Without a shadow

Adlai uses her shadow to steal--but it's never occurred to her that someone would try to steal her shadow. Adlai Bringer has a secret talent: Her father taught her the Shadow Game, in which her shadow sneaks away to steal trinkets from the vendors at the desert market. Once she sells enough of her stolen goods, she'll be able to leave the orphanage that's been her home since her father died. One day, Adlai's shadow picks the wrong mark, and the owner of the unusual pocket watch she tried to steal stabs her, killing her and taking away part of her shadow. But Adlai learns that shadow wielders like herself don't always stay dead. Resurrecting herself and running away into the desert, Adlai questions everything her father taught her about using her shadow. If she can steal and cheat death, what other powers does she possess? The story unfolds in the kingdom of Zodian, where people are diverse in skin tone; golden-haired Adlai reads white. Adlai is a sympathetic protagonist who grows wiser as she follows her path to greater power. While the pacing is uneven, Reynolds uses the slower middle portion of the story to unravel the complex magical system that underlies shadow-wielding. The mythology and lore of shadow powers are well developed and convincing. The classic magical orphan story gets a refreshing twist. (Fantasy. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.