The Figure in the Shadows

Written by John Bellairs

Narrated by George Guidall

A classic fantasy/mystery from critically acclaimed novelist John Bellairs

 

Lewis thought the amulet would bring him good luck—instead, it brought nothing but evil.

 

Lewis is sure that Grandpa Barnavelt's 1859 lucky coin is really a magic talisman in disguise. With its power, he could do anything he wants—like get back at bully Woody Mingo. But as soon as he begins wearing the coin around his neck, strange things start to happen. Mysterious letters arrive in the dead of night. A strange, shadowy figure seems to be tracking him.

 

And when Lewis finally gets his revenge on Woody, he feels as if someone else is inside his body, urging him to go even further. Has Lewis awakened a force beyond his control?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781501983313

John Bellairs

John Bellairs is beloved as a master of Gothic young adult novels and fantasies. His series about the adventures of Lewis Barnavelt and his uncle Jonathan, which includes The House with a Clock in Its Walls, is a classic. He also wrote a series of novels featuring the character Johnny Dixon. Among the titles in that series are The Curse of the Blue Figurine; The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt; and The Spell of the Sorcerer’s Skull. His stand-alone novel The Face in the Frost is also regarded as a fantasy classic, and among his earlier works are St. Fidgeta and Other Parodies and The Pedant and the Shuffly. Bellairs was a prolific writer, publishing more than a dozen novels before his untimely death in 1991.

Reviews for The Figure in the Shadows

[karina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

6/10 or 3 stars. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one but I do like Roserita a lot. I cant wait to see what other adventures they get up to in the other books.

[Kevin Earley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book as a kid. I related to Lewis a great deal and the book helped me live thru the awkward and fearful middle school days. Great book and great auhor.

[wvlibrarydude · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book started off well but the ending was a little bit rushed. Still a good book for 9 to 12 year olds.

[lynnmpk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Lewis conveniently forgets what he learned in the first book, so that he can unleash an evil spirit. This time he has a new friend though, Rose Rita, to save his ass.

[aliceap-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I gobbled up The Figure in the Shadows in one sitting. This could lead you to believe that I thoroughly enjoyed it but really it was super short coming in at 160 pages with quite a few of Mercer Mayer's illustrations sprinkled throughout adding to that number. The plot of this installment revolves around an amulet which Lewis acquires and which seems to hold a 'spirit' of some kind which he has awakened and which turns out to be rather malevolent. (If you think this sounds similar to the first book you're not alone.) Once again, he keeps this a secret from his uncle and the witchy neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, next door. Instead he shares his discovery with his new friend, Rose Rita, who is virtually Lewis's opposite in every conceivable way. I will say that Lewis is a unique character in that he's not brave, overly intelligent (although a voracious reader), good looking, talented (described as quite fat), or particularly good-natured (in fact he's rather whiny and prone to childish fits of anger). He doesn't fit the prescribed parameters of a typical protagonist. He's bullied and anxious about the possibility of even being bullied or 'bawled out' by adults. (I was nervous about the latter through my adolescence as well so in that regard I can relate.) Magic + mystery + misadventure = the plot 5/10

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I dunno. ?áI have this memory of the first being some classic of childhood, as if I should have read it long time ago and made it part of my being, in almost the same leage as Phantom Tollbooth or Misty of Chincoteague. ?áWell then I finally read it last week, and of course was disappointed, so much so that I can't really be fair in my judgement. ?áOf course it didn't live up to expectations, but how good, or lacking, is it truly? ?áAnd then I read this, and again am disappointed. ?áIt's a thrilling little paranormal, with real danger, and magic, and a true anti-hero, and a marvelously brave girl who-is-a friend, and humor... but it just left me feeling 'meh.' ?á

I'm fairly sure it's me, not the books. ?áYou read them yourself, without the high expectations that I had. ?áYou'll probably love 'em.

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Also, ?áI had trouble finding my review from a few days ago when I actually read this. ?áFinally did, and here it is:?á

[jen6e6moore · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one is kind of eerie, but not really scary - the creepiness is so condensed into the latter part of the book. It's more a juvenile moralistic story than anything else.

[mstrust · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From the series featuring young misfit Lewis, his magician uncle and guardian Jonathan and the witch next door, Mrs. Zimmerman.
Lewis finds an old coin on a chain that his great grandfather had worn for years, one that he believed brought him luck. Lewis finds that when he wears the coin, he's suddenly allowed to play ball with the other boys and he can beat up the class bully. Lewis' friend Rita Rose thinks the coin is bad luck, and Lewis eventually agrees, because now he's receiving anonymous threatening letters and a shadowy figure is following him.

Fast-moving and with just enough darkness to it that it's on the edge of being a supernatural mystery.

[bplteen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a young kid named Louis that finds an amulet. This amulter raises a spirit of a ghost and the ghost haunts him. He is on the verge of death, will he be saved?
Review by: rocky means

Is was a little slow in the begginning and not that exiting but in the middle it got great and scary. I would rate it a five if the begginning was not boring. The ending was great and topped it all off.

[lizzybeans11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Lewis Barnavelt series by John Bellairs. I greatly enjoyed the first one and thought I'd give at least a few of the others a try.

This one was not illustrated by Edward Gorey, so it has a slightly softer/cartoony feel to it. The plot was incredibly suspenseful and fairly creepy (mostly you find this out at the end), but not too scary for kids probably 6-8+.

I definitely want to read more in this series.

[rarararassberry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

this book talks about a bot named Lewis, who is scared of fighting and scared of getting beaten up, but he liked to watch the big boys fight. One day Lewis was studying Grandfather's old trunk and he found an old coin which he showed to Uncle Jonhathan. Uncle said that the coin was an amulet which would protect Lewis from the big bullets. Soon Lewis met a new girl named Rosa rita. Lewis told her everything about the amulet. IF he treid to see if the amulet actually worked, might get hurt really badly by the bullies, or the amulet would save him, but which one would it be?

[bubbleumbrella_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first chapter book I ever read when I was a kid. I read it over and over and I STILL pick it up and read it every once in a while. It's a great mystery as are all of Bellairs' books. I recommend to kids and adults both.

[mrsarey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The second in the Lewis Barnavelt series, this novel finds Lewis in possession of a mysterious old coin that has more powers than Lewis can ever imagine.