Shadowshaper

After receiving her powers as the new Lucera, Sierra’s position as the “Chosen One” figure of the book is further cemented in this section. In Chapter 33, Sierra looks forward to reconnecting with Robbie and telling him about her feelings for him, noting that he is “Someone who understood her” (226). However, when Sierra rejoins her friends, she discovers that Robbie has been taken. Robbie’s removal from the group makes Sierra feel more alone and isolated, since she has always counted on Robbie to help her discover more about her powers: “She wanted to sort through clues with him, figure out this terrifying supernatural puzzle with him, laugh about it when it was all over” (226). Sierra’s other friends support her, and Jose understands what it’s like to be a shadowshaper, but no one has been closer to Sierra throughout this journey than Robbie. Losing him makes Sierra realize that she must stand on her own and not wait for anyone to step in and save her; she must be the one to figure out how to do the saving.

In Chapter 34, another element is introduced that further makes Sierra stand on her own. While discussing ways to track down Wick and save Robbie, Juan suggests to Sierra that one of her friends might be working with Wick, especially since only a small number of people knew they were going to Coney Island to find Lucera. Sierra initially clings to the idea that it might be one of the shadowshapers who worked with her grandfather, since she doesn’t want to accept the truth that it could be one of her friends. However, the more Sierra puzzles over it, the more she realizes that whoever is helping Wick must be “Someone that she trusted” (231). Sierra then suspects Nydia, who has helped her in her journey thus far but who isn’t a part of Sierra’s close inner circle. Sierra’s suspicions of Nydia turn out to be ultimately groundless, as Nydia proves her loyalty by taking Sierra to the Sorrows. With this question still hanging in the air, Sierra no longer knows who to trust: “Once someone you trusted turned out to be spying on you, it called everyone into question” (237). As a result, Sierra begins to fear that the only person she can truly trust is herself.

This new realization is underscored by the family secrets that have been kept from Sierra by everybody she loves and trusts. Throughout the course of the novel, Sierra learns that Grandpa Lázaro María, Juan, and even Mama Carmen were hiding the truth from her and keeping her purposefully in the dark. In Chapter 34, Sierra gets the opportunity to confront her mother about her part in betraying Sierra’s trust: “You think you were protecting us? Well, look where that got us” (233). All of Sierra’s family members have their own personal reasons for keeping the truth from her, and some may have thought they had her best interest at heart, but the result is that Sierra now questions everyone and everything she has been taught.

Because of these experiences, Sierra refuses to let anyone else keep her in the dark, including the Sorrows when she encounters them in Chapter 36. The Sorrows speak cryptically to Sierra, withholding information, but Sierra’s experiences with secrecy have caused her to refuse to be put off: “I don’t have time for these riddles, y’all. Just tell me where he is, how I can destroy him” (249). In addition to her forthright speech, Sierra also begins destroying the Sorrows’ shrine to force them to give her the answers she needs: “‘No’—Sierra raised the ax over her head—‘more’—she brought it down directly on the third statue’s foot, shattering it—‘riddles!’” (252-253). Sierra’s direct, confrontational manner is a far cry from the Sierra at the beginning of the book who couldn’t get anyone to tell her any information, exhibiting both her growth as a character and her acceptance of her role as the powerful Lucera.