Thank you to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of Where Shadows Bloom in exchange for an honest review.
Where Shadows Bloom by Catherine Bakewell offers an endearing sapphic relationship set against a straightforward fantasy backdrop. The satisfying, self-contained story is a lovely young adult romantasy that is sure to be a revelation for certain readers. And for more experienced readers, it’s still an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
Where Shadows Bloom
In Where Shadows Bloom, the story follows Ofelia, a young woman who lives under the watchful eye of her mother on their family estate. Meanwhile, her knight, Lope, protects the estate from Shadows, living monstrous shadow beings that can swiftly cause bodily harm and death. Lope clandestinely pines after Ofelia, but only expresses her feelings through her poetry.
Frustrated with being confined to her home, Ofelia plans to run away to Le Château Enchanté. This royal palace is presided over by King Léo, who declares that no Shadows are able to trespass on the castle grounds. But the situation is complicated when Ofelia’s mother, Marisol, heads to Le Château Enchanté to seek admission in her daughter’s stead.
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Supposedly, Marisol will return in a matter of days. But when the days turn to weeks, Ofelia grows desperate. Soon, she and Lope are setting out to reach Le Château Enchanté and discover what has happened to her mother.
But when they arrive at the castle, they discover a situation that is vastly removed from their expectations. What has happened to Marisol and others who have disappeared from Le Château Enchanté? And what connection might Ofelia already have with the royal court?
At Le Château Enchanté
Where Shadows Bloom is a deceptively simple romantasy. It is told through Lope and Ofelia’s respective perspectives, which alternate from chapter to chapter. And as is befitting a knight who named herself after a poet, the Lope chapters are filled with short snippets of poetry. There isn’t too much worldbuilding put into Where Shadows Bloom. Instead, a straightforward fantasy backdrop is used to tell the story of the two main characters.
Speaking of which, the highlight of this novel is (perhaps unsurprisingly) the romance between Lope and Ofelia. This sapphic love story is filled with longing, as even after Ofelia learns of Lope’s feelings (and reciprocates them), it still takes a considerable amount of time for the couple to come together. It isn’t exactly unprecedented, but it is always nice to see a sapphic romantasy story play out.
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And while the fantasy story may be straightforward, it possesses some interesting thematic depth. In particular, the power dynamics between the King and his subjects are well done. And the Shadows are eventually explained, in what might be the biggest twist of the book. You are unlikely to see the explanation coming, which ties into the story’s main plot. But explained or not, they remain an effective and unsettling specter that haunts the characters quite well.
This isn’t the sort of story to get into if you’re hoping for an expansive fantasy world or a lot of earth-shattering surprises. But, if you’re searching for a sapphic romantasy story that has some very sweet moments, Where Shadows Bloom will fit the bill.
Where Shadows Bloom is available now at a local bookstore and/or public library near you.
