Oblation Board. But again, these are just some tropes of the genre. Ursu has a highly original head on her shoulders. Just don't get too surprised if something becomes familiar here or there.
So how old a readership are we talking here? Well, this puppy fall squarely into the middle readership category. Which is to say, kids anywhere from eight to eighteen might get a kick out of it. There's a kind of gruesome sequence involving someone getting Prometheus's fate (though you never actually SEE his liver get gnawed on) and some threats lobbed by the bad guy, but all in all this puppy's fairly gore-free. Definitely a good title for those kids suffering Percy Jackson withdrawl. Fun book. Fun new author. Fun time.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
A chapter book for summer reading for the grandkids!
By Kindle Customer
OK, I'm not a kid. In fact, I am a 65-year-old grandmother.
That said, I am also looking for a summer read for the various DGC's who stop by for a chapter or two most afternoons. You know, front porch, fan breeze, iced tea and soft drinks, sometimes a store-bought cookie or two. Or even a homemade something-or-other, if the older DGC's want to make one, then eat it.
This is it. They'll LOVE it!
I like the idea that the story can stand by itself--no cliff-hangers here. Especially since we're going to have to wait a year for the next volume, then another year for the third one. (Harry Potter, anyone?)
Then, the humor will definitely appeal to my pre- and early-teen DGC's--it did to me! Having worked many years in bureaucracies (as we all do, these days) Hades was very familiar, and more apt than most kids are likely to realize!
The writing is good. There's enough suspense to prickle the neck, but not so much as to give nightmares to the littlest ones. (I wouldn't give Neal Gaimon's CORALINE to a really sensitive child, for instance, and I hae me doots about several others . . . .) On the other hand, have you SEEN what cartoons are like on TV these days? Sheesh.
I suspect that many conservative Christians will have great trouble with the premise of the book--that the Greek version of the afterlife is the 'real' one, but remember, this is fiction!
I think kids ALWAYS understand the difference, if one explains.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
A smart, hilarious, and entertaining tale based on famous Greek myths
By KidsReads
Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Mielswetzski wouldn't call herself a liar --- she prefers the term "storyteller." By adding just a bit of imagination and a good straight face, she can weave herself out of any trouble she finds herself in --- at least until now. Strange and unbelievable circumstances begin to alter Charlotte's world, and nothing could have prepared her for what she must face.
First, Charlotte discovers an adorable kitten --- or does the kitten discover Charlotte? Then, the weird, tuxedo-wearing fellow hiding in the bushes doesn't seem very normal. Plus, Charlotte's new English teacher, Mr. Metos, resembles a vampire a little too much for comfort. And when Charlotte's cousin Zee comes to live with them, one of the first things he asks her is if her friends are getting sick. But then Charlotte's classmates do start becoming ill, one by one, until the education board decides to close the school. Zee tells her that the same thing happened at his school; all the kids except him came down with some mysterious disease.
One evening, on the way home from a friend's house, two creepy fellows attack Charlotte and Zee. But thankfully, Mr. Metos screeches by in his car and they are rushed away to safety --- at least for the moment. Afterwards, Mr. Metos explains everything to them, but these explanations are quite difficult to believe. Those Greek myths they had been studying in English class? Well, they aren't myths at all, but real! One of the characters in the Underworld is trying to take over, and he's launching his evil quest by stealing kids' shadows to man his army! Charlotte and Zee must embrace as much courage as possible in order to set out on a rescue mission that takes them down into the depths of darkness.
In book one of The Cronus Chronicles, Anne Ursu expertly weaves her entertaining story in and around the famous Greek myths, and includes such characters as Zeus, Hades, Prometheus, a three-headed dog, harpies, and lots of other well-known accomplices. She writes with a smart, hilarious flair that pulls the reader through the pages quickly, while her in-depth descriptions bring the story up close and personal.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author
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