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Warriors: A Vision of Shadows #2
Thunder and Shadow
Nearly a moon has passed since Alderpaw returned from his journey to SkyClan’s gorge, where he found the territory taken over by rogues. Now the same vicious cats that drove out SkyClan have traced Alderpaw’s path back to the lake… and ShadowClan may be the next to fall.
Full of epic adventure and thrilling intrigue, this fifth Warriors series is the perfect introduction for readers new to the Warriors world—while for dedicated fans, it’s a long-awaited return to the era of Bramblestar’s ThunderClan, after the events of Omen of the Stars.
Full of epic adventure and thrilling intrigue, this fifth Warriors series is the perfect introduction for readers new to the Warriors world—while for dedicated fans, it’s a long-awaited return to the era of Bramblestar’s ThunderClan, after the events of Omen of the Stars.
352 pages, ebook
First published September 6, 2016
979 people are currently reading
3861 people want to read
About the author
Erin Hunter
281 books10.6k followersErin Hunter is the pseudonym of five people: Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui T. Sutherland, Gillian Philip, and Inbali Iserles, as well as editor Victoria Holmes. Together, they write the Warriors series as well as the Seekers and Survivors series. Erin Hunter is working on a new series now called Bravelands.
Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astronomy and standing stones.
Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astronomy and standing stones.
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May 27, 2019this never would’ve happened if blackstar was still alive
September 14, 2016
When I first started this book, I was less than impressed. I've reached that age where I'm really just reading them for nostalgia and not necessarily because I'm into the world as much anymore. But overall, I did enjoy it.
Okay, first off, those two kits, Twigkit and Violetkit, are in separate clans. I personally liked the in-world choice, but it felt more like a choice to create drama between the two clans than a sensical conclusion that the cats made.
So that kinda irritated me. I mean, isn't the blood of the clan thicker than the water of the womb? (I totally butchered the original saying, but it's true.) I understand the not-fitting-in thing from Violetkit's perspective, as Shadowclan can be a bit underwhelming with their affection, but Twigkit didn't really experience that. Thunderclan is usually that clan where everyone takes care of each other, ya know?
If you've read my review for 'The Apprentice's Quest,' you'll know two things: I liked Needlepaw a ton, and that I wanted non-Thunderclan perspective.
Good Thing: We got non-Thunderclan perspective, yeah for all my Shadowclan clanmates out there!
Bad thing: Needlepaw infuriated me this book. Rant time: (prepare for capslock)
Needlepaw in the first book was a rebellious but still well-meaning apprentice. In this book...eh? She, Sleekpaw, (shudders because I hate Sleekpaw,) and a couple other cats of Shadowclan leave to join the rogues, which have settled near the clan territory. While valid points are brought up, such as why do the clans discriminate over something no one has control over, the reason they leave in the end is because of some bizarre dislike of the current Shadowclan leadership. Which makes no sense, actually. (I personally love Rowanstar and Crowfrost, in fact I love almost every Shadowclan cat, except for Sleekpaw and Scorchfur. But I like the rest. That might be the reason for my slight bias,)
I think it's more that the apprentices are just going through that rebellious teenage phase. Seriously.
While in the rogue camp, it's demonstrated that Needlepaw had a crush on the rogue Rain, and she was kind of a jerk about it, ignoring Violetkit in favor of Rain.
Violetkit already possessed a delicate emotional balance; her mother was gone, her sister was in another clan, Shadowclan hadn't accepted her, and Needlepaw/tail was her only friend. And then that friend ignores her. /-_-" Nice job, Needletail.
Sidenote: Have we ever had a female cat (besides Mousefur, our favorite Aromantic cat,) that hasn't had a crush on some tom? Hollyleaf? Didn't she have that thing with Fallen Leaves? I'd say Ivypool, but isn't there an implication in this book about that? I'd thought maybe we'd have a she-cat who may have even been LGBT, but that really doesn't happen much in kid's media. (Except for Steven Universe. That show is the best.)
Back to the Needletail thing:
It's fine that she joined the rogues, that's her choice. But the fact that later, she practically dragged Violetpaw into it with her, just makes me mad. YOU WEREN'T THERE FOR HER BEFORE. BUT NOW YOU ARE? SHE COULD HAVE BEEN WITH HER SIS AGAIN BUT NO YOU HAVE TO GET ALL "YOU'RE LIKE MY KIIIIIN," ON VIOLETPAW'S DOUBTFUL SAD CINNAMON ROLL HEART! YOU FOXHEART! YOU DARE?!? AND TO THINK I LIKED YOU BEFORE. YOU SICKEN ME, YOU MOUTH-BREATHING HEATHEN!
Okay, more commentary on the book itself and not my dislike for NeedleFAIL. (I make such bad jokes I'm ashamed.)
Yellowcough? Really? Whitecough, Greencough, Blackcough, and now Yellowcough? Well, give Starclan a prize for giving these things such good names!
Kidding, but really.
Shadowclan cats are sick and they ask Windclan for the herb. But guess what? WINDCLAN DOESNT GIVE IT TO THEM. JERKS. Onestar said it was because of the rogues, but I doubt it. He was alive when Brokenstar drove his clan into the twoleg-sewer complex. I assume it's pent up aggression falsely aimed at the innocent cats.
I gotta say, I think it's Onestar's time to visit Starclan.
He must be at one or two lives now, right? He was a warrior when Fireheart came into the forest, so he must've been about 12 moons, right, and Firestar was about 96 moons when he died, plus it's been two seasons (or more) since Firestar's death, so he must be more than nine years old. He should be dead soon, maybe him and Firestar can be bros in Starclan as they were when he was Onewhisker...)
Anyway, I did enjoy the book, but some parts (namely Needletail and the dramatic bits) took away from that.
PS: When Shadowclan's remaining cats are in the Thunderclan camp, I loved it when someone remarked that Rowanstar was following Bramblestar, giving him tips. Aren't they technically in laws, since Tawnypelt is Bramblestar's sister and Rowanstar is Tawnypelt's mate? That makes it even funnier.
Okay, first off, those two kits, Twigkit and Violetkit, are in separate clans. I personally liked the in-world choice, but it felt more like a choice to create drama between the two clans than a sensical conclusion that the cats made.
So that kinda irritated me. I mean, isn't the blood of the clan thicker than the water of the womb? (I totally butchered the original saying, but it's true.) I understand the not-fitting-in thing from Violetkit's perspective, as Shadowclan can be a bit underwhelming with their affection, but Twigkit didn't really experience that. Thunderclan is usually that clan where everyone takes care of each other, ya know?
If you've read my review for 'The Apprentice's Quest,' you'll know two things: I liked Needlepaw a ton, and that I wanted non-Thunderclan perspective.
Good Thing: We got non-Thunderclan perspective, yeah for all my Shadowclan clanmates out there!
Bad thing: Needlepaw infuriated me this book. Rant time: (prepare for capslock)
Needlepaw in the first book was a rebellious but still well-meaning apprentice. In this book...eh? She, Sleekpaw, (shudders because I hate Sleekpaw,) and a couple other cats of Shadowclan leave to join the rogues, which have settled near the clan territory. While valid points are brought up, such as why do the clans discriminate over something no one has control over, the reason they leave in the end is because of some bizarre dislike of the current Shadowclan leadership. Which makes no sense, actually. (I personally love Rowanstar and Crowfrost, in fact I love almost every Shadowclan cat, except for Sleekpaw and Scorchfur. But I like the rest. That might be the reason for my slight bias,)
I think it's more that the apprentices are just going through that rebellious teenage phase. Seriously.
While in the rogue camp, it's demonstrated that Needlepaw had a crush on the rogue Rain, and she was kind of a jerk about it, ignoring Violetkit in favor of Rain.
Violetkit already possessed a delicate emotional balance; her mother was gone, her sister was in another clan, Shadowclan hadn't accepted her, and Needlepaw/tail was her only friend. And then that friend ignores her. /-_-" Nice job, Needletail.
Sidenote: Have we ever had a female cat (besides Mousefur, our favorite Aromantic cat,) that hasn't had a crush on some tom? Hollyleaf? Didn't she have that thing with Fallen Leaves? I'd say Ivypool, but isn't there an implication in this book about that? I'd thought maybe we'd have a she-cat who may have even been LGBT, but that really doesn't happen much in kid's media. (Except for Steven Universe. That show is the best.)
Back to the Needletail thing:
It's fine that she joined the rogues, that's her choice. But the fact that later, she practically dragged Violetpaw into it with her, just makes me mad. YOU WEREN'T THERE FOR HER BEFORE. BUT NOW YOU ARE? SHE COULD HAVE BEEN WITH HER SIS AGAIN BUT NO YOU HAVE TO GET ALL "YOU'RE LIKE MY KIIIIIN," ON VIOLETPAW'S DOUBTFUL SAD CINNAMON ROLL HEART! YOU FOXHEART! YOU DARE?!? AND TO THINK I LIKED YOU BEFORE. YOU SICKEN ME, YOU MOUTH-BREATHING HEATHEN!
Okay, more commentary on the book itself and not my dislike for NeedleFAIL. (I make such bad jokes I'm ashamed.)
Yellowcough? Really? Whitecough, Greencough, Blackcough, and now Yellowcough? Well, give Starclan a prize for giving these things such good names!
Kidding, but really.
Shadowclan cats are sick and they ask Windclan for the herb. But guess what? WINDCLAN DOESNT GIVE IT TO THEM. JERKS. Onestar said it was because of the rogues, but I doubt it. He was alive when Brokenstar drove his clan into the twoleg-sewer complex. I assume it's pent up aggression falsely aimed at the innocent cats.
I gotta say, I think it's Onestar's time to visit Starclan.
He must be at one or two lives now, right? He was a warrior when Fireheart came into the forest, so he must've been about 12 moons, right, and Firestar was about 96 moons when he died, plus it's been two seasons (or more) since Firestar's death, so he must be more than nine years old. He should be dead soon, maybe him and Firestar can be bros in Starclan as they were when he was Onewhisker...)
Anyway, I did enjoy the book, but some parts (namely Needletail and the dramatic bits) took away from that.
PS: When Shadowclan's remaining cats are in the Thunderclan camp, I loved it when someone remarked that Rowanstar was following Bramblestar, giving him tips. Aren't they technically in laws, since Tawnypelt is Bramblestar's sister and Rowanstar is Tawnypelt's mate? That makes it even funnier.
September 12, 2016
I am very relieved to say this one was much better than the previous book. Not by a whole lot, but where The Apprentice's Quest was insufferably dull and boring, Thunder and Shadow was at least entertaining enough to be readable.
It's no secret that I'm disappointed by this arc. There really isn't a solid plot and the main characters are lacking compared to the ones in any of the other series. The Warriors series has gone on long past it's prime, and this arc is dreadfully average compared to the others.
But that being said, Thunder and Shadow wasn't that bad. It has flaws but it's readable and the new characters are semi-interesting.
I still struggle to care about Alderpaw, who doesn't really have any personality traits. I actually quite liked Twigpaw and Violetpaw, who actually had rather interesting plot lines.
A large part of this book takes place in Shadowclan, which was really refreshing. They are having issues with rogues, but they also have the apprentices deciding to rebel, as they are set on trying to "make Shadowclan great again" (their words, not mine). I found the idea of the apprentices rioting to be quite an interesting one, but it was sadly dropped quite quickly. Along with that, Shadowclan is dealing with a mysterious illness, and Twigpaw and Violetpaw are trying to find out where they belong. At least things are happening during the entire book.
However, I didn't like how the main plot of this arc, saving Skyclan, was completely dropped. No headway is made in the slightest, it's barely even brought up. So I guess that kind of makes this a filler book.
Overall, this is an improvement from the last one. It's far from my favorite Warriors book, but I am interested to see where the next book will go.
It's no secret that I'm disappointed by this arc. There really isn't a solid plot and the main characters are lacking compared to the ones in any of the other series. The Warriors series has gone on long past it's prime, and this arc is dreadfully average compared to the others.
But that being said, Thunder and Shadow wasn't that bad. It has flaws but it's readable and the new characters are semi-interesting.
I still struggle to care about Alderpaw, who doesn't really have any personality traits. I actually quite liked Twigpaw and Violetpaw, who actually had rather interesting plot lines.
A large part of this book takes place in Shadowclan, which was really refreshing. They are having issues with rogues, but they also have the apprentices deciding to rebel, as they are set on trying to "make Shadowclan great again" (their words, not mine). I found the idea of the apprentices rioting to be quite an interesting one, but it was sadly dropped quite quickly. Along with that, Shadowclan is dealing with a mysterious illness, and Twigpaw and Violetpaw are trying to find out where they belong. At least things are happening during the entire book.
However, I didn't like how the main plot of this arc, saving Skyclan, was completely dropped. No headway is made in the slightest, it's barely even brought up. So I guess that kind of makes this a filler book.
Overall, this is an improvement from the last one. It's far from my favorite Warriors book, but I am interested to see where the next book will go.
February 24, 2017
I really like this book's main characters. The 2 separated siblings from the book before are both growing in character a bit more than I expected. One thing I disliked about the book is that one of the cat's names was confusing me the whole book. It sounded like one of the cats from before this branch of the series. As mentioned before, I really like the 2 cat sisters. Something I like about the series is how the author isn't afraid to kill off one or a few of her characters. I also respect her ability to write about it without making the book either a sob scene or like some nasty documentary of the plague. She makes it not too detailed, but detailed enough to grasp the gravity of the situation.
November 18, 2024
remember when onestar used to be a chill morally lax twink. what happened to that. why is he a narc now
February 6, 2017
Well, I feel somewhat unjust in giving this book only two stars, but I didn't really enjoy it all that much. There was a somewhat important happening, but it just didn't seem to carry the weight it should have. And, other than that, nothing really took place and just about all the characters were irritating. As such, the plot was scarcely furthered.
January 12, 2017
This book was slightly different from the others in the series because Alderpaw is so unsure of himself in the beginning, it was refreshing to see a character who wasn't totally confiddent and who second guessed himself to the point of it sometimes paralyzing him when it came time to act. It's a good flaw to put in your hero character because it's one a lot of have and can relate to.
The dilemma with the two sisters--one in Thunderclan and the other in Shadowclan--was also well done and each sister's POV clear and sympathetic. I was sad, however, that so many cats died of illness before the medicine cats actually took a stand. Something tells me that wouldn't have happened in the days of Spottedleaf, Yellowfang, and Cinderpelt. It was also confusing about Onestar's behavior. Has he gone crazy like Bluestar? Paranoid?
I hope the Shadowclan cats can drive out the rogues and get back to behaving like warriors--though I think a lot of the responsibilty rest upon the adult cats; shoulders for letting the apprentices get so out of control. I also hope we can figure out just where Skyclan is and if Twigpaw and Violetpaw are really Hawkwing's kits.
The dilemma with the two sisters--one in Thunderclan and the other in Shadowclan--was also well done and each sister's POV clear and sympathetic. I was sad, however, that so many cats died of illness before the medicine cats actually took a stand. Something tells me that wouldn't have happened in the days of Spottedleaf, Yellowfang, and Cinderpelt. It was also confusing about Onestar's behavior. Has he gone crazy like Bluestar? Paranoid?
I hope the Shadowclan cats can drive out the rogues and get back to behaving like warriors--though I think a lot of the responsibilty rest upon the adult cats; shoulders for letting the apprentices get so out of control. I also hope we can figure out just where Skyclan is and if Twigpaw and Violetpaw are really Hawkwing's kits.
March 16, 2022
This one wasn’t as good as the first but still very interesting. It was plenty thick on the sister drama, and was a tad annoying by the end. I’m questioning Onestars character but it’s ok. I love these books and I can’t wait to read the next.
April 21, 2022
This was one of my favorite Warriors books in a while. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. It was also really long for a regular series book; almost 400 pages. I appreciated the pacing, which included several time jumps. Also great to have a different clan's perspective.
March 2, 2023
never thought i would ever say that i miss blackstar
December 14, 2019
Premise: When Alderpaw and Needlepaw returned from their quest with two orphaned kits – Twigkit and Violetkit – one went to live in ThunderClan while the other went to ShadowClan. Though separated, they struggle to remember their sisterhood and mutual dilemma. But even as they do, rebellion brews in the heart of ShadowClan. Things only get worse with the arrival of a gang of rogues with a grudge against the Clans. Yet even as their presence threatens to tear ShadowClan apart from the inside, will it also tear the two sisters apart for good?
Story/Writing: Woah… Man, as much as I love the books in this series, reading them sometimes feels like walking through an emotional warzone. That said, I do love the books in this series, and I LOVED this book in particular! It kinda reminded me of "Fading Echoes" both in terms of story and in the emotional impact it had on me. Still, it is different enough from that book to be its own story, not just an echo of it (pun intended). I also once again have to give the authors of the Erin Hunter team a massive amount of credit. We have the parallel stories happening alongside one another of a physical and emotional division between two sisters and the fall of ShadowClan from within. Both outside and inside forces play a part in both storylines. And the way they progress alongside the other I thought was brilliant. It didn't feel like things were being dramatic for the sake of it. The book builds from things that had been set up from the one before it, and it takes those things in both foreseen and unforeseen directions. While we do have a physical villain in the form of Darktail and his gang of rogues, they're mostly in the background. By the halfway point, ShadowClan has already been seriously compromised, having lost almost all of their apprentices to Darktail and then struck with a mysterious illness that the Clans initially refuse to help them with. Meanwhile, two sisters are struggling to cope with a separation from the other that should never have happened to begin with and was a terrible idea from the start. At the same time, they struggle to fit in with their respective Clans and have to deal with being simultaneously revered as an answer to a prophecy as well as scorned for not being Clanborn. And let's not forget that both of them are two young and innocent to deal with things like that. It all feels like a house of cards perilously close to collapsing under it's own weight. Maybe it's because I didn't know too much about the story going into it that it gave me the impact it did. It left me wanting badly for things to get better, and I can only hope they do!
Characters: Obviously the characters are a huge part of the emotional impact this book hammered into me. The story's main themes of betrayal and family drama really resonated with me as I read about the characters and their stories here. StarClan knows there were plenty of characters who turned out much different from how I thought they'd be!
Alderpaw – Although I don't consider him to be as much of a main character as he was in the previous book, I still have to give credit where credit's due. I guess the best way I can put it is that Alderpaw is the character who voices the opinions of the reader. At least, that's how it felt for me. But at the same time, he isn't just a blank slate. He's already grown so much from his early days as a medicine cat apprentice. Granted, four months of that growth were lost to us, but it's no less true! He was born to be a medicine cat, given how much he cares about the will of StarClan and the wellbeing of all cats, whatever Clan they're from. I can definitely see him being revered for his wisdom and courage many years down the line. What I mean by that is that he pays serious attention to issues and details most cats would ignore, the ones that make a difference. He knows from the beginning that separating the two sisters was an awful idea. He clearly cares about them not just as potential keys to the prophecy but also as orphaned kits, and he does what he can to help them cope with the separation. He knows SkyClan is still out there even if his father has lost hope. He will stand up to others, even those in authority, if other cats are in danger. And by the end, it's the way he speaks from his heart – a heart that cares – that more than earns him his medicine cat name. I'm just glad Jayfeather agreed with me!
Twigpaw – While Alderpaw is certainly a main character in this story, the focus is centered on the two sisters he and Needletail brought back with them to the Clans. From the start, it's clear that Twigpaw and Violetpaw should never have been separated. For the first half, we read about their early days with their respective Clans, and it quickly becomes clear that loss of innocence is a big theme. What's also poignant is how the situations that help form their characters are both similar and different. Since ThunderClan is more organized, stable, and loving, it makes sense that Twigpaw takes on those traits for herself. Even so, she has to deal with the fact that not all ThunderClan cats are good and kind. When her sister leaves, she has no one her own age to play with, her only real friends being Alderpaw, Lilyheart, and later on her mentor Ivypool (Perfect choice, by the way!). Not to mention her interactions with Jayfeather clearly prove that he's not good with kits! My heart went out to her when she tried to harvest some watermint from the lake to prove she's special. And then it broke multiple times once she became an apprentice. She searches for her mother, only to find she most likely died. She finally gets some time with her sister – despite the less-than-ideal circumstances – only to be wrenched from Violetpaw when she needed Twigpaw most. And in the end, while her sister does turn out to be fine, she's apparently pledged her allegiance to the rogues that have taken over ShadowClan! That said, she's not a passive character who just lets things happen to her. Even while being held hostage by ShadowClan, she pulls a Florence Nightingale and brings some much-needed reform to the way their sick are being cared for (or rather, not cared for). Whether she becomes a medicine cat or a warrior, Twigpaw is clearly a kind and strong young cat who's endured the bad circumstances forced upon her!
Violetpaw – Wow… Man did I feel sorry for this poor she-cat! While I do mean that in the most dignified way possible, geez! As stated before, while both sisters do make their own choices, their respective environments obviously play a big part in forming their characters. And it's kinda amazing that Violetpaw is as well-adjusted as she is. She spends the entire book being tossed from ShadowClan to the rogues then back to back, as well as being both wanted and unwanted. Not to mention she has to find out where her loyalties lie and then prove those loyalties time and time again. From her earliest days in ShadowClan, things are bad for her. Even if Pinenose is much better than Lizardstripe, she's not the most affectionate she-cat. And even though she does find a friend in Needletail, it's obvious Needletail doesn't care about her, however much she claims to. But at the same time, as messed-up as their so-called friendship is, it is understandable when you see it from Violetpaw's point of view. Plus it's a clever commentary on Stockholm syndrome. And when it comes to Twigpaw, she misses her at first, then sees her as just another ThunderClan cat. Then she finally gets to be with her sister again when they're apprentices, only to watch Twigpaw go with ThunderClan when they come for her. From the time she was a young kit, she's never had that relational stability needed for her to gain a healthy view of love. So much so that early on she just resigns herself to the belief that her mother is dead, and that she just needs to make do with whatever life throws at her. That said, I loved that the authors never say that they way Violetpaw goes back and forth in her relationships is right or wrong. While she did make choices I didn't agree with, I totally saw where she was coming from. I just hope she'll be able to pull herself together soon! I hope the sisters are able to mend their relationship soon! It was heartbreaking to see them get torn apart over and over again!
Needletail – Once again, wow! I can certainly say this is one of those very rare instances where my opinion of a character has drastically changed since the previous book. I'm now wondering how I ever liked Needletail in the last book, given how straight up awful she is in this one! From the moment she first took Violetpaw with her when she went to meet with the rogues, I knew where her character was going, and that it was not good. Even if she was the closest thing to a friend Violetpaw had during her early days in ShadowClan, it's obvious that she cares nothing for Violetpaw. I mean, where do I start? She sends Violetpaw out alone in the middle of the night – despite knowing that Violetpaw at that point is barely three months old – just to tell her stupid boyfriend that she can't make their date. Then she uproots Violetpaw from ShadowClan by taking the poor kit to live with the rogues along with her. Then she tells her off when Violetpaw comes back to her, only to emotionally manipulate her into staying with the rogues when they take over ShadowClan. Not to mention, even if she does only nick Twigpaw's ear, she still hurts one of the kits she and Alderpaw found! Nowhere did the book's theme of betrayal resonate so strongly in me than in my feelings toward Needletail. She felt like Ivypool if she'd really gone south. Speaking of which, it was great to see Ivypool get into a scuffle with her. Whatever happens to Needletail, I hope she gets what she deserves!
Rowanstar, Onestar, and Darktail – Three very different leaders toward which I have three very different views. For starters, while I don't blame Rowanstar entirely for the loss of ShadowClan to the rogues, I can definitely see how his leadership played a part in it – specifically the fact that he seemed to lack some backbone when it came to his apprentices and the rogues living near his territory, and tried to look on the bright side of things to his own detriment. He should've remembered that apprentices are the future of the Clan, and that a rebellious attitude can spread like an infection if not tended to properly – in this case, enforcing the warrior code on all his Clanmates. Speaking of which, while I was certainly appalled at the extreme lack of organization in ShadowClan, it reminded me of how I felt about them when I read "Yellowfang's Secret." ShadowClan has always been proud and has often attracted troublesome cats, but never have they outright ignored warrior code as much as they have here. That said, I also understand their anger at the other Clans for allowing Onestar to withhold the lungwort from them when they desperately needed it. Not that I think Rowanstar should've been driven out, but their grievances did feel legit. Speaking of Onestar, oh how the mighty have fallen. While I certainly felt frustrated and even angry toward him and how he seemed determined to make ShadowClan pay for the rogues' crimes for all sorts of nonsensical reasons, it wasn't on the same level as my feelings about Needletail. If anything, it reminded me of Bluestar when she neared the end of her life. She too became increasingly paranoid and unreasonable, lashing out at even her own Clanmates. That said, it was sad to see her like that, given what a great leader she really was. Same with Onestar, or at least mostly. Looking back, I guess the signs of his delusional paranoia just grew steadily worse the longer he was leader. Now it's gotten to the point where it's just pitiful. Moving on though, once again, Darktail was a fantastic villain. Ironically, I liked the way that most of the conflict in this book was not generated by him. Darktail has always been an opportunistic predator, so when he sees weaknesses and cracks in a Clan, he will find every single button to push. In this case, it was convincing the younger ShadowClan cats to join his side, and then later on convincing the rest of ShadowClan that he's the strong leader they want. That said, he owned pretty much every scene he was in! He felt like a mob boss, seemingly magnanimous and innocent but able to turn on a dime into a vicious and bloodthirsty killer. That makes him all the more unpredictable and therefore all the more dangerous. Even so, he's as clever and patient as he is unpredictable and dangerous. I like that we finally get some insight into his motives. And what kinda scared me was that, in a way, I did agree with some of his sentiment. If the Clans didn't have so many stupid arguments about boundaries, maybe there'd be a lot less battle and a lot less bloodshed. But it's the way he twists these ideas to his own benefit that makes Darktail a twisted villain (and of course half-blinding Rain).
Various Other Characters – While Jayfeather is sometimes unnecessarily mean in this book, I'm glad he recognizes Alderpaw's potential and gives him his full medicine cat name at the end! I loved how Leafpool once again showed herself to be the kind yet bold medicine cat she is. Speaking of which, I also love that Kestrelflight and Harespring mustered up the gall to stand up to Onestar. As for Puddleshine, I felt bad for him almost as much as I felt bad for Violetpaw! Despite having a great mentor in Leafpool, he's had to take on so much responsibility at such a young age, becoming ShadowClan's medicine cat immediately after Littlecloud dies. And once the sickness comes, he just about works himself to death! Despite not knowing too much about him, I admired Crowfrost and how he handled things (for the most part) as ShadowClan's deputy, particularly in having the gall to show up and stand in for Rowanstar when he couldn't make it to the Gathering. Ivypool I thought was a great mentor for Twigpaw, and I'm glad to see that Dawnpelt has become more likable as Violetpaw's mentor. I'm glad that Tawnypelt and Tigerheart had the courage to leave with Rowanstar, even if they were the only ones. Bramblestar once again shows solid leadership skills. I can tell he's doing the best he can with what he's given, even if doing his best sometimes means doing things he might not want. I liked how Briarlight reached out to Twigpaw when she was a kit. It was cool to see Sparkpelt earn her warrior name. And despite the strong evidence, I don't want to believe Twigpaw and Violetpaw's mother is dead!
Overall: This was a spectacular second volume of the "Vision of Shadows" arc. The cliffhanger it ended on left me wanting to read more, and I absolutely cannot wait to do just that! Both ShadowClan and SkyClan are in big trouble now, and I will have my curiosity about what happens to them satisfied!
Story/Writing: Woah… Man, as much as I love the books in this series, reading them sometimes feels like walking through an emotional warzone. That said, I do love the books in this series, and I LOVED this book in particular! It kinda reminded me of "Fading Echoes" both in terms of story and in the emotional impact it had on me. Still, it is different enough from that book to be its own story, not just an echo of it (pun intended). I also once again have to give the authors of the Erin Hunter team a massive amount of credit. We have the parallel stories happening alongside one another of a physical and emotional division between two sisters and the fall of ShadowClan from within. Both outside and inside forces play a part in both storylines. And the way they progress alongside the other I thought was brilliant. It didn't feel like things were being dramatic for the sake of it. The book builds from things that had been set up from the one before it, and it takes those things in both foreseen and unforeseen directions. While we do have a physical villain in the form of Darktail and his gang of rogues, they're mostly in the background. By the halfway point, ShadowClan has already been seriously compromised, having lost almost all of their apprentices to Darktail and then struck with a mysterious illness that the Clans initially refuse to help them with. Meanwhile, two sisters are struggling to cope with a separation from the other that should never have happened to begin with and was a terrible idea from the start. At the same time, they struggle to fit in with their respective Clans and have to deal with being simultaneously revered as an answer to a prophecy as well as scorned for not being Clanborn. And let's not forget that both of them are two young and innocent to deal with things like that. It all feels like a house of cards perilously close to collapsing under it's own weight. Maybe it's because I didn't know too much about the story going into it that it gave me the impact it did. It left me wanting badly for things to get better, and I can only hope they do!
Characters: Obviously the characters are a huge part of the emotional impact this book hammered into me. The story's main themes of betrayal and family drama really resonated with me as I read about the characters and their stories here. StarClan knows there were plenty of characters who turned out much different from how I thought they'd be!
Alderpaw – Although I don't consider him to be as much of a main character as he was in the previous book, I still have to give credit where credit's due. I guess the best way I can put it is that Alderpaw is the character who voices the opinions of the reader. At least, that's how it felt for me. But at the same time, he isn't just a blank slate. He's already grown so much from his early days as a medicine cat apprentice. Granted, four months of that growth were lost to us, but it's no less true! He was born to be a medicine cat, given how much he cares about the will of StarClan and the wellbeing of all cats, whatever Clan they're from. I can definitely see him being revered for his wisdom and courage many years down the line. What I mean by that is that he pays serious attention to issues and details most cats would ignore, the ones that make a difference. He knows from the beginning that separating the two sisters was an awful idea. He clearly cares about them not just as potential keys to the prophecy but also as orphaned kits, and he does what he can to help them cope with the separation. He knows SkyClan is still out there even if his father has lost hope. He will stand up to others, even those in authority, if other cats are in danger. And by the end, it's the way he speaks from his heart – a heart that cares – that more than earns him his medicine cat name. I'm just glad Jayfeather agreed with me!
Twigpaw – While Alderpaw is certainly a main character in this story, the focus is centered on the two sisters he and Needletail brought back with them to the Clans. From the start, it's clear that Twigpaw and Violetpaw should never have been separated. For the first half, we read about their early days with their respective Clans, and it quickly becomes clear that loss of innocence is a big theme. What's also poignant is how the situations that help form their characters are both similar and different. Since ThunderClan is more organized, stable, and loving, it makes sense that Twigpaw takes on those traits for herself. Even so, she has to deal with the fact that not all ThunderClan cats are good and kind. When her sister leaves, she has no one her own age to play with, her only real friends being Alderpaw, Lilyheart, and later on her mentor Ivypool (Perfect choice, by the way!). Not to mention her interactions with Jayfeather clearly prove that he's not good with kits! My heart went out to her when she tried to harvest some watermint from the lake to prove she's special. And then it broke multiple times once she became an apprentice. She searches for her mother, only to find she most likely died. She finally gets some time with her sister – despite the less-than-ideal circumstances – only to be wrenched from Violetpaw when she needed Twigpaw most. And in the end, while her sister does turn out to be fine, she's apparently pledged her allegiance to the rogues that have taken over ShadowClan! That said, she's not a passive character who just lets things happen to her. Even while being held hostage by ShadowClan, she pulls a Florence Nightingale and brings some much-needed reform to the way their sick are being cared for (or rather, not cared for). Whether she becomes a medicine cat or a warrior, Twigpaw is clearly a kind and strong young cat who's endured the bad circumstances forced upon her!
Violetpaw – Wow… Man did I feel sorry for this poor she-cat! While I do mean that in the most dignified way possible, geez! As stated before, while both sisters do make their own choices, their respective environments obviously play a big part in forming their characters. And it's kinda amazing that Violetpaw is as well-adjusted as she is. She spends the entire book being tossed from ShadowClan to the rogues then back to back, as well as being both wanted and unwanted. Not to mention she has to find out where her loyalties lie and then prove those loyalties time and time again. From her earliest days in ShadowClan, things are bad for her. Even if Pinenose is much better than Lizardstripe, she's not the most affectionate she-cat. And even though she does find a friend in Needletail, it's obvious Needletail doesn't care about her, however much she claims to. But at the same time, as messed-up as their so-called friendship is, it is understandable when you see it from Violetpaw's point of view. Plus it's a clever commentary on Stockholm syndrome. And when it comes to Twigpaw, she misses her at first, then sees her as just another ThunderClan cat. Then she finally gets to be with her sister again when they're apprentices, only to watch Twigpaw go with ThunderClan when they come for her. From the time she was a young kit, she's never had that relational stability needed for her to gain a healthy view of love. So much so that early on she just resigns herself to the belief that her mother is dead, and that she just needs to make do with whatever life throws at her. That said, I loved that the authors never say that they way Violetpaw goes back and forth in her relationships is right or wrong. While she did make choices I didn't agree with, I totally saw where she was coming from. I just hope she'll be able to pull herself together soon! I hope the sisters are able to mend their relationship soon! It was heartbreaking to see them get torn apart over and over again!
Needletail – Once again, wow! I can certainly say this is one of those very rare instances where my opinion of a character has drastically changed since the previous book. I'm now wondering how I ever liked Needletail in the last book, given how straight up awful she is in this one! From the moment she first took Violetpaw with her when she went to meet with the rogues, I knew where her character was going, and that it was not good. Even if she was the closest thing to a friend Violetpaw had during her early days in ShadowClan, it's obvious that she cares nothing for Violetpaw. I mean, where do I start? She sends Violetpaw out alone in the middle of the night – despite knowing that Violetpaw at that point is barely three months old – just to tell her stupid boyfriend that she can't make their date. Then she uproots Violetpaw from ShadowClan by taking the poor kit to live with the rogues along with her. Then she tells her off when Violetpaw comes back to her, only to emotionally manipulate her into staying with the rogues when they take over ShadowClan. Not to mention, even if she does only nick Twigpaw's ear, she still hurts one of the kits she and Alderpaw found! Nowhere did the book's theme of betrayal resonate so strongly in me than in my feelings toward Needletail. She felt like Ivypool if she'd really gone south. Speaking of which, it was great to see Ivypool get into a scuffle with her. Whatever happens to Needletail, I hope she gets what she deserves!
Rowanstar, Onestar, and Darktail – Three very different leaders toward which I have three very different views. For starters, while I don't blame Rowanstar entirely for the loss of ShadowClan to the rogues, I can definitely see how his leadership played a part in it – specifically the fact that he seemed to lack some backbone when it came to his apprentices and the rogues living near his territory, and tried to look on the bright side of things to his own detriment. He should've remembered that apprentices are the future of the Clan, and that a rebellious attitude can spread like an infection if not tended to properly – in this case, enforcing the warrior code on all his Clanmates. Speaking of which, while I was certainly appalled at the extreme lack of organization in ShadowClan, it reminded me of how I felt about them when I read "Yellowfang's Secret." ShadowClan has always been proud and has often attracted troublesome cats, but never have they outright ignored warrior code as much as they have here. That said, I also understand their anger at the other Clans for allowing Onestar to withhold the lungwort from them when they desperately needed it. Not that I think Rowanstar should've been driven out, but their grievances did feel legit. Speaking of Onestar, oh how the mighty have fallen. While I certainly felt frustrated and even angry toward him and how he seemed determined to make ShadowClan pay for the rogues' crimes for all sorts of nonsensical reasons, it wasn't on the same level as my feelings about Needletail. If anything, it reminded me of Bluestar when she neared the end of her life. She too became increasingly paranoid and unreasonable, lashing out at even her own Clanmates. That said, it was sad to see her like that, given what a great leader she really was. Same with Onestar, or at least mostly. Looking back, I guess the signs of his delusional paranoia just grew steadily worse the longer he was leader. Now it's gotten to the point where it's just pitiful. Moving on though, once again, Darktail was a fantastic villain. Ironically, I liked the way that most of the conflict in this book was not generated by him. Darktail has always been an opportunistic predator, so when he sees weaknesses and cracks in a Clan, he will find every single button to push. In this case, it was convincing the younger ShadowClan cats to join his side, and then later on convincing the rest of ShadowClan that he's the strong leader they want. That said, he owned pretty much every scene he was in! He felt like a mob boss, seemingly magnanimous and innocent but able to turn on a dime into a vicious and bloodthirsty killer. That makes him all the more unpredictable and therefore all the more dangerous. Even so, he's as clever and patient as he is unpredictable and dangerous. I like that we finally get some insight into his motives. And what kinda scared me was that, in a way, I did agree with some of his sentiment. If the Clans didn't have so many stupid arguments about boundaries, maybe there'd be a lot less battle and a lot less bloodshed. But it's the way he twists these ideas to his own benefit that makes Darktail a twisted villain (and of course half-blinding Rain).
Various Other Characters – While Jayfeather is sometimes unnecessarily mean in this book, I'm glad he recognizes Alderpaw's potential and gives him his full medicine cat name at the end! I loved how Leafpool once again showed herself to be the kind yet bold medicine cat she is. Speaking of which, I also love that Kestrelflight and Harespring mustered up the gall to stand up to Onestar. As for Puddleshine, I felt bad for him almost as much as I felt bad for Violetpaw! Despite having a great mentor in Leafpool, he's had to take on so much responsibility at such a young age, becoming ShadowClan's medicine cat immediately after Littlecloud dies. And once the sickness comes, he just about works himself to death! Despite not knowing too much about him, I admired Crowfrost and how he handled things (for the most part) as ShadowClan's deputy, particularly in having the gall to show up and stand in for Rowanstar when he couldn't make it to the Gathering. Ivypool I thought was a great mentor for Twigpaw, and I'm glad to see that Dawnpelt has become more likable as Violetpaw's mentor. I'm glad that Tawnypelt and Tigerheart had the courage to leave with Rowanstar, even if they were the only ones. Bramblestar once again shows solid leadership skills. I can tell he's doing the best he can with what he's given, even if doing his best sometimes means doing things he might not want. I liked how Briarlight reached out to Twigpaw when she was a kit. It was cool to see Sparkpelt earn her warrior name. And despite the strong evidence, I don't want to believe Twigpaw and Violetpaw's mother is dead!
Overall: This was a spectacular second volume of the "Vision of Shadows" arc. The cliffhanger it ended on left me wanting to read more, and I absolutely cannot wait to do just that! Both ShadowClan and SkyClan are in big trouble now, and I will have my curiosity about what happens to them satisfied!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2020
This was a lot better once it stepped away from the absurdity of a Clan that must never be revealed but must also be brought back to the forest where it would be revealed scenario; it's still there, but it was less so, here. Mind you, it's still rehashing a lot of old plot points at this stage in the series, but where this installment was a bit blah, the previous installment was all kinds of suck. It was still better to read this than the Survivors: Gathering Darkness arc, at any rate.
Anyway, I currently have VoS #3 and two other Warriors supper editions in my hands, as yet unread. Here goes.
Anyway, I currently have VoS #3 and two other Warriors supper editions in my hands, as yet unread. Here goes.
January 17, 2021
Really good book
It was longer than most of them (about 376 pages)
Let me be honest here. With the warrior books or maybe just some books I tend to skip over words and paragraphs. I've been trying to stop and to slow down while reading, and sometimes it really hard, but I feel like this book was a good one~ i really got a deeper understanding. So I rate it 5 stars.
(i know I pretty much rate every book i read 5 stars though...) ((maybe just warriors)) (((oof)))
It was longer than most of them (about 376 pages)
Let me be honest here. With the warrior books or maybe just some books I tend to skip over words and paragraphs. I've been trying to stop and to slow down while reading, and sometimes it really hard, but I feel like this book was a good one~ i really got a deeper understanding. So I rate it 5 stars.
(i know I pretty much rate every book i read 5 stars though...) ((maybe just warriors)) (((oof)))
August 15, 2025
Minus the somewhat contrived part with yellowcough, this is a very good book. I feel so terrible for Violetpaw, who can’t control the unfortunate circumstances she’s been thrust into her entire life, and she’s been manipulated by the only “friend” she’s ever had. My heart hurts for Twigpaw, who just wants to be friends with her sister and who feels as though she doesn’t belong in ThunderClan, and I like seeing Alderpaw act like an older brother; he’s a much more interesting character in this book than the previous. And of course the plotline where ShadowClan literally falls apart is fascinating. Seeing the younger warriors and apprentices reject Rowanstar’s leadership and the warrior code in general, and embrace the aggression of the rogues, is a new plotline to this series and I really enjoyed it. (I feel terrible for Rowanstar.) Again, the only thing about this book is that the addition of a new sickness with only one cure on WindClan’s land seemed very contrived, and also I hate seeing what Onestar has turned into. He was chosen as leader because he was a decent cat, but at some point in the past few series, he turned paranoid and very unlikable, and it’s never really explained why. Otherwise, a fantastic book.
September 28, 2022
Donder en Schaduw is het tweede deel in de vijfde serie. Hoewel in het eerste deel alles geschreven was vanuit Elspoot, lees je nu weer vanuit meerdere katten het verhaal. Een groep zwerfkatten terroriseert de Clankatten, sommige katten van de SchaduwClan zijn daar erg gevoelig voor.
Dit deel draait vooral om de DonderClan en SchaduwClan, vandaar ook de titel. Leuk om te lezen weer, maar had 100 blz minder gekund.. Wel erg fan van deze cover 😍
Dit deel draait vooral om de DonderClan en SchaduwClan, vandaar ook de titel. Leuk om te lezen weer, maar had 100 blz minder gekund.. Wel erg fan van deze cover 😍
Read
March 29, 2023i'm serious i don't want to hear a word from any of you
April 18, 2020
Gripping and emotional. Loving the way this series is going.
September 16, 2019
Breaking My Heart (Spoilers abound)
I love the Warrior's series. It's been fun and enjoyable. At the end of the last season, I cried when Firestar and Hollyleaf died. In Bramblestar's Storm I teared up when Dustpelt joined Ferncloud. In the last book, I choked up when Sandstorm left for StarClan. Why? Because I cared about these characters. I loved them and it hurt to see them suffer and die.
So why the hell are these characters so inconsistent?!?!?!? The best thing about the cats in this series is that they remain consistent with their character growth. Firestar raised himself up from kittypet to a strong and compassionate leader. Dustpelt and Sandstorm grew from hateful jerks to loyal and trusted companions. Hollyleaf grew to learn that sometimes the warrior's code must be bent for ensure the survival of all. In Bramblestar's Storm, Bramblestar admitted that he would never allow another clan to suffer when he could help. And the Clans all agreed to add a rule to the Warrior's Code that should anything threaten one of the clans, boundaries become meaningless and they fight together to overcome it because there MUST be 4 clans.
Yet in this book, not only does Bramblestar not care that the ShadowClan cats are sick (Remember how his SISTER is in that clan?) But the rest of the Clans seem to forget that they are breaking the Warrior's code by not helping! They hint at that new rule when WindClan confronts the rouges, but then ignore it completely! "Onestar is super hellbent on following the Warrior's code" How when he's allowing one of the 4 clans to die? The inconsistencies are ridiculous.
Now characters... Alderpaw is... Boring. Twigpaw is... Annoying. Violetpaw is... Bipolar. Alderpaw is so focused on figuring out how to save SkyClan that he doesn't seem to care about the threat in front of them. Twigpaw only cares about herself, but in a weird way. She never should've gotten to that point! "I'm not Clanborn what if they kick me out?" So no one in ThunderClan mentions Millie, Daisy, or Stormcloud? Three cats who were not Clanborn? Or maybe... I dunno... Firestar?! And Violetpaw. First she leaves ShadowClan because she feels she isn't wanted. Okay. She returns because the rouges are too violent and she doesn't want to live her life in fear. Fair. This is character growth. JUST KIDDING she decides to stay with the rouges in the end because Needletail gave her moon eyes, the cat that was literally threatening her earlier. What kind of contrived crap is this?
Then all the crap about ShadowClan being oh so brutal was ridiculous. They have never been painted in such a light before. And honestly I find it hard to believe that out of all of ShadowClan, only Tigerheart and Tawnypelt left with Rowanstar.
And don't get me started on how cats like Ivypool are apparently no longer skilled at fighting anymore. I mean how exactly did the rouge cats kill Furzepelt? She trained in the Dark Forest. She has the moves. The cats who trained in the Dark Forest are some of the most skilled fighters of the clans. Granted that makes me think of Breezepelt and HOW IS HE STILL IN WINDCLAN?! HE BETRAYED THEM!
I want this to be good. I want it to be better. I want to care about these characters like I do the others. But I'm finding it hard to when nothing remains consistent and there are plotholes everywhere. I could go on for ages, but I think you get the picture.
I'll finish this series because this is (thus far) the last section of it and I'ma completionist when it comes to books. And I hope it gets better. Because this was sad. There was such a good set-up in the first book of this section, but this book screws everything up.
I love the Warrior's series. It's been fun and enjoyable. At the end of the last season, I cried when Firestar and Hollyleaf died. In Bramblestar's Storm I teared up when Dustpelt joined Ferncloud. In the last book, I choked up when Sandstorm left for StarClan. Why? Because I cared about these characters. I loved them and it hurt to see them suffer and die.
So why the hell are these characters so inconsistent?!?!?!? The best thing about the cats in this series is that they remain consistent with their character growth. Firestar raised himself up from kittypet to a strong and compassionate leader. Dustpelt and Sandstorm grew from hateful jerks to loyal and trusted companions. Hollyleaf grew to learn that sometimes the warrior's code must be bent for ensure the survival of all. In Bramblestar's Storm, Bramblestar admitted that he would never allow another clan to suffer when he could help. And the Clans all agreed to add a rule to the Warrior's Code that should anything threaten one of the clans, boundaries become meaningless and they fight together to overcome it because there MUST be 4 clans.
Yet in this book, not only does Bramblestar not care that the ShadowClan cats are sick (Remember how his SISTER is in that clan?) But the rest of the Clans seem to forget that they are breaking the Warrior's code by not helping! They hint at that new rule when WindClan confronts the rouges, but then ignore it completely! "Onestar is super hellbent on following the Warrior's code" How when he's allowing one of the 4 clans to die? The inconsistencies are ridiculous.
Now characters... Alderpaw is... Boring. Twigpaw is... Annoying. Violetpaw is... Bipolar. Alderpaw is so focused on figuring out how to save SkyClan that he doesn't seem to care about the threat in front of them. Twigpaw only cares about herself, but in a weird way. She never should've gotten to that point! "I'm not Clanborn what if they kick me out?" So no one in ThunderClan mentions Millie, Daisy, or Stormcloud? Three cats who were not Clanborn? Or maybe... I dunno... Firestar?! And Violetpaw. First she leaves ShadowClan because she feels she isn't wanted. Okay. She returns because the rouges are too violent and she doesn't want to live her life in fear. Fair. This is character growth. JUST KIDDING she decides to stay with the rouges in the end because Needletail gave her moon eyes, the cat that was literally threatening her earlier. What kind of contrived crap is this?
Then all the crap about ShadowClan being oh so brutal was ridiculous. They have never been painted in such a light before. And honestly I find it hard to believe that out of all of ShadowClan, only Tigerheart and Tawnypelt left with Rowanstar.
And don't get me started on how cats like Ivypool are apparently no longer skilled at fighting anymore. I mean how exactly did the rouge cats kill Furzepelt? She trained in the Dark Forest. She has the moves. The cats who trained in the Dark Forest are some of the most skilled fighters of the clans. Granted that makes me think of Breezepelt and HOW IS HE STILL IN WINDCLAN?! HE BETRAYED THEM!
I want this to be good. I want it to be better. I want to care about these characters like I do the others. But I'm finding it hard to when nothing remains consistent and there are plotholes everywhere. I could go on for ages, but I think you get the picture.
I'll finish this series because this is (thus far) the last section of it and I'ma completionist when it comes to books. And I hope it gets better. Because this was sad. There was such a good set-up in the first book of this section, but this book screws everything up.
January 24, 2025
This book found a special place in me. I cannot believe the feelings that it gave me and I simply adore the relationship contrast between Violetpaw and Twigpaw… their story is so moving and it takes me back to when I used to read good warrior books like this. Also, some things may be very predictable at times, but then, the story is just too good to still walk away from. I enjoyed this one. Honestly, this series is hitting hard— harder than Omen of the Stars ever did for me. The previous book had lots of slow portions but I definitely enjoyed getting to see Violetpaw’s point of view in Shadowclan. Man… the dankness of Darktail too. Oh, and Needletail….. there’s something about her that just somehow makes her such a well rounded character. All she wants is to be accepted/wanted by someone.
I love this. I love the tension of the two sisters being torn apart too and how much they go through to just get back together again…. Perspective really plays a key factor in this story.
I love this. I love the tension of the two sisters being torn apart too and how much they go through to just get back together again…. Perspective really plays a key factor in this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2016
Violetkit and Twigkit are happy in their clans, but Twigkit has Aderpaw in Thunderclan with her, and Violetkit feels alone and out of place. Needlepaw decides to take care of her and be her friend. When Adderpaw recognizes rouges that attack Windclan, he realizes that the same rouges that drove Skyclan out of their territory followed them back from their quest. They soon are joined by Shadowclan apprentices, but when Needlepaw goes to join the rouges, Violetkit has split loyalties and soon decides to return to shadowclan. But shadowclan is loosing warriors to yellowcough, and the only herb that can cure it is on Windclan's territory, and Onstar, the leader of Windclan, refuses to give it up. This addition to the Vision of Shadows series is full of action.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
I really enjoyed this one! It's been ages since I read the first in this series, and I wondered if I could pick up the arc, but after a while it came back to me. I enjoyed reading about Violetkit and Twigkit, and it was really interesting to see the focus shift to Shadowclan more than Thunderclan. Thunderclan are still the main players, but Shadowclan have always well, been in the shadows so I liked having the main characters feature there.
I have the next book but then I'd have to wait and buy the next few after that, but hopefully it won't be too long between drinks. Five stars on this one!
I have the next book but then I'd have to wait and buy the next few after that, but hopefully it won't be too long between drinks. Five stars on this one!
July 13, 2024
This book still has me on my last nerves. I feel so bad for ShadowClan for what they had to deal and making a stupid mousebrain decision to join rogues leaving the leader, his mate and new deputy to suffer. The Warrior Code is being broken more than once. This arc is so stupid and just confusing with the two protagonists. Also WindClan are complete fools in everything
April 7, 2020
This book is amazing!!! The series and the author are amazing!!!!!! It's one of those books you cant put down at all!!!!!!!
January 14, 2025
So, I really liked the first book in the A Vision of Shadows arc, but this one made me really annoyed. For starters, the pacing in this book is insane. It covers almost a whole year's worth of time and will randomly jump forward several days or weeks. I felt like the POV shifts, sometimes mid-chapter, were also kind of jarring. I also really didn't like how this book made traveling to SkyClan's old territory/where they found the kits such a common, easy journey. In the first book and in Firestar's Quest the journey itself was a huge undertaking, and they're FARTHER AWAY now than in FQ. I understand them going back to look for SkyClan and then again for Twigpaw's peace of mind, but the narration acted as though traveling to and from those locations was nothing.
I know that Kate Cary wrote this book, and I've found that in the past I've had a lot of issues with her books in particular. I feel like she likes to write angsty dialogue but doesn't like writing actual conflict. A lot of her "conflicts" are very phoned in, and it's typically just all one big misunderstanding that could be resolved with a single conversation. I know that so many plots in so many books rely on this formula, but it's boring, tired, and lazy. Especially in Warriors. If you want to have Violetpaw and Twigpaw mad at each other, or one mad at the other, have one of them do something that actually warrants that reaction. In the book, Twigpaw is taken hostage by ShadowClan when she sneaks into their territory to check on her sister. She stays there for several days and begins to help out around camp. She and Violetpaw bond, but when a ThunderClan patrol comes to take Twigpaw home, Twigpaw runs to Squirrelflight. Throughout her visit, Twigpaw has witnessed multiple things ShadowClan does that have frightened her and Violetpaw knows this. Twigpaw was horrified and even tried to break up a fight between two of the apprentices who were fighting over prey they ended up sharing anyway. She tells Violetpaw that's not what ThunderClan is like. When Twigpaw goes back to ThunderClan with her Clanmates, Violetpaw feels so betrayed that she completely turns on her sister. Her sister who, up until this point, has really given her no reason to feel this way.
I know Violetpaw is a "child" and it's unfair to expect her to be mature all the time, but this is the same Violetpaw who has proven before to be fairly emotionally intelligent and pragmatic enough to know that her mother is most likely dead? Enough to realize her sister needed to "see" it for herself? And the argument could be made that Violetpaw got her hopes up and really felt abandoned by a second time by a second friend, but SHE left Needletail not the other way around. It just feels really lazy. Like have Twigpaw insult ShadowClan to her sister's face, or have them get into a physical fight over something. That way when they inevitably make up and are friends again, it feels even more rewarding and both sides have really learned something. They probably will still learn something, but it's something the reader, if they've read other Warriors book, already knows.
Another completely pointless conflict that goes nowhere and gets resolved with no rewarding outcome is when Twigpaw finds out that Alderpaw LIED about Squirrelflight's patrol. She's always known Alderpaw was a medicine cat and learned secrets from StarClan, why would she be so personally offended or upset that he can't tell her the whole truth when he's clearly expected to not say anything. Even the way it's written it's clear that he wants to tell her everything but can't. And to immediately jump from "he lied to me about this" to "I hate him and he was never my friend at all" when the dude has literally been a FATHER figure to her from the start. Again, I know she's immature and all but come on. It's drama for drama's sake that is ultimately POINTLESS. It does nothing other than pad page length and give Kate something to be angsty about. The readers deserve better. The KIDS deserve better.
Another big issue I had that I feel falls under the laziness aspect is that Twigpaw and Violetpaw are Dovewing and Ivypool reskinned. Dovewing was more mature than Twigpaw thanks to her role in the prophecy, but otherwise they feel alike to me. Both are naive, overprotective to an extreme fault of their sister, lack of respect for Clan boundaries, super sensitive and anxious, and the "good" sister who is close with the ThunderClan medicince cat. Violetpaw is Ivypool; she's reserved, self-reliant, more guarded, pragmatic, seeking acceptance anywhere she can find it, feels somewhat overshadowed/neglected compared to her sister, gets closely involved with the arc's villains.
And like, this is all well and good, I'm not against another story about two sisters, but make them a little different than the LAST set of sisters we got for protagonists. At least change your work a little bit more so we can't tell you copied and pasted.
I'm not necessarily against the rogue plot, but I don't think ShadowClan should have been their victim. I think it should have been WindClan. I don't really understand the Erins' obsession with making ShadowClan so evil, especially with Tawnypelt, a beloved fan-favorite character, being the mate of the Clan leader. You can't tell me she would allow this Tigerstar-esque shit to go on. I'll explain more as to why I think it should be WindClan in my future book spoilers part below.
One last thing before I get into future book spoilers is that I HATED Needletail in this arc. I completely get her rogue arc honestly. I'm not mad at her for leaving ShadowClan, I am so mad at her for the way she treats Violetpaw. Needletail behaves like a narcissist. I'm not saying she is one, I know she does have feelings, but her actions scream narcissist. She ONLY takes an interest in Violetpaw when she realizes she can have a little minion that will do things for her. She constantly guilt trips a CHILD to be her friend when she's almost an adult and when she IS an adult, even making that child leave her Clan to go live with cats Needletail KNOWS FOR A FACT are dangerous from her time in the gorge. Then, after Violetpaw flees in the middle of the night in terror after Darktail attacks and blinds Rain, Needletail guilt trips her and instead of apologizing for putting her in danger, the way an adult should, she blames a child for running away. And the most unforgivable act of all: she attacks and scars Twigpaw for life because Twigpaw wants her sister to leave Needletail to come be with her in ThunderClan. She attacks a CHILD. I was CHEERING when Ivypool attacked her. She is just such a selfish character and I have more reasons for anger in my spoiler section below.
Long story short, I'm just disappointed. The first book in the arc was so good and it felt so fresh. This one feels like more of the same slop as we've gotten before with recycled conflicts and characters.
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SPOILERS GOING FORWARD FOR FUTURE WARRIORS BOOKS. PLEASE BE ADVISED.
SPOILERS FOR SQUIRRELFLIGHT'S HOPE, the rest of A VISION OF SHADOWS ARC and ONESTAR'S CONFESSION.
Ok, going right into it about Needletail: I know that she dies and ultimately ends up in StarClan. If I remember right, she sacrifices herself to save Violetpaw/shine. Just, can someone explain to me how she gets into StarClan after her constant disrespect and breaking of the warrior code, the fact that she helped overthrow her Clan leader, attacked a child, played a huge part in separating two baby sisters at birth (but Alderpaw gets the blame for taking them from their nest somehow), supported a murder after she watched him kill and mutilate cats, encouraged her fellow apprentices to mutiny, fell in love with a rogue, chose to leave her clan to become a rogue, etc. -- how does SHE get into StarClan but LEAFPOOL, the mother of the two of the Three, a medicine cat who dedicated almost all of her life to serving others and saving lives, is treated like a SKANK and put ON TRIAL to determine whether or not she would enter StarClan? If Leafpool and Crowfeather hadn't run away together, Lionblaze and Jayfeather wouldn't exist period. End of story. The Clans would be destroyed. She chose to return to her Clan on her own and spent the rest of her life in service. But NONE OF THAT MATTERS, she still stands trial? She almost gets sent to the Dark Forest?? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?! StarClan makes NO SENSE. Maybe its the former Roman Catholic in me, but the complete lack of structure or continuity in this literal RELIGION they have drives me nuts.
The other really spoilery thing I wanted to discuss was why WindClan should have been the ones Darktail took over. I know that they were who Darktail attacked first and they killed a cat and Onestar lost a life and is now going insane. Darktail is Onestar's son that he had with a rogue from the old forest territories. Why would Darktail rather take over ShadowClan if his real goal is to kill his father and destroy the Clans? Why not start with his strongest opposition?
WindClan has always been regarded by the other Clans as weak and Onestar's decision making has been questionable at best for multiple arcs now. In Crowfeather's Trial we saw a pretty fractured WindClan who struggled to accept their Clanmates who fought for the Dark Forest. With Onestar's age and cats like Breezepelt who have been swayed against their Clan and leader before, it would have made sense for Darktail to infiltrate their Clan first. I know Onestar probably recognized him, but Darktail could have sent Rain or some of the others instead. From a thematic perspective, it would make more sense for it to be WindClan. Onestar, usurped and forced to seek help from THUNDERCLAN of all Clans, could lead to an interesting redemption arc that we could see firsthand. It would have even made sense for Onestar to be the one to demand custody of Violetpaw, not Rowanstar. WindClan has ALWAYS talked about how ThunderClan thinks they're so important. Onestar would be the one to insist his Clan is represented and no one would bat an eye at the fact that he'd be crazy enough insist on separating two sisters at a Gathering.
ShadowClan has been taken over by evil cats MULTIPLE times in the series, and I know that was a while ago in canon time, but there are cats still alive that remember those days. CATS LIKE TAWNYPELT!! You expect me to believe that ShadowClan doesn't teach every young cat about Brokenstar and Tigerstar? Especially after the Great Battle? Blackstar worked so hard to make ShadowClan better than what it had been in the Prophecies Begin, and it was all for nothing. And the Erins DID do a decent job of setting up WHY ShadowClan falls. I have no complaints with that, I just feel thematically it would have been cooler if it'd been WindClan from the beginning instead. Making ShadowClan the villains again, feels lazy.
I know that Kate Cary wrote this book, and I've found that in the past I've had a lot of issues with her books in particular. I feel like she likes to write angsty dialogue but doesn't like writing actual conflict. A lot of her "conflicts" are very phoned in, and it's typically just all one big misunderstanding that could be resolved with a single conversation. I know that so many plots in so many books rely on this formula, but it's boring, tired, and lazy. Especially in Warriors. If you want to have Violetpaw and Twigpaw mad at each other, or one mad at the other, have one of them do something that actually warrants that reaction. In the book, Twigpaw is taken hostage by ShadowClan when she sneaks into their territory to check on her sister. She stays there for several days and begins to help out around camp. She and Violetpaw bond, but when a ThunderClan patrol comes to take Twigpaw home, Twigpaw runs to Squirrelflight. Throughout her visit, Twigpaw has witnessed multiple things ShadowClan does that have frightened her and Violetpaw knows this. Twigpaw was horrified and even tried to break up a fight between two of the apprentices who were fighting over prey they ended up sharing anyway. She tells Violetpaw that's not what ThunderClan is like. When Twigpaw goes back to ThunderClan with her Clanmates, Violetpaw feels so betrayed that she completely turns on her sister. Her sister who, up until this point, has really given her no reason to feel this way.
I know Violetpaw is a "child" and it's unfair to expect her to be mature all the time, but this is the same Violetpaw who has proven before to be fairly emotionally intelligent and pragmatic enough to know that her mother is most likely dead? Enough to realize her sister needed to "see" it for herself? And the argument could be made that Violetpaw got her hopes up and really felt abandoned by a second time by a second friend, but SHE left Needletail not the other way around. It just feels really lazy. Like have Twigpaw insult ShadowClan to her sister's face, or have them get into a physical fight over something. That way when they inevitably make up and are friends again, it feels even more rewarding and both sides have really learned something. They probably will still learn something, but it's something the reader, if they've read other Warriors book, already knows.
Another completely pointless conflict that goes nowhere and gets resolved with no rewarding outcome is when Twigpaw finds out that Alderpaw LIED about Squirrelflight's patrol. She's always known Alderpaw was a medicine cat and learned secrets from StarClan, why would she be so personally offended or upset that he can't tell her the whole truth when he's clearly expected to not say anything. Even the way it's written it's clear that he wants to tell her everything but can't. And to immediately jump from "he lied to me about this" to "I hate him and he was never my friend at all" when the dude has literally been a FATHER figure to her from the start. Again, I know she's immature and all but come on. It's drama for drama's sake that is ultimately POINTLESS. It does nothing other than pad page length and give Kate something to be angsty about. The readers deserve better. The KIDS deserve better.
Another big issue I had that I feel falls under the laziness aspect is that Twigpaw and Violetpaw are Dovewing and Ivypool reskinned. Dovewing was more mature than Twigpaw thanks to her role in the prophecy, but otherwise they feel alike to me. Both are naive, overprotective to an extreme fault of their sister, lack of respect for Clan boundaries, super sensitive and anxious, and the "good" sister who is close with the ThunderClan medicince cat. Violetpaw is Ivypool; she's reserved, self-reliant, more guarded, pragmatic, seeking acceptance anywhere she can find it, feels somewhat overshadowed/neglected compared to her sister, gets closely involved with the arc's villains.
And like, this is all well and good, I'm not against another story about two sisters, but make them a little different than the LAST set of sisters we got for protagonists. At least change your work a little bit more so we can't tell you copied and pasted.
I'm not necessarily against the rogue plot, but I don't think ShadowClan should have been their victim. I think it should have been WindClan. I don't really understand the Erins' obsession with making ShadowClan so evil, especially with Tawnypelt, a beloved fan-favorite character, being the mate of the Clan leader. You can't tell me she would allow this Tigerstar-esque shit to go on. I'll explain more as to why I think it should be WindClan in my future book spoilers part below.
One last thing before I get into future book spoilers is that I HATED Needletail in this arc. I completely get her rogue arc honestly. I'm not mad at her for leaving ShadowClan, I am so mad at her for the way she treats Violetpaw. Needletail behaves like a narcissist. I'm not saying she is one, I know she does have feelings, but her actions scream narcissist. She ONLY takes an interest in Violetpaw when she realizes she can have a little minion that will do things for her. She constantly guilt trips a CHILD to be her friend when she's almost an adult and when she IS an adult, even making that child leave her Clan to go live with cats Needletail KNOWS FOR A FACT are dangerous from her time in the gorge. Then, after Violetpaw flees in the middle of the night in terror after Darktail attacks and blinds Rain, Needletail guilt trips her and instead of apologizing for putting her in danger, the way an adult should, she blames a child for running away. And the most unforgivable act of all: she attacks and scars Twigpaw for life because Twigpaw wants her sister to leave Needletail to come be with her in ThunderClan. She attacks a CHILD. I was CHEERING when Ivypool attacked her. She is just such a selfish character and I have more reasons for anger in my spoiler section below.
Long story short, I'm just disappointed. The first book in the arc was so good and it felt so fresh. This one feels like more of the same slop as we've gotten before with recycled conflicts and characters.
.
.
.
.
SPOILERS GOING FORWARD FOR FUTURE WARRIORS BOOKS. PLEASE BE ADVISED.
SPOILERS FOR SQUIRRELFLIGHT'S HOPE, the rest of A VISION OF SHADOWS ARC and ONESTAR'S CONFESSION.
Ok, going right into it about Needletail: I know that she dies and ultimately ends up in StarClan. If I remember right, she sacrifices herself to save Violetpaw/shine. Just, can someone explain to me how she gets into StarClan after her constant disrespect and breaking of the warrior code, the fact that she helped overthrow her Clan leader, attacked a child, played a huge part in separating two baby sisters at birth (but Alderpaw gets the blame for taking them from their nest somehow), supported a murder after she watched him kill and mutilate cats, encouraged her fellow apprentices to mutiny, fell in love with a rogue, chose to leave her clan to become a rogue, etc. -- how does SHE get into StarClan but LEAFPOOL, the mother of the two of the Three, a medicine cat who dedicated almost all of her life to serving others and saving lives, is treated like a SKANK and put ON TRIAL to determine whether or not she would enter StarClan? If Leafpool and Crowfeather hadn't run away together, Lionblaze and Jayfeather wouldn't exist period. End of story. The Clans would be destroyed. She chose to return to her Clan on her own and spent the rest of her life in service. But NONE OF THAT MATTERS, she still stands trial? She almost gets sent to the Dark Forest?? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?! StarClan makes NO SENSE. Maybe its the former Roman Catholic in me, but the complete lack of structure or continuity in this literal RELIGION they have drives me nuts.
The other really spoilery thing I wanted to discuss was why WindClan should have been the ones Darktail took over. I know that they were who Darktail attacked first and they killed a cat and Onestar lost a life and is now going insane. Darktail is Onestar's son that he had with a rogue from the old forest territories. Why would Darktail rather take over ShadowClan if his real goal is to kill his father and destroy the Clans? Why not start with his strongest opposition?
WindClan has always been regarded by the other Clans as weak and Onestar's decision making has been questionable at best for multiple arcs now. In Crowfeather's Trial we saw a pretty fractured WindClan who struggled to accept their Clanmates who fought for the Dark Forest. With Onestar's age and cats like Breezepelt who have been swayed against their Clan and leader before, it would have made sense for Darktail to infiltrate their Clan first. I know Onestar probably recognized him, but Darktail could have sent Rain or some of the others instead. From a thematic perspective, it would make more sense for it to be WindClan. Onestar, usurped and forced to seek help from THUNDERCLAN of all Clans, could lead to an interesting redemption arc that we could see firsthand. It would have even made sense for Onestar to be the one to demand custody of Violetpaw, not Rowanstar. WindClan has ALWAYS talked about how ThunderClan thinks they're so important. Onestar would be the one to insist his Clan is represented and no one would bat an eye at the fact that he'd be crazy enough insist on separating two sisters at a Gathering.
ShadowClan has been taken over by evil cats MULTIPLE times in the series, and I know that was a while ago in canon time, but there are cats still alive that remember those days. CATS LIKE TAWNYPELT!! You expect me to believe that ShadowClan doesn't teach every young cat about Brokenstar and Tigerstar? Especially after the Great Battle? Blackstar worked so hard to make ShadowClan better than what it had been in the Prophecies Begin, and it was all for nothing. And the Erins DID do a decent job of setting up WHY ShadowClan falls. I have no complaints with that, I just feel thematically it would have been cooler if it'd been WindClan from the beginning instead. Making ShadowClan the villains again, feels lazy.
August 23, 2025
This was a lot of a book, holy dirt place!
February 8, 2024
6.43 on CAWPILE.
This second book really took this series in a different direction compared to the traditional same plot points that the other series' were hitting. That's not to say that they don't have a lot of the same ideas- Shadowclan and Thunderclan being rivals and the two main clans that are focused on, a medicine cat being one of the main characters, and siblings being separated between clans.
There is hope for this series to go in a very good direction with the plot that was set up with the rogues and I am interested more now.
This second book really took this series in a different direction compared to the traditional same plot points that the other series' were hitting. That's not to say that they don't have a lot of the same ideas- Shadowclan and Thunderclan being rivals and the two main clans that are focused on, a medicine cat being one of the main characters, and siblings being separated between clans.
There is hope for this series to go in a very good direction with the plot that was set up with the rogues and I am interested more now.
June 12, 2017
I found this book much more fun to read than "Apprentice's Quest" which made me happier after my disappointment of that book. I think it's just me and traveling cats that sort of gets me annoyed. All of the description of terrain that I'm trying to picture part by part as I'm also trying to understand where the heck cats are in the terrain. Another thing is how I'm trying to remember the cat Onestar used to be: the nice cat named Onewhisker who befriended Firestar over Clan borders. He was so much different back then. He wasn't so selfish and was eager to help, and then now he tries to make ShadowClan suffer from sickness by not giving them the herb. Seriously? I mean I guess cats and people change, Onestar must be no exception. I just wish he had changed for the better. Anyways, yay Alderheart and stuff! It was a good book, better than the last.
May 12, 2020
This was one of the more tense and stressful Warriors books I’ve read, probably because for the whole of my reread I’ve known everything that’s going to happen, but this is new territory for me. Because I was so concerned about what was happening, I read this book pretty quickly. I can already say that this series arc is going to be better than the last one, and that gives me hope!
January 24, 2020
I loved it! It had an amazing twist at the end but when I read it I wanted to jump in the book and speak my mind. Some of the characters got quite frustrating(Onestar)....... but it just made the book even more exciting!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2020
Rereading vibes boiiiiiii!!!! This was amazing!
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