The Shape-Changer's Wife [Mass Market Paperback]

Sharon Shinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

Winner of the William Crawford Award for Achievement in Fantasy.

The novel that launched Sharon Shinn's stunning career and inspired Peter S. Beagle to call her "the most promising and original writer of fantasy to come along since Robin McKinley." (Locus)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Aubrey, student of the master shapechanger Glyrenden, desires to perfect his own magical skills but realizes that there are some things more important than knowledge. Shinn's luminous style is well suited for this graceful tale about the transforming power of love. This first novel belongs in fantasy collections.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Sharon Shinn is a journalist who works for a trade magazine. Her first novel, The Shapechanger's Wife, was selected by  Locus as the best first fantasy novel of 1995. She has won the William C. Crawford Award for Outstanding New Fantasy Writer, and was twice nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has lived in the Midwest most of her life.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Ace (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441002617
• ISBN-13: 978-0441002610
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #983,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sharon Shinn is a journalist who works for a trade magazine. Her first novel, The Shapechanger's Wife, was selected by Locus as the best first fantasy novel of 1995. She has won the William C. Crawford Award for Outstanding New Fantasy Writer, and was twice nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has lived in the Midwest most of her life.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Hauntingly Beautiful Story, November 15, 2002

By 

Brittney Hinson "garnet17" (Ashford, Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shape-Changer's Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

The two things I love best about Sharon Shinn's books are her character development and her unique plots. And this book is no exception.
A young magician-in-training, Aubrey, journeys to a remote manor to apprentice himself to the greatest shape changer ever, on the recommendation of his last teacher. Aubrey finds his new home strange and things about the other inhabitants downright alarming. His new teacher seems to taunt him with knowledge instead of imparting it and is often gone on mysterious missions that he refuses to speak of. The servants seem to hate their master, but refuse to leave him. Those who live in the nearby village are terrified of, not only the shape changer, but his entire household as well. And as for Lilith, the shape changers wife, she seems to feel nothing at all.
Aubrey finds himself strangely bound to each one, but especially Lilith. As Aubrey begins to learn more than his teacher ever meant for him to, he also begins unraveling a startling mystery that will change the destinies of himself and all that surround him.
The plot was intriguing, romantic, and often surprising. Fantasy fans won't want to miss it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, magic filled page-turner, December 19, 2002

By 

BarkLessWagMore (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Shape-Changer's Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

Aubrey, a young magician, has learned just about all he can from his current mentor and decides to become the apprentice of Glyrendon a feared but extremely talented shape changer. Little does he realize he is about to enter into a very strange world.

Upon arriving at Glyrenden's home he is puzzled when he discovers the wizard is out of town for an unspecified amount of time and is further surprised when he encounters the weird, unpersonable inhabitants of the home. Aubrey, a good natured fellow, decides to make the best of his situation and spends his time getting to know Glyrenden's odd wife Lilith.

Lilith becomes a mystery, almost an obsession to Aubrey. Determined to break through to her and find the cause of her sorrow he uses his shape changing knowledge and risks everything he is to help her.

Although I figured out Lilith's secret long before Aubrey did this did not lesson my enjoyment of the tale.

The Shapechanger's Wife is a delightful, fairytale-like, page turner filled with magic and the wonders of nature. It also has an enchanting ending open to the readers own interpretation.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Tale, June 16, 2005

By 

Melissa McCauley (North Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shape-Changer's Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

The young magician Aubrey has learned almost all he can from his mentor Cyril, so he is sent to apprentice with the powerful shape-changer Glynrenden. He is warned to be wary of the wizard, and soon notices that the situation is far from normal at Glynrenden's home in the woods. Most strange of all is the mage's disturbing and bewitching wife, Lilith, who watches everything impassively with her luminous green eyes.

Aubrey learns lessons of love and hate, right and wrong, on top of the art of shape-changing during his time as Glynrenden's apprentice. A deftly woven tale, reminiscent of the fairy tales I loved as a child, full of nature and morals. Of course, the reader figures out the truth about Lilith long before Aubrey, but this did nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the story.

I am in love with Sharon Shinn's writing, but this book is not for you if you like a story with more action and whiz-bang.