‘Prounounced “ben-dith uh mo-may,” a Welsh phrase meaning “mother’s blessing,” they are the chief child thieves of any fairy court, and the first to whom a community will turn when they desire fresh infants. Each community has its own differing needs, but a thriving, healthy court will often call upon their Bendith Y Mamau to tend to the acquisition of living mortals.’
From the novelist, screenwriter, film critic and self-described space pirate C. Robert Cargill comes Dreams and Shadows, his debut novel. Although Cargill has written several other novels since his debut in 2013, including Queen of the Dark Things (2014) and Sea of Rust (2017), Dreams and Shadows is my first experience of Cargill as a writer. A fantastic read for fans of Neil Gaiman and Guillermo Del Toro, Dreams and Shadows transports you beyond the veil to where the creatures from fairy tales and folklore lurk. Among these monsters live Ewan and Colby, two young boys who have become part of the ‘otherworld’, their lives and fates intertwined with the creatures of the Limestone Kingdom.
Starting with the tragic backstory of Ewan, who is whisked away from his loving mother with a changeling left in his place, Ewan grows up among the fairies, both seelie (safe) and unseelie (unsafe), unaware of the dark purpose the Limestone Kingdom has bestowed upon him. Meanwhile the young Colby meets a cursed genie and wishes to see the entire supernatural world, unknowingly taking him on a perilous and winding adventure. This is how Ewan and Colby meet, two mortal boys in a world of magic and danger who form a strong bond of friendship. Throughout the novel we see them grow up and face endless perils as the supernatural world blends with our own in a richly imagined world where fallen angels hang out in bars, complete with its own mythology which guides us through the many supernatural creatures we meet. Cargill’s story is well-crafted, warm, funny and imaginative with a dark, brutal edge. In a story filled with fairies and monsters there can’t be an easy, happy ending as Colby and Ewan’s past pursues them into their future. Dreams and Shadows is moving, endearing and loads of fun for lovers of fantasy with a realistic twist. I deeply enjoyed learning about the many creatures, both dangerous, good and misunderstood in a tale both tragic and heart-warming.
PS – how much do I love the cover? SO MUCH
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