Bright Shadow [Paperback]

Avi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 1988

Having used four of the five wishes she is granted to make on behalf of the hapless citizens of her country, Morwenna flees the kingdom to decide what to do with the last wish.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As assistant to the king's chambermaid, 12-year-old Morwenna is hardly a likely candidate for wizardly inheritance. Yet there's something to be said for being in the right place at the right time--or is that the wrong place at the wrong time? Either way, with no warning, Morwenna suddenly becomes the recipient of five wishes when a 1,000-year-old ailing wizard, desperate to pass on his magical legacy, finds Morwenna at hand the moment before his dusty demise. Unfortunately, no guidance or advice accompanies this mysterious gift. Morwenna soon flounders in confusion and danger, as her best friend Swen, through a series of mishaps, comes to believe he is the new wizard, and all the kingdom awaits liberation from a despotic ruler. This tense, moving tale raises painful questions about altruism and selfishness, as a mere child is asked to grant wishes, secretly and judiciously.

Avi himself must have inherited mystical powers. With nothing in his hands (other than a pen) and nothing up his sleeve, Avi writes spellbindingly in just about any genre. The proof is in his more than three dozen popular books for young people, including Midnight Magic and the Newbery Honor-winning historical novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8 A sensitively written tale which poses philosophical questions about selfishness, selflessness and the terrible burdens of what first appear to be wonderful gifts. Young Morwenna, upon the death of an ancient wizard, finds herself in possession of the world's last five wishes. She soon discovers that this gift is a lonely burden. By a curious trick of fate, a beloved but rather simple and selfish friend believes himself to be in possession of the wishes and constantly gets himself into situations from which Morwenna must extricate him. Freed from his foolishness through his death, Morwenna must live with the knowledge that she could have saved him had she been willing to use her final wish, thus giving up her own life in return. In a straightforward manner, Avi presents a fascinating balance between the simplistic and the complex. The inner conflict constantly taking place within the more mature (though chronologically younger) Morwenna is well contrasted with that of the unsophisticated Swen. A compact and well-told story that should inspire much debate about Morwenna's predicament and what readers would do in her circumstances. Karen P. Smith, Yonkers Board of Education, N.Y.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 167 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (October 31, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689712561
• ISBN-13: 978-0689712562
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,990,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Avi has published more than sixty books. Among them is Crispin: The Cross of Lead, winner of the 2003 Newbery Medal. Other novels with nineteenth-century settings, like The Traitors' Gate -- his grand nod to the work of Charles Dickens -- are listed before the title page, and include the Newbery Honor Book, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Avi and his family live in Denver, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story about the importance of friendship, January 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bright Shadow (Paperback)

This is one follow up to Harry Potter that doesn't seem dry and stupid. It beautifly illistrates how lies and confusion can destroy a friendship, and has a suprise ending that leaves you thinking. Avi has come through again with a book that you just can't put down. It has a good moral, and is all in all a great read. I would reccomend this book to adults and children alike.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book, but a very strange ending, December 22, 2000

By 

"kandladin" (Castle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bright Shadow (Paperback)

This was definitely the kind of book that makes the reader think. In it, the main character, Morwenna, accidently inherits the last five wishes left over from the creation of the world. At first she is overjoyed, untill she realizes the rules: she can't wish for anything for herself, she can't tell anyone about the wishes, and if she uses up all five wishes she'll die. This gets especially complicated when she has to use up several of the wishes to save her friends. The ending came as a complete surprise, and I have to admit, it was more than a little disturbing. Did Morwenna learn anything? I guess that's for the reader to decide. I had expected something redeeming to happen and for everything to turn out all right for everyone but I was wrong. It was sort of like well, what was the point of the story? Well, despite this I liked it, and I would reccamend it to any fantasy fan.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nominated "ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS IN THE WORLD", October 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bright Shadow (Paperback)

Oh, how can I express through words how good this book is? I am an avid reader, with more than 300 books on my shelf, and not one of them quite matches the beauty and nobility of this book. Avi is an excellent writer, and knows just the right way how to stir your emotions. I reccommend this book to anybody and everybody!