Title: Shadow of the Lions
Author: Christopher Swann
Publication Date: August 1, 2017
Genre: Psychological Suspense/Mystery
Recommended If You Like: books set in boarding schools, male friendships, mysteries from the past
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.
The Book:
Matthias' best friend and roommate, Fritz, disappeared during their senior year at boarding school, and Matthias has always blamed himself.
Now, after one highly successful novel and complete writer's block since, Matthias finds himself back teaching at his former school. The memories that surround him make him determined to solve the mystery of what truly happened to Fritz.
What I Liked:
Swann has a really nice writing style. He has a lot to say, and says it really beautifully. I felt emotionally drawn into the book and wanting to know more. There's a real sense of suspense to this read, with a lot of effective flashbacks.
Plus, I always love a book set in a school.
Anything I Didn't Like?
This book kind of fell apart for me about halfway through. Swann had too much he was trying to do, and it all started to feel forced. The ending really felt like too much, and didn't end up feeling real or even making a lot of sense.
So...?
I really wanted to love this book, especially with its comparison to The Secret History, one of my all-time favorite books. And this was definitely a suspenseful read-I found myself having to keep turning pages until I got to the end. But Swann just tried to cram way too much in for my tastes, and the ending left me confused and dissatisfied.
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