Customer Reviews

The Seer of Shadows [Unabridged Audio Cds]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"photography reveals facts" or at least some form of the truth which is why people began to prefer it to paintings. Horace Carpetine, the main character and apprentice to the photographer Enoch Middleditch, finds himself in a difficult position when his employer looks to profit by deceiving a customer. Mrs. Von Macht has recently lost her only child and comes to Enoch Middleditch for a photograph to place on her daughter's grave. She appears to be a grieving mother but things are not as they seem and Horace soon discovers the horrifying truth. When the deception becomes reality, things quickly begin to unravel and suddenly, everyone is in great danger.

I loved the book because it is suspenseful and I have an interest in photography. I have developed film and watched an image appear in the developer so I could relate to Horace's love of the art. But while it is noted that this book is for ages 9-12, I would hesitate to give this book to a 4th or 5th grader. The nature of the daughter's death is disturbing and for children who are easily frightened, this book could discourage them from ever posing for another photograph. Also, because this book is set in the 1800's and photography was new, some of the terminology and equipment will be completely foreign to a child, especially in our digital age. But for more advanced readers who like a little horror, it's a great read!

Enjoyed the book and the main characters. Subject matter may be too dark for a sensitive reader. I would not recommend for a younger reader.

Avi's Seer of Shadows is a delightfully creepy tale designed to take its young adult readers into the darker side of ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Heck, even this *slightly* older than young adult reader found herself able to vividly imagine a sinister young ghost set on terrorizing those who wronged her in life, and the idea that a ghost can materialize through photographs is one often put forth in the paranormal community. No wonder I looked cautiously over my shoulder as I read alone late at night!

Young Horace Carpetine finds himself apprenticed to a rather lazy photographer in 1872; business isn't all that good, so when an odd appointment is made, Horace doesn't think twice about accepting on behalf of his master to photograph the seemingly bereft Mrs. Von Macht. Mrs. Von Macht wants to bring reassurance to her recently deceased daughter's spirit by placing a photo of herself on her tomb, but Horace's master sees the opportunity to set himself up as a "spiritual" photographer by manipulating the photo to look as though the ghost of Eleanora has returned. It doesn't take long for Horace and the servant Peggy to realize that Eleanora has indeed returned, and she's bent on revenge toward her adopted parents. Things rapidly spin out of control as the two race to protect the Von Machts and help Eleanora return to the spectral realm.

Rich in atmosphere, Seer of Shadows is a fast read that envelops you quickly. With more scrutiny, the ideas don't hold up as well, but that's all right since the book more than accomplishes its goal of scariness. More bothersome to me is the "romance" between Horace and Peggy, which definitely doesn't fit the time period (even if it does make for a nice element). I liked how the story was tied up in the end, however, and could imagine someone telling this tale late at night at a slumber party. Good writing with just the right touch of the macabre.

These days, when even my four-year-old niece has a functioning digital camera, it's hard to imagine a time when photography was still more mysterious than commonplace. Back in 1872, when Avi's THE SEER OF SHADOWS is set, photography was a brand new art form, a complicated set of processes understood by few and believed by many to be a sort of magic.

No wonder, then, that some unscrupulous photographers in the late 19th century took advantage of the public's ignorance of photographic methods and the simultaneous public interest in spiritualism, mysticism and ghosts of all kinds to launch a business in "spirit photography," in which images of a client's dead loved ones are superimposed onto a standard portrait or landscape photograph.

One of these shifty photographers, in Avi's novel, is Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer of little or no reputation. His apprentice, Horace Carpetine, tells the story of how Mr. Middleditch plotted an elaborate plan to dupe a grieving mother, Mrs. Frederick Von Macht, who desperately wants to put her late daughter's spirit to rest by placing a photograph on her gravesite. Mr. Middleditch has the idea to superimpose an actual image of Eleanora, the dead girl, onto a portrait of Mrs. Von Macht.

When Mr. Middleditch enlists Horace's unwilling help, however, little does he know that Horace actually has the supernatural ability to bring latent spirits to life with the photographs he takes. Horace, who was raised in a supremely rational household and with whom ghost sightings and spiritual phenomena hold little sway, at is highly skeptical about the ghostly images that appear in his photographs, and, later, about the mysterious figure that lurks in the corners of the Von Macht house. But as the ghost becomes more real --- and more dangerous --- Horace finds himself believing despite himself. What secrets are the Von Machts hiding? And how can he help put Eleanora to rest before this vengeful spirit does real harm?

THE SEER OF SHADOWS is a top-notch ghost story, filled with mysterious sightings, angry spirits, unexplained phenomena and plenty of creepy atmosphere. It's also, however, a first-rate historical novel, as Horace is a believable, genuine inhabitant of a specific time and place --- New York City in the 1870s. Avi introduces readers to post-Civil War race relations, 19th-century educational practices, the Victorian fascination with spiritualism, and the elements of the photographic process --- all in the context of a thrilling, suspenseful ghost story.

Steeped in historical fact, grounded in elements of fact and science, the truthfulness of THE SEER OF SHADOWS in all things makes its supernatural elements that much scarier --- because if the history is true, might not the ghosts be also?

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I love when adult trends in fiction begin to appear in children's literature. The Seer of Shadows is a kid's version of The Interpretation of Murder by Rubenfeld or Pearl's The Poe Shadow. Newbery Medalist Avi has crafted a richly detailed period thriller that will have young, sophisticated readers obsessively turning the pages.

Fourteen-year-old Horace Carpetine is thrilled to be the apprentice to society photographer, Enoch Middleditch. While photographs are appearing everywhere in 1872 New York, few people understand the science behind how they are developed, and Horace can't wait to take his own photographs. Horace has just such the opportunity when Mr. Middleditch asks him to participate in a small deception of their wealthy customer, Mrs. Von Macht. Spiritualism being all the rage, Mrs. Von Macht has commissioned a photographic portrait of herself to be placed on her deceased daughter's grave, hoping it will bring her dear Eleanora some peace in the afterlife. Mr. Middleditch proposes to Horace that they could make a great fortune if they just impose an image of Eleanora on the portrait of Mrs. Von Macht. All Horace need do is take some pictures of the paintings of Eleanora that the Von Machts have in their home. While queasy about playing a role in Mr. Middleditch's ruse, Horace agrees to take the pictures. When the film is processed, though, Horace doesn't see the images he took of Eleanora, but rather some frightful likenesses that appear to be her ghost. Unsure of what to do, Horace queries Pegg, the Von Macht's black servant girl, about Eleanora's life and discovers that she was greatly abused by her adoptive parents and is determined to seek revenge from beyond the grave.

While I'm not sure this novel is appropriate for readers as young 8 as the jacket suggests, for advanced intermediate readers, it provides a quick, thrilling read. Strangely enough, this was my first time reading an Avi novel, and I must say that I now know that I have been missing something great. No wonder he has won the Newbery, as well as twice received a Newbery Honor.

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The Seer of Shadows draws you into 1872 where instead of taxis they had horse-cabs. And when you became 14 you were expected to get a job and sometimes move out of the house just like Horace Carpentine does. Horace is a seer of shadows and can make ghosts come back. AVI really draws you in with mystery, the old days, and a great choice of words. It can be a little scary so I would reccomend it to 4th grade and up. If you liked the Goosebumps series I gaurentee you'll love this book! So give it a try, it might just scare your socks off! ~ Aeromellow

Ever wondered if you could capture a ghost on film? Well I sure have and this book grasps that topic, but for Horace it doesn't turn out to be as fun as it sounds. Shortly after Horace gets offered a job to work for Mr. Middleditch, a community photographer, Mrs. Von Macht comes in wanting a portrait of her hung above her daughter, Elenora's grave. Mr. Middleditch decides to have Horace take a picture of Elenora and imports it into the portrait to create a "ghost." When Horace Starts taking the photos, he finds that one picture he developed was accidentally taken. As Horace and the Von Macht's slave, Pegg become good friends, Horace learns filthy secrets about what really happened to the Von Macht's daughter. The topic/theme would be, be brave. Horace had to be very brave in this story.

"Let there be light: and there was light," is a quote from the bible that helped Horace decide how to get the ghost of Elenora out of our world. This quote, to him, meant that he should get her out of this world by the way she came in, photography. I think Avi did a well done job on this book. It showed lots of description and was very original. I believe he wrote this book because he likes to entertain his reader with interesting topics and he has an interest in photography, just like me.

What would you do if one day you had to take a photo and the past lives comes to life?The book Seer of Shadows had some good and some bad parts.
A girl named Horace helps a photographer bring a ladies dead niece back to life by putting her in the background of her picture.
During the story Mrs. Van Macts daughter dies. Horace Carpetine has to help Mr. Middleditch (a photagraper) take a picture of Mrs. Van Mact. While taking the picture Horace and Mr. Middleditch put mrs Van Mact's daughter Elorna in the background.Somehow Elorna rely does show up. You want to find out more? Find out by reading it for yourself.
Seer of Shadows is a great book about how lies can get you in trouble. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries or someone who wants to read a book that's not too long.

Have you ever read the book Sears of Shadow and thought it was good, mysterious, or a boring book? Sears of Shadow is and okay book. It's almost like and scary movie almost.
Sears of Shadow compares to the world I know because it's got photographic, mystery, and mortal in the story like in this real world now. In the story the setting is and October morning in the year 1872, and New York City's air was so befogged with white mist and dark smoke that you could barely see. Yes, the author makes me feel like I'm in the setting because he made it real and because he gave me the year, month, location and weather. I could picture the books setting if I closed my eyes because it feels like I'm really there.
The writer makes me believe in them as people because they seem mortal like there living this life now. I think all the main characters are cool in there own ways, liking the characters makes me feel good because usually the books I read the characters are mean, or mad, sad or even angry.
In New York City in 1872, fourteen-year-old Horace, a photographer's apprentice, becomes entangled in a plot to create fraudulent spirit photographs, but when Horace accidentally frees the real ghost of a dead girl bent on revenge, his life takes a frightening torn.
In Conclusion, Have you ever read the book Sears Of Shadow and thought it was good, mysterious, or a boring book? What I like about the book's writing style is that I can see the words clearly, I understand the words and it has space between the words. I don't think it was funny because it was nothing funny in the story I think. I think it gives me a sense of the place it's set. The author's/narrator's "voice" is like a powerful, heavy, or either soft voice I think.

What would you do if you accidently brought back a murderous ghost from the past? Well that is what a fourteen year old kid named Horace Carpetine did in this suspenseful book written by A.V.I.
Shortly after the civil war Horace had gotten a job to be a photographer's apprentice. His master came up with a scam after a moaning mother come with a request for a picture. When the date came for the photograph, Horace was to take pictures of the dead daughter around the house in secrecy. When this plan back fires and his master runs away he is left to deal with the fact he is a sheer of shadows and needs to fix the problem his master has left.
This book sent chills up and down my spine and kept me interested every seconded. I would most definitely recommend Seer of Shadows for people that have time to be glued to a good book. If you love ghost stories or suspense at almost every second this is the book for you!