Get 50% off Catholic Books & eBooks

Discover the Next Tolkien & O'Connor

Join Here for FREE to Never Miss a Deal

Find new favorites & Support Catholic Authors

Genre

Historical Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade

Audience

Ages 7-14

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2020

Themes

religious life, nuns, monks, priests, crusades, forgiveness, bravery, courage, grief, wisdom, innocence, English history, Catholic England  

Reviewed by

A.R.K. Watson

A young boy struggles to remember who he is after a near-fatal head injury while adjusting to his new life in a Catholic monastery in 12th century England. Unable to remember even his name, he is dubbed Xan, short of Alexander. Along the way he stumbles across a mystery that may reveal the deeper reasons for his parent’s deaths and uncover the true character of the adults who have taken him in.

At first the mystery seemed simple and obvious but I was surprised by the ending and quickly found myself immersed in Xan’s emotional journey. Found injured in the woods near the monestary, he doesn’t even remember where he is from. Though he cannot remember his parents he feels deeply that they must love him and be worried about him. The monks know that a nearby town was attacked by bandits and surmise that perhaps he was injured in the attack on the village. One of them offers to help him visit the survivors to see if anyone will recognize him, but what will he do if he can’t find his parents? Will he be another of the orphans growing up in the monestary? He can tell by the callouses on his hands that he was a peasant, but who is he now? The monks offer to teach him to read and he could, of course, become a monk himself one day but such a life seems so strange and alien to him. All of this is enough to overwhelm anyone. Even worse the other orphan boys have been seeing a hooded figure stalking the grounds at night, and it seems that every night they see it they wake the next morning to hear that someone has mysteriously died. At first Xan thinks this is just a lie the older boys are telling in order to scare the younger, but if it’s true it could mean that even this place isn’t safe.

What stays with me from this book are little moments, like when Xan wakes in the night dreaming that his mother is touching his hand, after days of trying to remember even his own real name, or Xan’s deep compassion that drives him to stand up to a bully who is telling stories to give the younger orphans nightmares. It is rare that a book appropriate for such young readers manages to beguile adult readers as well, but that is what impressed me most about this book. Kolenc’s prose is so effortless, and he balances character motivations and tensions where even a slightly lesser author would have fumbled them.

Another thing that stood out to me as an adult reader, was the specter of the English King. Set in the 12th century, Xan and his friends are unlikely to see the purge of Catholic monasteries in their lifetime but Kolenc’s book still transports me to a part of English history so often forgotten. I can only see good coming of exposing young readers to it.

For the young reader in question I think this is a book they will quickly be tempted to binge read under the covers at night. Even though I initially found the plot simple, I was in fact well taken in by Kolenc’s red herrings that played on my jaded adult point of view. Ironically, the lack of such jadedness is exactly what makes Xan an excellent amateur sleuth. Though a younger reader may not be conscious of the lesson, there is much in here about the value of innocence. There is also a useful preface that explains to the young reader a bit about how to read the historical fiction genre. It also includes some discussion questions to ask before during and after reading the book so if teachers or parents want to work this into a curriculum they’ll find most of the work done for them. At the end of the book, there is a glossary of terms and a section explaining more about the historical setting.

Catholic readers will find Shadow in the Dark especially edifying because of its setting in oft-forgotten Catholic England, but the book is far from didactic or preachy. Any secular reader would probably not even question seeing Kolenc’s book on a non-Christian bookshelf because the themes and values in it are so universal. This book will go over especially well with readers ages seven to fourteen but older readers will find something in it for themselves as well. If you are in the mood for an immersive book that lets you escape the world you would not regret reading Shadow in the Dark.

Get Catholic Books & eBooks for as little as $1 to FREE

See No Evil; A Father Gabriel Mystery by Fiorella De Maria

In Post-WWII England, nearly everyone has something to hide—even kill for. Father Gabriel starts uncovering the truth, bringing souls the chance for redemption.

Nun of My Business by Karina Fabian

When a nun hires Vern to prove that a new pop song is evil, the dragon suspects his new client might be hiding something.

The Wistful and the Good by G. M. Baker

Two weeks after the sacking of Lindisfarne, Norse traders aren’t welcome in Northumbria. But they’re here. Does a Viking really have a chance with an English noblewoman?

The Mission of Joan Of Arc by Philip Kosloski, Alexandre Nascimento, and Jesse Hansen

Voyage Comics’ dynamic interpretation of the Life of Joan of Arc is based on the play written by St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Best Books of 2022

Our favorite book finds of the year!

Finnian and the Seven Mountains (Vol.2) By, Philip Kosloski and Michael Lavoy

Can one map be the key to stopping the Viking Invasion?

Legion by William Peter Blatty

When a boy is crucified, Detective Kinderman finds himself chasing down a murderer who is already dead.

Please Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs by Corinna Turner

A series of dino adventures that has been doing better what the mainstream Jurassic Park series only recently attempted.

The Tale of Patrick Peyton

How a humble, Irish immigrant brought Mary to Hollywood and then the World.

In Pieces by Rhonda Ortiz

Is a marriage without love the only way to save Molly Chase’s reputation?

The Phantom Phoenix

A humble phoenix rises from the ashes to clean up corrupt, 1920s Chicago in this thrilling superhero comic

Elfling by Corinna Turner

Serapia Ravena is on a mission to find and keep her father, but he has transgressed a boundary that no creature has the right to cross. Only the mercy of God can resolve this tension.

Treason by Dena Hunt

When the Queen Elizabeth’s agents are sent to investigate a small town, Protestant & Catholic alike must work together to avert tragedy.

Finnian and the Seven Mountains (Vol. 1) by Philip Koslowski, Michael Lavoy, and Jim Fern

Join Finnian as his quest for a legendary sword takes him to the monks of Skellig Michael, a real life inspiration for the Jedi temple.

Champion of Valdeor by Sandralena Hanley

Fed up with modern 1st person, present tense narratives bursting with ‘hip’ characters? Look no further!

The Boy Who Knew (Friends in High Places: Carlo Acutis) by Corinna Turner

Faced with his death, a fifteen-year-old learns how to live through the wisdom of Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Night Prayer by Brother Bernard Seif, SMC, Ed.D., DNM

The Motto Suaviter Sed Fortiter (Gentle But Strong) informs this historical mystery novel about the founding of the Salesian spiritual family and its various branches.

Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids by Kathryn Griffin Swegart, O.F.S.

Teach your children about the real presence through these short bedtime stories.

The Fire of Eden (The Harwood Mysteries Book 3) by Antony Barone Kolenc

The mystery of a stolen treasure might hold the key to Xan’s discernment about whether God is calling him to the priesthood or to Lucy.

The Light of Tara by John Desjarlais

As the power of Rome crumbles, a teenage St. Patrick must decide between his home and sacrificing himself for those who had enslaved him.