catherine325's review against another edition
Will probably start over in further just not in mood now
jillcd's review against another edition
4.0
A good mystery/adventure that my middle school girls seem to love!
kylieayn's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
rach's review against another edition
5.0
One of my best friends gave me this book for my birthday last year, and she was totally right about it: it was great, and I loved it! From characters to location to plot, this book was entertaining in every way.
Kiki Strike is a fascinatingly mysterious character. For much of the book, even her sometimes-supposed-best friends don't know who she really is, but when her true identity is revealed, the motivations behind her every action become clear.
Kiki isn't the only interesting character, thankfully. Kiki's group of friends, the Irregulars, each have their own unique charms, even our narrator, Ananka, who initially assumes she's nothing special. I love the idea of a band of misfit girls banding together and using their brains and skills to explore hidden tunnels through their city, uncover mysteries, and rescue kidnapped victims. In each other, these girls discovered true friends who shared each other's interests and supported each other through thick and thin.
I love the idea of a Shadow City existing below even the subway tunnels of New York, a place no one knew existed that held it's own mysteries and treasures, just waiting to be found. It's a little disappointing that One of the most important things Kiki and the others learn is that they can do more together than any one of them can do apart, and that' an important lesson for all kids to learn, both girls and boys.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, not only because I want to see, but because the adventures the Irregulars are going to have will undoubtedly be epic. I can't wait to follow along as they grow up and see what life has in store for them. I also can't wait for my nieces to be old enough to read these books. They're right on the edge right now, and I think in a year or two, they will just devour this series. Having smart, adventurous, brave role models is especially important for girls, especially in our current culture that bombards girls with all things pink and princess.
Kiki, Ananka, Betty, DeeDee, Luz, and Oona are far from perfect, but they represent a wide variety of girls, all of whom stand up for themselves and refuse to conform to what society expects of them. Girls can be into fashion and costumes, but girls can also be into books or science or technology or martial arts. It's a big world, and my hope for all my nieces is that they know they can do anything they want. I hope they dream big, and work hard to fulfill their dreams.
Kiki Strike is a fascinatingly mysterious character. For much of the book, even her sometimes-supposed-best friends don't know who she really is, but when her true identity is revealed, the motivations behind her every action become clear.
Kiki isn't the only interesting character, thankfully. Kiki's group of friends, the Irregulars, each have their own unique charms, even our narrator, Ananka, who initially assumes she's nothing special. I love the idea of a band of misfit girls banding together and using their brains and skills to explore hidden tunnels through their city, uncover mysteries, and rescue kidnapped victims. In each other, these girls discovered true friends who shared each other's interests and supported each other through thick and thin.
I love the idea of a Shadow City existing below even the subway tunnels of New York, a place no one knew existed that held it's own mysteries and treasures, just waiting to be found. It's a little disappointing that
Spoiler
Kiki brought the girls together not for pure exploration and preventative tunnel mapping, but to break into her evil aunt & cousin's house to find the clue that would lead her to the letter her murdered mother wrote, proving that her sister was the one who poisoned her. I get where she was coming from, and she truly couldn't have done it without the other girls. The original intent doesn't negate the excitement of the time they spent down in the tunnels or the bond that eventually develops between the girls.I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, not only because I want to see
Spoiler
Kiki take Sidonia and her mother down and reclaim her throneKiki, Ananka, Betty, DeeDee, Luz, and Oona are far from perfect, but they represent a wide variety of girls, all of whom stand up for themselves and refuse to conform to what society expects of them. Girls can be into fashion and costumes, but girls can also be into books or science or technology or martial arts. It's a big world, and my hope for all my nieces is that they know they can do anything they want. I hope they dream big, and work hard to fulfill their dreams.
labraden's review against another edition
4.0
Ananka meets Kiki Strike who changes her life forever. Kiki and Ananka form the Irregulars from Girl Scouts who have talents beyond winning merit badges. After they find the Shadow City and begin to explore, they run across far more than they bargained for and begin to question whether Kiki is a good guy or just someone who used them to further her own criminal agenda. As the story progresses, and the girls grow older, new clues begin to emerge about Kiki Stike and the world of Shadow City. A very interesting story with several twists and turns as well as a great lead in to the next book in the series, The Empress's Tomb.
erin_reads_boooks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This wasn't exactly what I expected. If you like books about girls being awesome and solving crimes, this book may be for you (as long as you can suspend reality). It was a fun read, if totally unbelievable.
This wasn't exactly what I expected. If you like books about girls being awesome and solving crimes, this book may be for you (as long as you can suspend reality). It was a fun read, if totally unbelievable.
thebookshrimp's review against another edition
2.0
Plot was enticing but characters weren’t particularly vibrant and distinct from one another. They all sort of blended into a muddy grey.
aarain's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
audreysides's review against another edition
5.0
This is by far one of my favorite books! It's filled with suspense, action, and girl smartness. I recommend this book to butt kicking girls, who love a good book!
briannastw's review against another edition
5.0
Ananka Fishbein is a butt-kicking girl with a terrifically feminist outlook. The wry humor of Ananka's observations was what set this book apart for me. I also adored the summaries of important survival/spying skills at the end of each chapter.
Full review at: http://slatebreakers.com/2011/10/06/review-inside-the-shadow-city-by-kirsten-miller/
Full review at: http://slatebreakers.com/2011/10/06/review-inside-the-shadow-city-by-kirsten-miller/