Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vampires, violence, explicit sex in enticing dark sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE SHADOW BRIDE begins immediately after the cliffhanger ending of The Scarlet Veil. Célie Trembley, the first female huntswoman in the Chasseurs, is now a vampire after being bitten by Michal Vasiliev, the dashing vampire king of Requiem Island. Célie is trying her best to come to terms with a whole set of horrifying new feelings (i.e., thinking about feeding on her friends' blood) and an emerging pair of fangs. Michal has assigned his vampire cousin, Odessa, to help her "transition," but nothing is going well. Célie is certain she's being haunted by her murdered sister, Filippa; a meeting with her former fiancé, Jean Luc Toussaint, ends with Célie sinking her fangs into his neck; and she finds out Death wants her as his bride. When revenants (reanimated corpses) start rising on Requiem Island, Michal sails back to the island with Célie, Odessa, Odessa's twin Dimitri, and an unexpected stowaway, Célie's mother. The veil between life and death has been torn, and unless it can be closed, Death will merge the living and the dead into one kingdom over which he'll rule. They make a plan to defeat Death, but it means someone Célie loves might have to die to close the veil. After a final violent and bloody showdown with Death, readers will discover a last chapter titled "Happily Ever After."
Is It Any Good?
Witty dialogue, a feisty complex vampire heroine, steamy sex, and a happy ending make for a sometimes hard-to-follow but ultimately satisfying sequel. Fans of the first novel should be delighted with Célie's return in The Shadow Bride, but readers starting with this book could be overwhelmed as they try to figure out how characters relate to one another and follow the complicated storylines. This novel also won't be the best fit for teens who prefer their fantasy light on blood and gore and their romances limited to longing looks and passionate kisses.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Célie struggled with her new life as a vampire in The Shadow Bride. Have you ever experienced a sudden change in your life that altered how you thought about yourself or how others regarded you?
Do you agree with Célie that someone who's considered "bad" can also be good?
In order to defeat Death, Célie and Michal must team up with people they don't always trust. How important is trust in building a successful team?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper Collins Publishers
- Publication date : March 25, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 612
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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