Review of This Is Shyness by Leanne Hall

Format: eBook
Genres: fantasy, romance,
Pages: 272
Publisher: Text Publishing
Release Date: 09/08/2010
Find The Author: Website ¦ Twitter
Abe Books ¦ Goodreads
A guy who howls. A girl on a mission to forget.

In the suburb of Shyness, where the sun doesn’t rise and the border crackles with a strange energy, Wolfboy meets a stranger at the Diabetic Hotel. She tells him her name is Wildgirl, and she dares him to be her guide through the endless night.

But then they are mugged by the sugar-crazed Kidds. And what plays out is moving, reckless...dangerous. There are things that can only be said in the dark. And one long night is time enough to change your life.

This Is Shyness is an unusual read, told from the points of view of both WildGirl and Wolfboy. Wildgirl takes the first chapter and Wolfboy the last, and together they tell a story of an unusual world where the sun never rises and anything could happen. The kidds make their own rules and when they steal something precious of Wolfboy's, he and Wildgirl start the very strange journey to try and get it back.

It wasn't pie they stole. Just to clarify.

I connected with Wildgirl much more that Wolfboy, I'm not sure if this is because she took the first chapter of simply because Wolfboy is a much more closed off character than Wildgirl. I still cared about him a lot, and enjoyed reading his chapters. The chapters are numbered, not titled with the character's names and the switch between characters isn't a set thing so sometimes I had to try and work out who was speaking this time. 

I'm not exactly sure where this book is set, it could be set anywhere really. In my head I pictured it as being very similar to the place I saw in Misfits (Channel 4). I did get a strong Misfits/Skins vibe from this book and I think teenagers (or adults) who loved those shows would get along well with this book. It's an unusual world, but one that mirrors our own too.

I was left with a few unanswered questions at the end of this book, so I was glad to find that there is indeed a sequel, called Queen of the Night. This book is set 6 months later, which seems like a good time gap. I'm hoping we learn more about the kidds and Dr Gregory, as well as what on earth is going on with Wolfboy - howling, thick hair on his arms, what on earth is he?