When Ombria’s prince, Royce Greve, breathes his last—in palace rooms high above the city—he leaves his young son and mistress at the mercy of his ancient and powerful great-aunt, Domina Pearl. Meanwhile, in a dreamlike underworld peopled by Ombria’s ghosts, a sorceress weaves her spells and brews her potions, never revealing her real face—or true heart. And somewhere in between, the struggle to rule the whole of Ombria—both its light and shadows—will rest in the hands of those whose fractured lives align like the lost pieces of a magical puzzle….
“Like the royal tutor (a key figure), the novel ‘wavers between history and magic,’ and the ornate, occasionally mannered prose conceals both wit and intelligence.”—
The Washington Post Book World
“An intriguing and compelling portrait of a city born of light and shadow, whose citizens may discover the means to cross the borders between the real and the merely possible. The author’s graceful prose and remarkable depth of characterization bring to life a tale of love and loyalty that transcends time and space.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“This is absolutely the most pleasing book Patricia A. McKillip has written in years…a swift-moving journey through a maze of truth, loss, secrets, bravery, temptation, obsession, magic, and ultimately, love.”—SF Site
“A swift, dark dream of a book…Masterfully turning old fairy tales on their heads as she pits the horrors of unchecked avarice and spells-for-hire against those very different forces, keen wits and steadfast love, McKillip maintains a delicate balance throughout Ombria in Shadows.”—Locus
“A ghostly tale of human emotions gone astray in a city that lives and dies in endless cycles…fine prose.”—Publishers Weekly
