Shadow Creatures

Chris Vick’s latest book shines a spotlight on authentic living history drawing on the wartime memories of his Norwegian mother, the resistance work of his uncles and the experiences of his grandmother’s sister. His protagonists thrive on secret plans, daring and clever subterfuge as they defy the Nazi occupation. Similar to his approach in Girl. Boy. Sea, he imbues his tale with the power of storytelling by interlocking the Nordic myths of the mysterious forest spirit Huldra and rebellious Nixie sprites with his narrative.

Spanning from Spring 1940 to Spring 1945, Shadow Creatures is related through the dual voices of Liva and Tove, the Grand Aunt and Grandmother of Georgy who asks them to revisit the past to help her with her school project.

From that premise, springs recollections of a band of ‘truants, thieves and smugglers’ who used the landscape, traditions and fungi of their beloved country as a way to elude the SS.

Vick skilfully uses research and facts as threads in his storyline focusing on the lives of the villagers of Rullesteinsvik affected by strict rationing, the brutal activities of the invaders on the sacred island of Fjernoy, indoctrination through education, striking teachers, the banning of Nordic fairy tales, the exploits of the Milorg, buried treasure and dangerous missions.

Agna, Haakon, Liva, Tove and Sergei, a Sami prisoner affectionately referred to as Nisse [a friendly creature from Scandinavian folklore] are all well drawn characters fighting for freedom. Vick also attempts nuance by briefly considering the point of view of a frightened enemy soldier.

Shadow Creatures has courage, resilience and fortitude in the face of great suffering at its heart. It has a vivid sense of place and will appeal to fans of historical fiction set during World War Two wishing to explore undiscovered territory.