Review of The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

High school senior Nora Kane is working with a local college professor translating the 16th century Voynich manuscript. The ancient, coded text might hold clues to unlocking the Lumen Dei, a device that legend says lets the user connect directly with God. Nora's task is to translate the Latin writing of Elizabeth Weston, whose letters to her brother resonate across the centuries with Nora's own life. But Nora's involvement sparks a chain of tragic events: the professor is found dead, one of her best friends, Chris, is murdered and her other best friend is left in a catatonic state. Nora's quiet, nerdy new boyfriend is not only missing but a suspect. Hoping to prove his innocence, Nora travels to Prague with Chris's cousin Eli. But not all is as it seems, and Nora quickly becomes embroiled with ancient, secret groups who either want to solve the Lumen Dei puzzle and use the device or who are sworn to protect its secrets and prevent the device's use. While deciphering the string of clues left behind four centuries ago, Nora questions who she can trust. The appropriate answer? No one.

Author Robin Wasserman has written a masterful plot-twisting novel unlike anything most teen readers have likely read before. The obvious literary comparisons are to Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books (Angels and Demons, DaVinci Code, Lost Symbol), but the title is perhaps most similar to Ian Caldwell's Rule of Four. I was also reminded a bit of the Indiana Jones movies. The Book of Blood and Shadow has its share of standard YA angst and drama. Late in the book the story seems to drag momentarily under the weight of all the plot twists, but the ultimate payoff is worthwhile. I'm buying multiple copies of this one to book talk with high schoolers.