In a final step, I would like to share my impressions of the novel, after finish reading.
So I think this novel is written especially for pupils, who have to read a book in school, muchly when they don't want to.
I think this book isn't like the other boring ones, I red at school.
After the first chapter, I thought, this book would only be about squash but the squash slipped into the background and a romantic love story, with at taste of dramatic comes through.
So I can definitely recommend this book to everyone who is interested in enthralling stories.


And now, I hope that you enjoyed reading my weblog, I'm very sorry that there aren't some images, but there were some technical problems and I think, this weblog is although without the use of images, a kind of creative :-)


Carmen Zuber

Now, there is a sentence of which I think everyone should think of after reading the novel.
"Whenever you see your shadow Jamie, just remember you're looking at me."

Abby tells this sentence, when Jamie deserts Abby.
This sentence shows, that both share the same fate, which make them "transform" into shadows.
And because of this, the two "Shadows" can affiliate with eachoter, so if they do that, they grow stronger and they can solve problems together.

Jamie and Abby are going to arrive at Cumbria. They drive per hitcher, so it's a long way for them, to drive to Cumbria because not every driver takes them along for a far way.
After some exhausting hours, they arrive at a farm in Cumbria, where Abby knows the woman, who is living there.
They have the chance to eat some food and relax in the bedroom. This is really needful for them after this long trip to Cumbria. When they are lying in the bed, Abby tells Jamie a lot about her life, also about the men, which are called Angelo and Vittorio, she explains the whole story to him, what happened before. She tells a lot about the character of the two men and also that she lived with them.
Jamie gets to know the real story, why Abby ran away from home, so she explains, that her father ignored her, but suddenly the two notice, that Danny, the rival of Jamie, is Abby's brother.
In the last chapter, the story is very romantic and stirring, the reader guess, that Jamie would leave Abby and in the end of this chapter, he quits her, it's very difficult for both, but Jamie knows, that he should try to have a new and better life at home.
So after a painful farewell, Jamie is back at home, he decides to play squash again and he wins this important match, he always dreamed of. His father tells him , that his mother died and Jamie is very shocked about this recentness he adepts, that her mother commited suicide, after reading Jamie's diaries. She adepted everything, Jamie was overburdened in his life, so she gave herself the fault.
In the next time, Jamie's father becomes a new person, he is exchanged and Jamie never sees again this father, who always pressures him. The two become a caring life and despite thinking of Abby, Jamie controls a better life, than before.

Now I would like to present you some facts, which show this special friendship between Spider and Jamie.
The reader gets to know, that both know eachother for really long time, because they are neighbours and Spider lives in the house next to Jamie.
Jamie knows, that he can always count on him, when he has got some problems or just when we needs someone to talk to.
So this quotation shows, how happy Jamie is, when he meets his friend: "After supper, he took the basketball, wandered out to the garden and threw the ball up at the basket on the wall, He often found it relaxing to come out here and throw a basketball and there was always the chance that the sound would bring Spider out from next door and they could talk."
So Jamie really whises to see Spider, to have the chance to talk to him.
It's also clear, that Spider trusts him a lot, because when Jamie asks him for the money, to pay the men off, Spider doesn't know, why he wants to have the money but although, he gives it to him because he wants to help his friend, no matter in what situation he is at this moment.
I think, Jamie is really happy to have a friend like Spider, especially, when he flees from his father.

Jamie's father worries about Jamie's health and he wants to know where he is, so he asks Spider, if he has got an idea, where he could be.
Along the way, Jamie writes a letter to his parents, he doesn't want them to worry much about him, so he says, that he's fine.
After that, Jamie is going to meet the men at the car but the men bash Jamie again, so Jamie impends that he has got a video of them which he would give to the police, if they woun't let him go out of the car. Jamie says that he filmed them when they were at the school, so the two men were gone at the next morning.
Jamie searches for Abby and suddenly she explains, that her baby is coming soon. Jamie helps her a lot and cares about her while she gives birth to the baby.
Abby calls her baby, who is a little girl, Jamie and she gives Jamie to thank him for helping.
In the next morning, they hit the road to Cumbria...

After Jamie run away from home, he's in the town with Abby. Both induce a talk, which is very important, because Abby mentions, what it's like to be shadow. She explains, that she's living in a shadow and if someone lives there long enough, they become one. So she describes to Jamie, that he's also a shadow.
Jamie tells her that, he run away from home and both search for the sports hall of the school to have the chance to talk undisturbed.
Suddenly, the two man appear at the gym and Jamie and Abby are cached in the changing room. They talk about the mysterious man and Abby explains Jamie, that she owed them money. Jamie is desperate and he doesn't know, what to do next but doesn't want Abby to notice that.
Abby tells that she'll run away from Ashingford, because she would like to go to Cumbria, but it's clear for Jamie, that he wouldn't let her go on her own, so he wants to go with her.
At the next day, the two meet the man again, but at this day, they catch Jamie, while Abby cache herself in a corner. Jamie talks with the menand suddenly he says, that he got the money to pay them off. The two men warn Jamie that he should come to assign the money, without the police. After the men bashed him, Abby is gone.
Jamie doesn't know, how to enrage the money to pay the men off, so he goes to Spider, to ask him for help. Jamie knows, that Spider conserves a lot of money to buy a car but now he needs the help of his friend. Jamie doesn't want Spider to get into danger, so he doesn't say, why he needs the money but Spider trust Jamie, so he's inclinable to give the money to him.

In those following chapters becomes clear, that also Jamie's mother is pressured by his husband. Jamie's mother is more and more chary, so that Jamie notices, that something isn't alright with her.
Jamie's father talks again about his association when he thinks about Jamie and squash. He wants him to bring more accomplishment.
In another situation, Jamie meets the two men again, who tell him, that he should apprise them, if he would see the girl.
After that, Jamie's father commits a big fault. Jamie and his father are at the gym, where Jamie should work for his endurance. When the father sees Danny, Jamie's rival at the gym, he starts activating a contest, between the two boys, while sitting on there bikes.
It's hard for Jamie to win this contest, so he breaks down. His father pressured him so much that it becomes dangerous for his health.
After this event, Jamie's father decides not to talk to his mum, what happened. he lies and tells his wife another story. But Jamie really bothers about what happened, so he wants to tell the truth.
So Jamie decides to tell the truth and after that, he announces that he'll stop playing squash. His father is really shocked about this advice, so he belts him and after that, Jamie gets out of his family house.

I'm very sorry, because I haven't written for so long. But I think that's not only my fault. Because of all these class excercises, I was willed to prepare a lot for school. This claimed most of my time at home but they are over now, so I'll have more time to continue concerning with this weblog and with the story of Jamie and Abby.
On Friday, I have to deliver my weblog to Mrs. Kühne, so there are four days to finish the weblog.
I should stop writing about those unimportant things and maybe I should start now with the real task...

Come on!

Now I would like to present you a little characterisation of Jamie:

Jamit is a 16-years old boy, who lives in Ashingford. His hobby is to play squash and he does it very well. Jamie's best friend is Spider, who's living next to him. Spider isn't accepted by Jamie's father, because he isn't a sports guy.
One of the best characteristics of jamie is that he takes care of the people, he likes, He tries to take care of his mother particularly when she was treated badly by her husband. Ofthen she's down and at those moments, jamie tries to help her out of this.
Ia addition he rescued Abby when she was in the bad situation in were the two men pursued her hardly.
Jamie didn't think at himself in this moment and he gets angry with the two men only to help Abby.
But on the oter side, Jamie is a bit weak. In his opinion, there's no chance to be treated better by his father, so he let him easily do waht he wants instead of doing some resistance.
In the end of the book, Abby gave him back his self-confidence and so Jamie went back to his father without having fear.
In my opinion, Jamie can be a good friend to people, who are not violence.

In the next chapters, Jamie and Abby become more close to eachother.
While lying in the shed, Jamie gets to know that Abby is pregnant, he starts lovingly to care about her. He worries a lot about her.
In the nex morning, Abby's gone. He's amazed about what happened in the morning, but he decided to go to school.
But Jamie becomes a lot of problems with the head, because of attending too late.
The reader adepts, that Jamie's writing diary, in his freetime. And there, he sumbs up all his thoughts.
In the next days, Jamie put some food into the shed and everything else, what Abby needs to survive.
When Jamie meets the two mysterious man again, he talks to Abby and asks her, if she knows what's going on with them but Abby says, that she knows nothing.
Jamie and Abby become more and more good friends despite Abby snaffled money from Jamie's house.
Abby has got difficulties to trust Jamie, but he tries to gain her confidence.

A song about a friendship by Elton John:

And I never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I'm concerned
I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe I love you

And if I should ever go away
Well then close your eyes and try
To feel the way we do today
And then if you can remember

Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Well you came in loving me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way I thank you

Oh and then for the times when we're apart
Well then close your eyes and know
The words are coming from my heart
And then if you can remember


I think this song describes really well, what's going on in the friendship between Jamie and Spider.
This song is about a friendship at which someone knows that he can always count on his friend, whatever situation there'll be.
So I think this shows, how happy Jamie is, that he got a friend like Spider, it is clear, that they're really grateful of having a friendship, like this one is.

This third chapter was a bit boring, I think, because they just talked about Jamie's rival Danny and what his father thinks about the activity of Jamie.
But I think in the end of chapter four, the story starts to be exciting, so I think that the situation in the shed and also that Jamie knows that someone had been there, will take a big part in the following story.

Chapter three begins with a talk among Jamie and his father. His father tells Jamie, that he'll stop giving him his allowance because of his defeat. In one way, he seems like he's very cared about him but on the other hand, he hurts him a lot.
Jamie's father tries to explain to him, that he wants the best for his boy, but Jamie doesn't understand that in a way he does.
The reader gets to know that Jamie is very unhappy with refence to their relationship. Later, Jamie talks to his friend Spider about his rival Danny. But Spider isn't really interested in playing squash, he's bored by that. But he tries to listen to what Jamie wants to talk about.
Later, when Jamie and Spider are sitting in a restaurant in town, the man, which he'd seen ago, appear. He starts getting suspiciously.
But the next problem isn't far away, so when he gets home, his mother's crying and his father blams him that he should snaffles money from his mother's purse. Jamie can't believe what's going on in his house, so he walks away into his shed, which he always uses as a refuge when things're going worse at home, but he notices, that someone had been there...

The question, which came into my mind while reading is: "What's wrong with the relationship between Jamie and his father?"
I can't understand, why father and son can't control a normal relationship.
And why is Jamie's father a person, who is in power in a way, he destrois Jamie's self-confidence?
I can't understand, why Jamie hasn't got the possibility to say what he thinks about how his father handles with him. I think he has got much respect for his father and maybe he's afraid of him.

In this second chapter, Jamie walks home from the squash game. He's musing and sad about what happened before. But his biggest disappointment aims for his father. He' s shocked about his action after the game.
Jamie tells how his father handles with his sport and he also explains, what it means to hís father, when he wins a game. The reader gets first bad impressions of the father's character.
When Jamie walks along the street, two man appear, which will take a big part in the story, in the following.
Jamie reachs his house and her mother tries to ignore what happened between Jamie and his father a few minutes ago.
After this small talk with her mother, Jamie steps out and hopes that he'll meet his friend Spider, who lives right beside him. But when Jamie believes that his Spider comes out to play with him, the two man appear again....

"Always aim for something, you can achieve, because then you've got the motive force to work hard for it and manage it!"

-an experience, I always carry on with...

When I get to know, how the father handles with his son, I was shocked but I think, you can also find reactions like this one's in the real life. Maybe not in a way, a coach hurts someone, but it's frequently difficult for a coach to get along with their ambition and will of reaching good results at sports. And sometimes, that's very difficult to realise because only the learner feels bad about how the coach handles with him.
A coach always want his pupil to be good and successful but sometimes this will can destroy the work of a pupil and his coach.

I must say, I was a bit disappointed about what the story promised to me. This first chapter starts with a squash game, which Jamie plays against his rival Danny. Jamie's loosing the game and you already get to know, that the whole relationship, Jamie has got to his father and his rival, will play a big role at the following. When I red all these terms about how to play squash, I thought, I would have to study a direction about all these sport acts.
Finally, you expert more about the father's character because he belt into his son's face, again and again and just because he hasn't accomplish what he father wanted to do him.
I was very shocked about his father's attitude and I never thought about a reaction like that. So this was very horrible to read and to know how the father handels with his son.

The story "shadows" by Tim Bowler is about a boy called Jamie. Jamie is the main person in this book and he's also the most important character.
Jamie is good at squash and he does a very hard training every day. He is coached by his own father. But there's a difference between what everyone of them want to reach in playing squash. Jamie is pressured by his father, because he just wants the best for Jamie. Everything, he hadn't achieved in his youth as a squash player, he wants Jamie to do better. But Jamie doesn't agree with his father, so there are more problems between them, bit by bit.
When Jamie lost a game one day, his father's very sick, but his act makes Jamie running away from home.
In those days, when Jamie is break away, some things happen, of which Jamie never thought about.
Jamie meets a girl and they help eachother in this difficult situation, the girl also has her own sad story.
Jamie and the girl become very good friends and the girl shows him what it's like to be "a shadow" and someday Jamie also knows that he's one of them.
In those days, the two become big problems with some guys and later the whole story is something like a fight of surviving. This story gets really exciting and dramatic.
At the end there's a sadness in Jamie's family and Jamie tries to get back into his old life but he knows, that this is not easy.

I think you all know, that the literature, we have to read at school, can sometimes be very boring and not interesting for people in our age.
But I must say, that I've made a totally different experience. This varied story about Jamie and the girl was really absorbing and I liked reading a lot.
Well, it's not normal for me to finish reading a book, which I have to read for school, within one week, so that shows, the fun, I had.
I must say, I decided to work on the story "shadows" because I'm very interested in the action about sports, so when I red the blurb for the first time, it was directly clear to me, that I would like this story...

but now, I want to give you a main overview of what will happen...

This is a weblog to the book "shadows" by Tim Bowler, which i'm reading at the moment in my english class at school. Our task is to prepare a reading log or a weblog, like this one is. So it was our decision to choose which possibility we want to use, so I decided to create a weblog, because I think this will be more fun and while reading, that's a new experience, because I never did something like this before. Because of the fact, I'm bored by "normal" projects in school, I think that's a different and more enjoyable way to work with literature in school.

I try to show you exactly, the way I think about this book and especially about the characters and the action in this book. I hope you will like reading this weblog and you will also like the way, I'll put all the information together.

Hope you enjoy...;-)