Book Review: Shadow of the Lions

By Annell Gerson

At twelve, having graduated from the pages of Encyclopedia Brown and The Hardy Boys, Christopher Swanns grandfather gave him a prized volume of The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes. As an eighth grader, he created a fictionalized diary for a history assignment. Not only did he receive accolades for his project, but writing had been fun. Hard to know which was more influential, but by the time Christopher Swann was a teenager, he knew he would grow up to be a writer.

His adolescent dream became a reality in August 2017, when Algonquin Books published his debut novel, Shadow of the Lions. Lauded as a compelling blend of A Separate Peace, Dead Poets Society, and The Secret History, Shadow of the Lions is a literary thriller complete with page-turning plot lines, believable characters, and heart-twisting social themes.

Fritz Davenport and Matthias Glass are seniors, roommates, and best friends at The Blackburne School, a prestigious boys boarding school in Virginia. In the symbolic shadow of the two concrete lions that flank the entrance to the school, Fritz and Matthias argue regarding a consequential matter. Fritz runs off into the woods and disappears. A decade later, Fritz has never been found.

Although Matthias writes a bestselling novel, life in the fast lane has left him broke and void of ideas for a second book. Since he has no other job prospects, when offered a position teaching English at Blackburne, he accepts.

Returning to Blackburne resurrects buried memories, and Matthias, flooded with feelings of loss, loneliness, and guilt, realizes he will never emerge from the shadow of his past unless he finds out what happened to Fritz. Uncovering the truth leads to stunning revelations about himself, his friend, the adults of his youth, and Blackburne itself.

Shadow of the Lions is a Townsend Prize Finalist for 2018. In addition, Christopher Swann has been nominated for Georgia Author of the Year 2018, First Novel.