Distinctions
 
"With its sparring prose, inclusive cast and difficult themes, Cara Martin’s Shantallow is crackling YA. It addresses themes of revenge porn, abuse, drugs and sex, but at its heart is a message all young people should hear: there’s life after transgression, and while it may not include forgiveness, personal amends can be made, behaviour changed and community rediscovered."
— Ottawa Book Award jury statement
 
*  Longlisted for the 2020 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic.
 
Reviews 

 
 "The atmosphere of Shantallow (both the house and the novel) is eerie and horrifying, leaving readers in suspense, not knowing what will come next. However, the true charm of Shantallow is how the perpetual darkness forced upon the characters forces them to confront their own darkness and grow from it."
****/5, Highly Recommended
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials, read the entire review 

 "Serious, literary, and very scary, this novel is a slow burn, taking half the book to establish character before turning to satisfying and smart horror. A good pick for thoughtful horror readers."
— Booklist, read the entire review

"From the opening sentence, the author piles on the dread and scares as she deconstructs Misha and Tanvi’s mostly toxic relationship with a sharp taste for emotional complexity. Employing rich language, she depicts adolescent turmoil via ominous imagery but never loses sight of the hopeful possibility of change."
— Kirkus, read the entire review

"This book is full of twists, turns, heartbreak and mystical forces. The artwork creates even more anguish. The characters are well-crafted; their controversial personalities add another level of depth to the book, amongst the supernatural events that take place."
— Canadian Children’s Book News, read the entire review 

"Martin’s writing is very descriptive and I found myself reading some of the passages more than once because they were so beautiful. Even the spooky sections of the book … and there are a lot … are riveting because of the way they are written. The story flows beautifully."
— Kinzie Things, read the entire review