Review: Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have--a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears--until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World's Fair, and Sylvie's world unravels.

Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose's violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.

From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, they're taken on a search that points to Rose's long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?

 Not gonna lie, I jumped right into this book after reading number three in the series, and I liked it even better than Drawn by the Current. I read this in one day, stayed up past midnight to finish it. I was so drawn and captivated by the story. Sylvie is definitely one of my new favorite literary characters. And yes, I felt like smacking Rose multiple times during the book. I liked seeing a heroine who wasn't in the 18-25 age bracket. It made for a sweet change of rhythm. Plus, all the details of the World's Fair were so fascinating. Usually, if there's too much of a history lesson hidden in the book, it annoys me, but the details were so sharp and interesting that I was eating it up. I love how the story took so many turns emotionally. Some quotes that I loved: 

"God says I am His child, I am good enough for Him-- not because of what I've done, but because of what Christ has done on my behalf."

"Just because we are still doesn't mean that God is. We can rely on Him."