The Situation: Jeremy Cox has a seemingly supernatural ability to find lost girls and women. He is known all around the world for the people he has found, and is currently appearing on a documentary TV show as a special guest, which is where Emilie Wendell meets him. She desperately wants to meet Jeremy to see if he will help her find her sister, who went missing 20 years ago. The thing is, Emilie's sister went missing in the Red Crow State Forest of West Virginia, which is the same forest Jeremy himself went missing, along with his best friend Ralph 'Rafe' Howell, 15 years ago. Both boys emerged six months later, mostly physical okay, but definitely different. Only Jeremy remembers what happened during those six months, and if he is to return to Red Crow to find Emilie's sister, he will need Rafe's help.
The Problem: Even though Jeremy remembers where he and his friend were while they were lost, he has always refused to tell Rafe anything about it, who cannot remember a thing. In fact, the two of them have not spoken in years. While Jeremy has become a famous missing persons investigator, Rafe has become somewhat of a reclusive artist, mostly emerging from his home to protect his property and the animals on it from poachers. But if Jeremy is to find Emilie's sister, it means telling Rafe the truth. A strange truth about the magical land they were in while they were gone. It was a world full of beauty and magical creatures, but also incredible dangers, and haunting memories. Emilie is not the only one looking for something she has lost, and Jeremy and Rafe will have to confront their shared past to find it.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a fantasy book set primarily in West Virginia, specifically the fictional Red Crow State Forest, but also the magical realm of Shanandoah. Nearly half of the book is set in the world we know, and the other half in Shanandoah, where evil and mischievous entities known as the Bright Boys cause havoc, but are almost always outdone by the queen and her Valkyries. Occasionally, the book's storyteller will interrupt to provide background, or let the reader know that certain details are being skipped intentionally, or to even give props to the reader for noticing specific details. The book also confronts the pain of traumatic memories, and considers if beauty and love are worth it if they bring pain, sorrow, and grief along with them.
My Verdict: The part of the story that involves Jeremy, Rafe, and Emilie moving around in our world has moments that are incredibly compelling, and help build the mystery about Shanandoah. The part about the magical place with unicorns and insects with wings of fire is enchanting and wonderful. But for some reason, the bringing of the two worlds together does not quite work for me, and I do not know what the disconnect is. It is like two separate stories smashed together. Also, I will admit to not being a fan of the interrupting storyteller, as I did not fully see any added value in the mechanic. Fantasy lovers may still enjoy the adventure, and it seems there is a chance there will be more in the future.
Favorite Moment: There are two horses in Shanandoah who are incredibly loyal and helpful, and come in clutch when dealing with an enemy.
Favorite Character: Rafe's mom will not let him into her house unless he shaves. But once he does, she feeds him and his friends, and together they are able to deal with what happened when Rafe was a child.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Shaffer's previous book The Wishing Game, and also the entire The Chronicles of Narnia series.
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