Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Third book in dark fantasy series is bloated, melodramatic.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
SKYSHADE picks up right where Nightbane left off. Isla and Grim are back at Grim's castle trying to deal with the aftermath of recent events. But one thing Isla knows for sure is that she's got to find a way to alter the prophecy about her death, not for her own sake but because of what the prophecy says she'll do leading up to it. Meanwhile, deadly storms that ravage the country are getting stronger and more frequent, and they're starting to rain down things much more deadly than water. And Isla's heart is still torn between her equal, but very different, loves for Oro and Grim.
Is It Any Good?
This third installment in the dark fantasy series The Lightlark Saga is a bit of a disappointment compared to the first two books. Skyshade shows Isla revisiting the guilt she feels so much that forward momentum often comes to a halt. A lot of the dialogue, especially between Isla and Grim, sounds like a soap opera instead of what believable characters would say to each other. The plot is also a bit scattered, with a firmly established single thing Isla has to do while she gets sidetracked running around doing something else that seems just as important.
That being said, fans of the series will enjoy Isla's continued romantic tension between the two men she loves equally. Old friends and enemies return, and new ones emerge, and there's still some danger and excitement battling monsters, and in the cliffhanger ending. Oh, and now we have dragon riding, too!
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Skyshade. Is it too much? Does fantasy violence have a different impact than real-world violence?
What about the sexy stuff? Is reading about it different from seeing it in movies, videos, or other visual media?
How does Isla show courage and perseverance? How do these traits affect what happens in the story?
How does Grim show his compassionate side? Did it change the way you see his character?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Amulet Books
- Publication date : November 12, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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