Old ways are pitted against new horrors in this
compellingly crafted dystopian tale about a girl who is both healer
and seer.
Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable
commodity on the planet-especially the blood of aboriginal peoples,
for it contains antibodies that protect them from the Plague
ravaging the rest of the world.
Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi
might be immune to Plague, but that doesn't mean she's
safe-government forces are searching for those of aboriginal
heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cassandra
and her family, they flee to the Island: a mysterious and idyllic
territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors-and
by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the
spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken her under
her wing, and the tribal leader's son into his heart, the creatures
of the spirit world are angry, and they have chosen Cassandra to be
their voice and instrument....
Incorporating the traditions of the
First Peoples as well as the more familiar stories of Greek
mythology and Arthurian legend, Shadows Cast by Stars is a
haunting, beautifully written story that breathes new life
into ancient customs.