This Eternity of Masks and Shadows by Karsten Knight Pages: 356
Published by Amazon Digital Services on June 2, 2020
Genres: Young Adult, New Adult, Romance, mythology, Fantasy & Magic, mystery
Source: eARC from Author
In a city of gods and mortals, secrets never die.
The gods walk among us. Some lurk in the shadows, masquerading as mortals; others embrace their celebrity status, launching careers from Hollywood to Capitol Hill.
One of them just murdered Cairn Delacroix's mother.As Cairn sifts through the rubble, she uncovers a conspiracy two decades in the making: a cursed island, the fellowship of gods who journeyed there, and the unspeakable act that intertwined their fates. One by one, the members of that voyage are dying, and Cairn's investigations land her in the crosshairs of the rogue goddess responsible.
With the help of Nanook, a polar bear god turned detective, Cairn descends into Boston's underworld of supernatural crime and political aspiration. To avenge her mother and unmask her assassin, she’ll first have to reckon with a gut-wrenching secret that will rewrite the life she thought she knew.
This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is a standalone young adult fantasy adventure by Karsten Knight. It is almost impossible to pinpoint the genre on this bad boy of a book. This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is a mash up of so many different genres. It is part romance, part fantasy and mythology, plus a ton of adventure…of yea…and a murder mystery! I love fantasies, mythology and murder mysteries, but I don’t really read too much of that mash up. And I have to say, after reading This Eternity of Masks and Shadows I am really digging it! This book was great!
In This Eternity of Masks and Shadows we meet our main character, Cairn, who also happens to be the daughter of the latest reincarnation of the the goddess Sedna. Sedna is the Inuit goddess of seal life and marine animals. I loved the diversity in all of the cultures gods and goddesses that were represented in this novel. It didn’t just focus on Greek or roman gods, but rather I saw a ton of gods and goddesses that I have never had the pleasure of reading about in a young adult fantasy story, all mingled together in this world that Karsten Knight created. Cairn finds herself thrown in the middle of a big mystery between the Gods as she tries to figure out who killed her mother and why. Joining her is her best friend, and romantic interest- Delaphine, along with plenty of characters that they meet along the way. The romance in this book was very sweet, but it felt overall secondary to the action and mystery plotline. I also kept hoping we would see more of the ever cute and adorable pet Squall. I loved him!
The action in this book was pretty much non-stop from chapter 2! There is so much going on in this book, and with so many characters, I will admit that I had a tough time keeping track of them all at first. But don’t worry, if that happens to you, just keep reading. By the end of the story you will have a better handle on who everyone is and their roles. It got easier for me to catalog everyone as we progress on trying to solve the mystery. As far as the plot goes, it oscillates between present day and various past events and the flow works out nicely as Carin is trying to piece the whole puzzle of the mystery together. Obviously, I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say this was one totally epic journey. The Gods themselves were so diverse, not only in culture but on the spectrum of good to totally completely evil. This book also has a broad spectrum of completely light fun moments all the way to moments that felt honestly very scary and violent. I loved how diverse this book was in so many different aspects.
I will say that I was able to predict some elements of the story, but overall I was swept away in this vast tale and murder mystery featuring all kinds of gods and goddesses. I was enthralled. I loved all the different aspects and jobs that the gods have. It was unlike any other depiction of gods in fiction than I have read in the past. For instance, the detective on the case was a Polar bear god! I have always really enjoyed Karsten Knight’s books, but it has been some time since I have picked one up. This Eternity of Masks and Shadows was a great reminder of how much I enjoy his writing and story telling abilities. If you are looking for a book that truly does feel unique, fresh and different look no further than This Eternity of Masks and Shadows. This book was one heck of an awesome ride!
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About Karsten Knight
Karsten Knight is the author of the historical mystery NIGHTINGALE, SING, the time-traveling thriller PATCHWORK, and the Polynesian volcano goddess trilogy WILDEFIRE (Simon & Schuster)–though some say his writing career peaked at the age of six, when he completed a picture book series about an adventurous worm. He is a graduate of College of the Holy Cross and earned an MFA in writing for children from Simmons College. Karsten resides in Boston, where he lives for fall weather, bowling, and football season. For more information on Karsten or his books, please visit www.karstenknightbooks.com.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2020 New Release Challenge
- Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2020
Denise Duvall
Congratulations on your new book!
Debra Branigan
This book sounds like a very interesting read. Best wishes to the author on the book.
KariLorr
This sounds like a great fantasy book.
Amber
I really want to read this! I think I’d learn a lot of history too 🙂 Do you have a favorite time period of history to write about?
Thomas Gibson
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Rajee Pandi
Love the book cover
David Hollingsworth
Your book sounds really intriguing!
Buddy Garrett
Your book sounds very interesting.
Jon Heil
Wonder whats hiding in the weeds
Lily Kwan
This book looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing!