Shadowshaper

Older, Daniel José. Shadowshaper. 2015. 297p. ISBN 978-0-545-59161-4. Available at FIC OLD on the library shelves.

Sierra Santiago leads a busy life. With school done, she’s looking forward to working on a mural, spending time with friends, and also taking care of her elderly grandfather, who’s losing more and more of his memories. Working on the mural, she notices that the other painting across the street has faded overnight and seems sadder than she remembers it. That night, she attends a party with her best friend but they are attacked by a strange zombie-like guy who relentlessly pursues her.

Sierra discovers that she is one of the Shadowshapers, people who have the power to connect with spirits through paintings, music, and art. These spirits are then willing to do the Shadowshaper’s bidding. This small group is very secretive, and as Sierra investigates she discovers that her grandparents were part of it, but her parents wanted nothing to do with this paranormal power and denied it even existed. Her brother Juan has been introduced to the Shadowshapers by her grandfather. Holding an old photo of her grandfather and his friends, Sierra sees that members of the group are slowly vanishing.

Through the helpful assistance of a librarian at the University, Sierra ascertains that one of her grandfather’s colleague, anthropologist Dr. Jonathan Wick, has used the powers of Shadowshapers to conjure spirits that have been pursuing his own evil plans, including animating the corpses that have been threatening Sierra and her friends. As Wick seeks to become the only one who can control this power, Sierra is the only one who can stop him, but in doing so she will discover information about her family’s past and present she may not be ready to learn.