Stepping From the Shadows

Stepping from the Shadows is a novel authored by Patricia A. McKillip, initially released in hardcover format by Atheneum in 1982, followed by a paperback version issued by Berkley Books in August 1984.

Summary

This semi-autobiographical narrative centers on Frances Stuart, a perceptive "army brat" whose upbringing involves relocations from Arizona to Germany and England. Growing up under strict religious influences, she confronts internal conflicts regarding self-perception and sexual identity, represented through her creation of a "shadow sister" and the figure of the "Stagman." The story chronicles her development from childhood through her college years in Los Angeles, culminating in her establishment as a writer in both the Pacific Northwest and a writers' community in New England.

Reception

Barbara A. Bannon, writing for Publishers Weekly, commends McKillip's move into adult literature, highlighting the "sensitive, balladlike prose" and identifying the sections set during college as the novel’s strongest elements.

Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times characterizes the work as "rich, particular and extremely appealing," focusing on its sincere and literary depiction of a young woman’s spiritual evolution. He implies that the book’s release is driven more by editorial enthusiasm than commercial motives.

Joyce Smothers in Library Journal notes this book as a shift from McKillip’s acclaimed fantasy repertoire, describing it as an "obscure, challenging novel of psychological realism" that features poetic language but minimal plot development, recommending it for extensive fiction collections and readers with refined tastes.

The Hartford Courant lauded its "vivid imaginings" paired with "lyrical prose." Additional critiques were published in Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Review, Dragonfields: Tales of Fantasy, and Amazing Stories.