Parade of Shadows

Titles: Parade of Shadows

Author: Gloria Whelan

Pages: 295

Grade Level: 7&8th

Julia is a sheltered young lady. She grew up in a dull house full of dull things run by dull servants. Her father works for England’s foreign affairs, so he’s rarely home. Her mother died when Julia was small. Really, Julia’s existence has been quite dull. She longs for excitement and adventure. She wants to travel with her father on his exciting foreign trips.

One night, Julia enters her father’s study. He’s preparing for another trip. On this trip, he’ll be trekking through the wilderness of Syria and Turkey. Julia dreams that Syria is bursting with romance and adventure. She pleads with her father to allow her go with him. Her father acquiesces. She can go! Her father warns her that on this trip, he’s traveling only as a solicitor on holiday. He thinks that Julia will help sell his cover story. In truth, he is traveling to Syria and Turkey to observe the people. It's rumored that the Young Turks are belly aching to start a revolution.         

Julia and her father have spent many days traveling. They have seen fascinating things. The dull house in England seems very far way and adventure is always around the corner. They have reach Damascus. In Damascus, they will join a tour group that is will embark on journey through the desert. The members of this tour group are Graham, a rakishly handsome young man who works to incite the Young Turks to rebellion, Edith, an English botanist who has spent years in the desert subsequently converting to Islam and Monsieur Louvois an antiquity collector who wants to smuggle valuable antiquity out of Syria. Hakki is the guide and leader of the group. He is assist by various other men. Together can these people survive the wiles of the desert? Can they survive the spy among themselves?

Gloria Whelan is a much sought after author in our school library, so I was eager to read this book. I was slightly disappointed. One of the characters quotes quite a bit of the Koran and keeps subtlety justifying it. This character does get discredited and vilified at the end of the book. Also, Julia and Graham relationship never turns inappropriate, but it sure seems like it’s going to at some parts in the book. Graham does receive his due at the end of the book and Julia acknowledges that her father was right about it.