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THE WAR OF SHADOWS

  • Gaël AYMON
  • Aug 25
  • 3 min read

Updated: 4 hours ago

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Illustrated by Églantine Ceulemans

Novels from age 9 – 160 pages - L’École des loisirs - Coll. Neuf – 27/08/2025

The story: Damien, aged 11, is about to discover his Nebula Shadow, like all the other pupils in the school. A simple formality, a scientific game of no consequence. But when the light goes on, his shadow freezes his blood. Why is it different from the others? As the government begins to classify people according to their Shadow, Damien realizes he's in danger.


AWARDS & SELECTIONS


PRESS REVIEWS (extracts)

IN THE PRESS

A perfectly crafted adventure novel and a terrifying dystopia, evoking stigmatisation and normalisation. Very powerful! LA REVUE DES LIVRES POUR ENFANTS
A powerful novel about the insidious establishment of a dictatorship through language, reminding us that everyone can find the courage within themselves to be heroic. POINT DE VUE (Bérénice Beaufils)
To read a novel by Gaël Aymon is never disappointing. Action, imagination and reflection. Is this world so far removed from the madness of our own? Racism, discrimination, but also tolerance, friendship and mutual aid are important themes in a novel that is not lacking in action. CORSE MATIN (Gaële Valery)
This short and effective novel uses the codes of dystopia without ever indulging in them. It invites us to reflect on the meaning of words and the importance of exercising our conscience when it encounters science, in order to avoid ‘the ruin of the soul’. FAMILLE CHRÉTIENNE

IN BOOKSHOPS

Gaël Aymon had the audacity to write a dystopia from a child's perspective, and it's brilliant! An impactful novel, written with great intelligence. But rest assured, it also has the lightness necessary to appeal to young readers aged 9 and up! LIBRAIRIE DES HALLES (Blandine)
A nugget of gold of striking relevance that highlights the consequences of a hateful view of differences and the hasty judgements that result from it. A beautiful jab at governments that tend to become ‘totalitarian’ while forgetting that our young people have a say in the future that belongs to them. DE FIL EN PAGE
An adventure full of twists and turns that helps us understand how totalitarian regimes use words to serve their sinister purposes. Gaël Aymon impresses me once again with his ability to tackle very profound subjects in a way that children can understand. He is part of a fundamental movement: turning today's young readers into the informed citizens of tomorrow. LA PLEIADE (Aurélie)
A bold and timely dystopia that highlights the ravages of totalitarian excesses by showing the importance of the voices of young people in protecting our democracies. LILOSIMAGES (Marie)
Friendship, courage, discernment—so many themes emerge from this adventure full of surprises and twists and turns! CHANTEPAGES

ON INTERNET

Gaël Aymon has pulled off a remarkable feat: writing a young adult novel that is both accessible and deeply political. The suspense is constant, driven by psychological tension and a striking political backdrop. You read the book like a thriller, but when you close it, you find yourself truly reflecting on what constitutes our identity, how society views us – and the need to resist that view. Églantine Ceulemans' illustrations emphasise the strangeness of the world, while retaining a childlike sensitivity that reminds us that this novel is also about a critical transition to adulthood when illusions are shattered. CULTURE VSNEWS (Geoffroy Koeberle)
With great subtlety, Gaël Aymon delivers a light, rhythmic work that speaks of acceptance of difference and fraternity. In a world where social ties are weakening, this is an intelligent children's novel that makes you think and does you good! KeroulenBIB

See the full press review (in French) :


 
 
 

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