Cover. The thing about this book that captured me was the cover. I loved how the girl seemed to almost disappear in the tree. She seemed a part of the tree in a way and it called to me. It said,"Hey, you will really like this book. You should read me." I didn't actually hear the words but I knew that as soon as I looked at the cover that I needed to check it out. I barely paid attention as I read the summary until I realized how interesting it sounded. It did not matter to me though because I had been hooked by the cover. And when I started reading the book it only got better.

Plot. The story started off slow but from the first word I was on the edge of my seat. Isabella had just found herself 300 years from where she remembered and I could not wait to see how she reacted to the world. The fact that her senses seemed so much better than the average human was also fascinating to me. I wanted to know what would happened with her. Then Elizabeth showed up. I will admit that I was very disappointed that I could not learn more about Isabella but Elizabeth was almost as interesting if a little annoying and pathetic compared to Isabella. I waited with baited breathe for her narration portion to be over every time. And the book was speeding up and getting more interesting. And then religion began to slowly saturate the pages.

Religion There is such a thing as too much religion. In the beginning of the book they talk about the fact that most of the country is Protestant and Elizabeth's family are the last of the Catholic's in the village but it does not have much of a role in the beginning. At around half-way through the book characters start to throw around random, you're going to burn in hell and someone is working with the devil. The more religious it gets the less enthusiasm I hold for the book. Which accounts for the pause I am putting on it. I am just not a fan of books heavily filled with religion and how anyone not of their religion will burn in hell unless you follow their beliefs. The book is no longer one that can hold my attention.

To be honest, I think this story never quite figured out whether it wanted to be a paranormal story emphasizing Isabella's sacrifice or a historical one focused on the persecution of Catholics during Elizabethan times/wise women in general. I would have read either of those stories, but both seemed to get short shrift in Singleton's story.

The paranormal elements are largely told in flashbacks throughout the story when Isabella reflects on her past. I would have preferred if it had stayed like that, but there's a section near the end when the girls end up travelling through the Shadowlands that felt very oddly tacked on. Plus, it was confusing both as to how that section worked and in what way it was necessary to the plot.

The historical side of things is odd as well. There are some overly wise discussions of religious tolerance from Isabella (which I forgave since she had lived 300 years), but at no point does the author really focus on her issue - the religious persecution. While she implies that the persecution of Catholics during the Elizabethan age was wrong (which I don't deny), I thought it was odd that she didn't address at all the reasons behind the persecutions. Namely that the Pope had excommunicated Elizabeth in 1570 and exhorted all Catholics not to obey her lest they be excommunicated as well (which is a Big Deal at the time), and the numerous plots to kill Elizabeth hatched at the very seminary in Douai from which the priest arrives.

It seemed strange to me that it was never mentioned whether the Dyer family struggled with this order from the Pope or whether they were loyal to Elizabeth - the pope was a complete non-issue, which seems unlikely for a Catholic at the time. The entire lack of context and focusing only on how mean everyone was for being suspicious of the Dyers because they were Catholic really robbed the story of a lot of actual historical flavor for me. Instead, it felt a lot like a morality tale set during a 'convenient' time and without overmuch attention paid to historical detail. It doesn't help that (aside from the prevailing religion) there is nothing to set apart Elizabeth's life from Isabella's 300 years earlier.

Overall, Out of the Shadows/Heretic didn't really work for me, and I think the trouble was the attempt to blend the two stories. I liked both of the main characters, though I thought the depths of their friendship a little sudden. And I would gladly read either Heretic (the religious persecution historical) or Out of the Shadows (the loneliness and sacrifice of a girl leaving the Shadowlands), but this book tries to be both and, in my view, doesn't really succeed.

Also posted at A Hoyden's Look at Literature. ( )

In 1586 England, Elizabeth, whose family is hiding a Catholic priest from Protestant reformers, and Isabella, a girl of her own age who was similarly sheltered by "faery" folk 300 years earlier when Catholics accused Isabella's mother of witchcraft, work together to keep the persecutors away.

300 years ago Isabella's family was persecuted because her mother was a healer. She has lived in the shadowland where she was protected by the Crow People. Finally she feels it is safe to return to the modern world, but the Queen of England is now a protestant and Catholics are under suspicion of treason. Elizabeth is a Catholic, and her family has just been informed that the priest they're hiding is in danger. Together, the two girls must work to keep Elizabeth's family safe and save an innocent priest from the Queen's men all while struggling with the secrets that they're destined to protect. Out of the Shadows is a complicated novel - part historical fiction and part Celtic mysticism. Singleton's novel will definitely capture a niche audience. ( )

Elizabeth finds a green girl in the woods, which only adds to the problems she faces as one of the few Catholic girls left in her village. (Everyone else is Protestant – it’s the 17th Century). The girl is called Isabella & she too was persecuted – she has been hidden by the Crow people (fairies) for 300 years after he mother was killed for being a witch. E has to help protect a catholic priest, while I tries to survive in a strange world were everyone she knows is dead. Different concept this book – interesting meeting of ideas.[The part where Merrivale (the priest hunter) takes the mother.]