Series ✦ Penny’s Take
Shadow Scale
Rachel Hartman · 2015
76/100
👍 Worth It
Rachel Hartman swings for philosophical ambition in this sequel and largely connects — the expanded world with six genders and naturally integrated LGBTQ+ representation is genuinely impressive, and NPR's praise for it outgrowing its predecessor philosophically is well-placed. The cost is that the central romance from Seraphina gets sidelined, which frustrated some readers who earned it. Come in as a Seraphina fan expecting a broader, more complex story and you'll be rewarded.
✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety70
substance80
craft76
originality80
accuracy80
hype74
age-fit75
human-eye78
Penny’s verdict76
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