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Otto Hundebiss is tired of war, but when he defies Death he walks a dangerous path. A half beast half man gives him shoes and dice which will lead him deep into a web of dark magic and mystery. He meets the beautiful Safire - pure of heart and spirit, the scheming Mistress Jabber and the terrifying Lady of the Nail. He learns the powers of the tinderbox and the wolves whose master he becomes. But will all the riches in the world bring him the thing he most desires? Fairy tales are often the cruellest stories of all; in this exquisite novel Sally Gardner writes about great love and great loss.

Promotion info

A young soldier, a captive princess, witches, wolves and Death walk hand in hand in COSTA AWARD winner Sally Gardner's exquisitely written new novel inspired by the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, THE TINDERBOX, illustrated by David Roberts.

Reviews

Sally Gardner's astonishing new novel for older teenagers THE DOUBLE SHADOW is intriguing, shocking and very funny. Gardner creates a cast of wonderful characters in rich, inventive and evocative prose -- Marilyn Brocklehurst THE BOOKSELLER What a mysterious and haunting book THE DOUBLE SHADOW by Sally Gardner proved to be, despite being strangely unsettling this is a book rich in atmosphere and detail -- Vanessa Lewis THE BOOKSELLER THE DOUBLE SHADOW is a brilliant, complex story of family bonds, love, cruelty, friendship and devastation - and of history and war -- Clare Poole THE BOOKSELLER This beautifully written tale of family, history and memories set against the menacing backdrop of the Second World War -- Fiona Noble THE BOOKSELLER Sally Gardner has a wondrous, almost wizardly way with words, using simple prose infused with a touch of magic. Her characters are so vividly present... the result is a very special novel -- Teresa Majury LOVELY TREEZ READS With a cast of glamourous, and warm-hearted characters this is a fast paced adventure, set during the Second World War, about a girl and a boy, and a memory machine that could alter time forever. THE BOOKBAG Gardner offers us a gripping psychological/family portrait combined with a science-fiction thriller that is outstanding. FALLEN STAR STORIES This is a mysterious, haunting and unusual book that is difficult to put into any category. The most accurate category would probably be sci-fi-historical-surreal-poetic-dreamworld-love-story. The idea of editing your memories is fascinating, but what really makes the story compelling is the individual drama. BOOKS, BONNETS AND FULL FRONTAL BLOGGING - This is a fantastic adventure, and you just can't work out quite how it will develop. It's got lots of sinister people and happenings, but also beautiful and fascinating and thought provoking ones. And I do love the setting! WWII is rarely portrayed as glamourous, and I know it wasn't really, but this still works for me. Romance, bravery and a little time travel. And let's not forget love. Love's important. BOOKWITCH Sally Gardner has again succeeded in raising her goalposts in this totally original novel which is very different to the usual YA fare, and again proves my strong belief that the best novels for younger audiences can have just as good writing as those for grown-ups and also be satisfying reads for adults too. Thank you Sally! (10/10) GASKELLA beautifully written and absorbingly clever THE OVERFLOWING LIBRARY Sally Gardner's new novel The Double Shadow - one for older teenagers and adults this time - is an ingeniously complex story set before and during the Second World War. It concerns memories and identity, how the past makes the future, and with its elements of science fiction and influences as various as Eliot's The Waste Land and the film Sunset Boulevard, it is a dark book but a beautifully, richly imagined one... CORNFLOWER BOOKS Original and atmospheric, chilling and thoroughly engrossing, this is another terrific read from a versatile author who is extraordinarily imaginative and technically skilled in equal measure. CORNFLOWER BOOKS In an era when novels by Mann Booker winners are expected to 'zip along', thank goodness young adult authors such as Gardner aren't so lacking in ambition. Her fourth novel, set in 1937 is dramatic and daring... Memories - their capture, alteration and destruction - form the core of this tale. A paranormal teen romance with rare philosophical depth. -- Suzi Feay FINANCIAL TIMES Sally Gardner writes beautifully. I was in awe of her use of metaphors and similes. You can tell that Sally used to be an illustrator, because when she writes, she not only tells a story, she paints a picture with words. She is so descriptive you not only see the landscape, you step into it... The book is breathtaking and original. One that will become a comfort read of the future, a true literary treasure to be enjoyed again and again. SERENDIPITY REVIEWS What's so amazing about 'The Double Shadow' is the absolute uniqueness and originality of the story, which has sprung from an imagination that I'm seriously envious of. It's totally different from anything else I've read that it really stands out from any other offering currently gracing the shelves in bookshops...I'm in awe of Gardner's storytelling skills and envious of anyone getting to read this book for the very first time. It's an experience you won't forget! A DREAM OF BOOKS An unusual and constantly challenging story. -- Nicholas Tucker THE INDEPENDENT 20111220 ... one of those books that will be remembered by the reader for a lifetime. SFX 20120201 At times the writing is so good, so visceral that you can feel the green fog of captured memories seeping out from the pages and suffocating you. -- Dinah Hall THE TELEGRAPH 20111129 Strongly influenced by TS Eliot's The Waste Land, and by the early years of Hollywood movies, this outstanding novel plunges us deep into the nature of sanity and the power of love and truth to heal profound psychological wounds. The writing is thrillingly vivid, dramatic and makes for a serious treat which keeps readers on the edge of their seats all the way to the end. -- Amanda Craig THE TIMES 20111119 The Double Shadow is a book about loss and damage, identity and illusion, cruelty and, ultimately healing. It's an astonishing departure for a writer who has found a new and very distinctive voice. I can't wait to see what she will do next. -- Mary Hoffman THE GUARDIAN 20120107 A powerful blend of timeslip fantasy, science fiction and coming of age novel, its central theme is memory and the part it plays in constructing who we are. The School Librarian 20111201 Sally Gardner has achieved yet another masterpiece, crafting an amazing story world on paper. -- Tjala GUARDIAN ONLINE 20120312 At once a thriller, love story, and an exploration of memory and forgetting... I thought it extraordinary - one of those rare novels published for young readers where we are admitted to a second world charged with its writer's exceptional intelligence of both mind and emotion. BOOKS FOR KEEPS 20120301 a complex story with constantly changing plots. Some emotionally challenging, but, when all the connections are made, the reader is taken on an exciting, and fulfilling, journey. CAROUSEL 20120701

Author description

Sally Gardner is an award-winning novelist from London. Her books have been translated into 22 languages and have sold more than one million copies in the UK. Her historical novel for older readers, I, Coriander, won the Smarties Children's Book Prize in 2005. Two thrillers both set at the time of the French Revolution, The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade, which was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize in 2009, followed. Actor Dominic West (The Wire) has bought the film rights to both titles. Her YA novel, The Double Shadow, was published in 2011 to critical acclaim. Sally Gardner's stories for middle readers include Lucy Willow and the popular Magical Children series of six titles: The Strongest Girl in the World, The Invisible Boy, The Boy with Magic Numbers, The Smallest Girl in the World, The Boy with the Lightning Feet, and The Boy who could Fly, which are also available as audio books. She has also written and illustrated picture books including The Fairy Catalogue, The Glass Heart, The Book of Princesses and Playtime Rhymes. Sally Gardner continues to be an avid spokesperson for dyslexia, working to change the way it is perceived by society. She is dyslexic and argues that it is not a disability, but a gift.