Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're shining a light on a recent release via Amulet Books that came to my attention thank to Casey over at Media Masters Publicity! It's aimed at Young Adult readers and has a decidedly DARKER aire. No, really...it's not a pun, a joke, or a laughing matter...it's got some SERIOUS darkness to it, so that title up there saying to "leave the light on" is a definite recommendation! Anywho, let's get to the nitty gritty! Today's title in the spotlight and book of choice is...
by
Frances Hardinge
9781419743207
Amulet Books
About the book...
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein in Frances Hardinge’s latest fantasy adventure
The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?
The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?
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First of all, THAT COVER!
I mean, if you can look at THAT and not seriously wonder what's in store for the reader that cracks the spine...you've got more willpower than I. The colors are stunning, the imagery otherworldly, and after reading the story, you know the meaning behind each piece depicted...and how truly awful yet wondrous it all is. Next up, the story...
Story wise, it really draws you in like the last breath of air to a drowning man...though in the undersea, you don't technically drown from breathing air, but that's a tale for another time. Everything has its own history, from the way the world is now to the gods, both past and present. You are enveloped in the friendship turned something much more caustic between Jelt and Hark...and let me just stop right here and say that try as I might, I could not like that boy. I get the deeper things going on and how circumstances, choices (forced and made), and options can change a person, but there were other ways, and he was never truly alone. But I digress...the bond between these two is what carries most of the tale, from the shores of Lady's Crave to the Sanctuary to somewhere altogether darker and more mysterious than you could possibly guess. The people they meet along the way, for better or worse, are swept up in the tidal wave of all that is and all the terror to come. It becomes a new living nightmare on the precipice of turning the human race inwards once more to the fears that burdened it in generations past, and fed the evil barely kept at arm's (or tentacle's) length. It all comes down to breaking the cycle of what's been for a future that could be, even if the cost is high to those involved.
All in all, a stunning display of friendship when driven by a purer heart. Even when the cards are down, the difficulty Hark had in facing what could become inevitable was honorable...even though Selphin would probably think it more misguided. Speaking of which, take note of this sea-kissed (deaf) young lady as she is MUCH more than she seems...although the same can be said of a supposedly ailing priest with a secret you'll never see coming. Brace yourself, this is definitely a wild ride with godly descriptions that feel completely drawn from your nightmares!
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About the author...
Frances Hardinge is the winner of the Costa Book of the Year for The Lie Tree, one of just two young adult novels to win the major UK literary prize. Known for her beautiful use of language, Hardinge has written many critcally acclaimed novels, including Cuckoo Song, Gullstruck Island, Fly by Night, Verdigris Deep, and Fly Trap. She lives in England. Visit the author at franceshardinge.com.
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Special thanks to Casey at Media Masters Publicity for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title celebrated its BOOK BIRTHDAY April 14th, 2020 via Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams Books, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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