Living in the eye of the hurricane. That's been my life as a Foster Carer. Mostly, it's been in a peacefully calm and loving place that is, however, constantly surrounded by the raging storms of trauma, fury and teenage angst. Drugs, drink, crime and all the horrors of abuse can come to visit and disrupt our lives but a loving home survives and is always shelter from the storm and sometimes for the storm. I would not for anything change a life that has also allowed me so many wonderful, crazy and magical experiences whilst showing so many young people that there is a path to a different life and that a storm can pass and be recovered from. Most of all, I have been blessed to look after some amazing young people who have enriched my life as you will see from the stories of my life in the Shadowlands. A single man, a Foster Carer raising other people's children for over 35 years and always looking forward to the next storm that a Social Worker brings to my door.

本作は、三十五年間にわたり里親として嵐の中に身を置いてきた著者の、魂の記録です。彼が描く「シャドウランズ」とは、凄惨な虐待や怒りに覆われながらも、愛という灯火が消えることのない聖域を指しています。トラウマに苛まれる若者たちの叫びと、それを受け止める一人の男の揺るぎない覚悟が、読者の心に静かな、しかし強烈な波紋を広げます。 文学的な魅力は、凄惨な現実を見つめることで逆説的に「再生」の光を描き出す、その真摯な筆致にあります。傷ついた魂が癒えていく過程は神秘的で、人間の尊厳に満ちています。過酷な運命に抗い、他者のために人生を捧げることの崇高さ。絶望の影に潜む希望を鮮烈に捉えた、正真正銘の人間讃歌です。