Shadow

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, child death, animal cruelty, and mental illness.

At the heart of Shadow are individuals who persevere in the face of adversity. Aman’s tale about how he and his mother came to England as asylum seekers illustrates the toll of displacement, trauma, and injustice. Throughout their journey, they faced persecution from the Taliban, exposure to the elements in the harsh deserts of Afghanistan, robberies, attempted kidnappings, and, finally, incarceration due to government bureaucracy. Their journey has taken its toll, particularly on Aman’s mother, who has PTSD after being tortured in an Afghan jail. However, Aman and his mother refuse to give up, no matter how steep the odds are. This reflects their deep religious faith as well as their faith in themselves. Through learning Aman’s story and helping free the Khans, Matt and Grandpa are also inspired by their resilience.

The novel illustrates that the characters’ perseverance helps them through physically dangerous conditions as well as through psychological trauma. Aman and his mother’s journey to England is a relentless test of their endurance, forcing them to survive physical threats—such as crossing deserts, being smuggled in inhumane conditions, and escaping armed captors—and emotional ones, such as uncertainty, loss, and unfamiliarity.