The Serpent's Shadow
2012
- serie:the_kane_chronicles
- magic
- egyptian mythology
- fiction
- children's fiction
- magic, fiction
- fantasy fiction
- snakes
- juvenile fiction
- incantations
The story
He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld. Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles.
What it’s like
Brisk, wisecracking middle-grade adventure told in alternating first-person voices, with a fast, chatty prose texture that reads like a sibling squabble over a map. The sensory world is vivid but cartoonish: crowded modern Brooklyn brownstones and sun-scorched Egyptian temples, bursts of hieroglyphic magic that crackle and flare on the page, and a constant undertow of underworld gloom where the air goes cold and the shadows thicken. Vibe: lively and bright with a shadowy edge, the kind of book for a long afternoon on the couch or a restless train ride. Pacing is quick, with short chapters and frequent cliffhangers, and the emotional register stays warm and humorous even when the stakes turn grim. The arc follows two siblings who bicker, fail, and slowly learn to trust each other and their own power as the family finally takes on its destiny. Intensity is moderate: peril, a menacing ghost, and some battles with monsters and chaos creatures, but violence stays cartoonish and bloodless with no gore and no sexual content. Suits young readers and families who want an exciting, funny fantasy with a gentle, unthreatening heart.
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