Shadowbook (novel)

Shadowbook is a gothic Cinderella story that is based upon the Jungian Shadow Complex. It is the story of a foster girl called Nyx and her relationship with Astor, the Prince of the Night.

Part One
In the prologue, Alexandra Wilson introduces her situation to the reader. She lives in foster care, and does not remember her parents. She is constantly moving around from home to home, forced to follow new sets of rules. She is generally uncared for and unloved by the families she stays with. Her current foster mother is annoying and neglectful.

In the first two chapters, Alexandra, who calls herself Nyx after the Greek night goddess, describes the Shadow Complex to the reader. It has given her a sense of hope. She has friends-- called Senka, Atra, Noire, and Lela-- for the first time in a long time, and they are also interested in Shadows. Though she's found solace, Nyx's life hasn't actually changed, and she feels frustrated. She feels like she is waiting for some big change, but doesn't know what she's waiting for.

In chapter three, Nyx meets a mysterious boy named Astor and immediately recognizes him as a Shadow person. She finds him writing quietly in a dark classroom, as though waiting for her, and realizes that she had a dream about him. Astor agrees to introduce her to the Shadow world, and appears on her windowsill the next night, offering to take her into the Otherworld, alone. Nyx is apprehensive, but agrees. Astor brings her to Umbragard and shows her his palace, revealing to Nyx that he is the Prince of Shadows. He dances with her and tells her that he loves her. They kiss in his carriage, and Nyx shifts to Shadow form for the first time. Later, Nyx wakes up in her bed, still in Shadow form.

The next night, Jasmine comes to warn Nyx that Astor may be seducing her to prey on her. Nyx starts to become more wary of him, even as she meets him more often and forms an actual relationship with him. She witnesses him prey on her school bully, Karrine, and is enthralled by his hunting ability, but starts to really fear that he will do the same to her. She briefly considers leaving "the whole Shadow thing" behind, and faces a mental argument between her Consciousness and Shadow. Nyx decides that she loves Astor and that she is desperate for change in her life, so she is willing to take the risk.

Astor finds her under a tree and talks to her, becoming vulnerable for the first time. He reveals more about what it means to be a Shadow, explains some of his own insecurities, and tells Nyx why he loves her. He also apologizes for stalking her. Deciding that she trusts Astor, Nyx unexpected shifts to Shadow form. Astor realizes that her eyes are violet, like his, which suggests a deeper connection between them. They kiss, and Nyx prepares to officially enter the Shadow world.

Part Two
Nyx's friends finally meet Astor, his sister, and his adoptive brother. Astor brings them all to Umbragard the following night. Astor reveals to Nyx that he had to spend several months in the Conscious world as a ten-year-old, and that he lived with the same family that Nyx happens to currently be living with. While in the Otherworld, Nyx sleeps beside Astor in his carriage, and tells him her real name. Nyx and her friends explore the palace, and Astor shows Nyx his kingdom from one of the towers. Before leaving the palace, Astor shows Nyx and her friends the throne room, but they find Nyx's foster brother, Bryon (who followed them through the portal to the Otherworld) sitting on Astor's throne. In a rage, Astor preys on Bryon, and Nyx tastes Bryon's Elixir.

Bryon attempts to follow them into the Shadowhawk treasure vault, but Astor leaves him stranded in the labyrinth. Nyx travels through the labyrinth, alone, thinking about her past and the abuse she suffered. When she reaches the center of the labyrinth, Astor comforts her. He lets Nyx and her friends each take a treasure from the vault.

Karrine continues to bully Nyx when she returns to the Conscious world, and she returns home in tears. Astor comes at night to comfort her, and Nyx suddenly gets the idea to use a bottle of cherry syrup as fake blood. She and Astor "decorate" the house with the syrup and trick Nyx's foster mother into thinking they're vampires. Astor threatens her to get her to drink from a chalice of what appears to be blood, and she realizes that she was the victim of a macabre prank.

Nyx moves homes the next day, and her new foster sister, Isabel, has a vampire obsession. Nyx and Isabel go walking at night, and Isabel conveniently run into Astor. Isabel starts fangirling, and Astor brings them both to Nocturne Park, the forest behind the Palace.

Karrine is still bothering Nyx, so Astor plans to prey on her again. He teaches Nyx about Umbrateleportation, or traveling through the darkness itself. He somehow brings Karrine and her gang to Nocturne Park, where he teaches Nyx how to hunt. After a personal moment in the carriage, Astor and Nyx go back to the palace and explore the gardens with Jasmine, Orphe, and Nyx's friends. Astor decides to take them all to the Ombre Observatory, a secret astrology center in Umbragard. They study the Zodiac and stargaze until Astor invites everybody to the upcoming fire festival, Beltane.

The night before Beltane, Nyx comes to Umbragard with her sister and Isabel. They spend several hours preparing for the festival. Nyx meets Astor's mother, who tells her she will be playing the role of the May Queen. Astor and Nyx lead a procession to Nocturne Park, and the Shadows begin a passionate, wild dance around bonfires. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Nyx considers whether or not she should join them, and ultimately concludes that she is one of them now and dances with Astor, feeling ecstatic and free for the first time.

After dancing, Nyx meets her mother, Karesinda Nightborn, who was a Shadow all along. Karesinda cannot stay with Nyx, but is overjoyed to see Nyx again. Astor shows Nyx the Sanctum Umbrarum or Sanctuary, a temple at the source of a magical vortex, and asks her to stay in Umbragard. He gives her a room in the Palace designed especially for her, and she sleeps beside him.

Part Three
Nyx wakes up in Umbragard, and it is her sixteenth birthday. Astor and his parents ask Nyx to stay with them in Umbragard forever, at Karesinda's request. Nyx realizes that she is being given the opportunity to be a Shadow forever, and live with royalty in comfort and security. Though she feels it's too good to be true, Nyx accepts. She is simultaneously relieved and overwhelmed by life in the Palace. All is well until Spyro warns Astor that his evil cousin, Abaddon, wants him dead. Astor resolves to go after Abaddon by himself, but Nyx insists on going with him, and they eventually convince Spyro to let them (and their friends) go. They enter Abaddon's labyrinth and split up. Astor and Nyx travel through the labyrinth alone and help each other overcome various obstacles. Astor nearly drowns in a lake, but Nyx saves him, as she did in her dream. Astor nearly dies from the cold, but Nyx somehow manages to heal him. They meet up with their friends in Abaddon's dungeon, and Astor urges the rest of them to flee to safety. Lost in the dungeon, Nyx and Astor become separated from each other, and Nyx comes across him lying dead in a cold chamber. She grieves, until she hears another anguished scream and realizes Astor is alive. Together, they confront Abaddon, who wants to kill Astor as revenge for stealing his flight spell. A fight ensues between Astor and Abaddon, and Astor nearly loses. Though she has no training or experience in combat or magic, Nyx tries to help Astor in any way she can. Senka, who has turned into a wolf, and Itzal, a unicorn spirit, intervene, but ultimately do nothing to help them. Finally, Nyx bravely and stupidly charges at Abaddon and is nearly killed. She almost blacks out, but Astor saves her with magic powder and Abaddon has mysteriously disappeared. They triumphantly return home before Nyx passes out again. The book ends with a celebratory Shadow ball.