Dancing with the Shadows

Abby was eight when her grandmother's spirit first appeared on the back lane of the family farm. Although Abby had never met her grandmother Gwynth, she was certain of the woman's identity. Her spirit began to appear more often, leaving Abby with the conviction that Gwynth wanted something from her. Both the visits and Abby's reaction to them were equally disturbing. She developed migraines every time she saw her grandmother, along with another syndrome: the merging of...
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Abby was eight when her grandmother's spirit first appeared on the back lane of the family farm. Although Abby had never met her grandmother Gwynth, she was certain of the woman's identity. Her spirit began to appear more often, leaving Abby with the conviction that Gwynth wanted something from her.

Both the visits and Abby's reaction to them were equally disturbing. She developed migraines every time she saw her grandmother, along with another syndrome: the merging of smells and colours, and the intensification of noises. Later in life, Abby identified this condition as synesthesia, but as a young girl, she absorbed the word that others used to describe her--"strange".Now in her forties and living in Burlington, Ontario, Abby sets out to find the truth about Gwynth Herriott: why she disappeared and left a young son behind, why no one will talk about her, and what Gwynth was trying to tell Abby so many years ago.

Every second chapter takes us back to Gwynth's story in Huron County, Ontario. We follow her from 1918 through to 1925. While Abby, in the 1990s, tries to untangle her grandmother's story, she must also concentrate on her career as a photojournalist, devoted to the plight of endangered animals.

Dancing with The Shadows has two main themes. Gwynth and Abby's lives clearly show the stigma faced by children and adults who are labeled as different, along with the resulting damage that can affect families for decades. As well, Gwynth's resilience and Abby's determination show the profound changes that can occur when strong women refuse to be muzzled.