Publishers Weekly
07/04/2022
When Vesper Vale’s revolutionary parents failed to overthrow their city’s corrupt ruler, her mother was captured and forced to enter the unending Storm that surrounds their city and is said to curse anyone it touches. Twelve years later, Vesper, now 17, and her father, Pa, live on the run, evading the city’s guardians, called Wardana. As a learned ikonomancer, Pa uses symbols to activate powerful spells, which the duo use to survive. Eventually, however, their luck runs out and Pa is captured by the ruler’s heir, Prince Dalca. Fearing that her father will share the same fate as her mother, Vesper embarks on a treacherous rescue mission. Aided by Izmal, a Wardana guard and secret revolutionary, Vesper—disguised and armed with her father’s ikonomancy texts—insinuates herself into Dalca’s inner circle. There, she discovers that her mother’s death may not be as straightforward as it seemed and realizes she’ll need the help of unlikely allies to save her father—and the city—from the Storm. Though vague, undescriptive prose occasionally makes the fantasy world difficult to visualize, high-stakes action and a delicate enemies-to-lovers romance propels Mara’s duology-opening debut to its climactic end. Ages 12–up. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (July)
From the Publisher
An enchanting and wildly clever debut, Mara's The Darkening delivers on every promise. From its storm-tossed world, to its lyrical prose, to its propulsive, electrifying plot, readers will find themselves utterly ensnared by this book—it is a true masterclass in young adult fantasy.” — Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of Beasts of Prey
“A thrilling, fast-paced adventure by an exciting new voice. Mara has crafted a brutal, richly-woven world balanced by the most lush and beautiful prose. The Darkening is a wild and thrilling ride, with twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and an ending that'll have you begging for the sequel.” — Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth
“A world that will ensnare you from the first page. The Darkening is at once a grand epic and an intimate adventure, following a brave band of heroes fighting their innermost curses.” — Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
“The Darkening is a thrilling adventure that will draw readers in like the enchanted storm threatening Vesper’s world.” — Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace
“Fresh and viciously clever, Mara’s debut offers a world brimming with fury, characters you’d follow into any storm, and twists that’ll keep you guessing to the very last page––where you’ll promptly demand the sequel.” — Kate Dylan, author of Mindwalker
“Different and exciting.” — School Library Journal
“Excellent world-building and beautiful prose . . . This strongly imaginative debut may appeal to fans of Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“High-stakes action and a delicate enemies-to-lovers romance propels Mara’s duology-opening debut.” — Publishers Weekly
Adalyn Grace
A thrilling, fast-paced adventure by an exciting new voice. Mara has crafted a brutal, richly-woven world balanced by the most lush and beautiful prose. The Darkening is a wild and thrilling ride, with twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and an ending that'll have you begging for the sequel.
Ayana Gray
An enchanting and wildly clever debut, Mara's The Darkening delivers on every promise. From its storm-tossed world, to its lyrical prose, to its propulsive, electrifying plot, readers will find themselves utterly ensnared by this book—it is a true masterclass in young adult fantasy.
School Library Journal
07/01/2022
Gr 9 Up—In a world cursed with a deadly storm, Vesper Vale lives with her father in a home caring for storm-touched people. Vesper's mother was executed for being a traitor to the kingdom, and her father has hidden his identity for many years to avoid the same fate. When Vesper's choices lead soldiers right to their door, her father's identity is eventually revealed, so Vesper must sneak her way into the prince's group of elite soldiers. She doesn't expect to fall for Prince Dalca, who is a typical royalty character destined for responsibility but kinder than others around him. The story has many unique points. The storm is essentially a character itself, used as a villain, leading to some intense scenes. Also, the magic used is different and exciting. Even so, this story follows certain tropes: there is a class system, and people belong to other rings, with the higher rings more in danger of the storm. There is also an unlikely hero trying to save her loved one. Adding the enemies-to-lovers spin creates a predictable story. Younger teens may enjoy it, but the length may turn off potential readers. VERDICT Despite the predictable plot and slow beginning, this is a fun story and librarians with teens interested in fantasy and innocent romance will find takers for it.—Michelle Lettus
Kirkus Reviews
2022-04-13
A prince and a rebel’s daughter must find a way to stop a dangerous storm from consuming their city.
Years ago, Vesper’s parents led a failed revolt against their city’s ruler, the Regia. Her Ma was lost to the unceasing Storm that surrounds them all; her Pa, a talented ikonomancer, became a fugitive, hiding with Vesper in the city’s fifth ring among the poor and the outcast. When Pa is captured by Prince Dalca, the current Regia’s son and the leader of the Wardana, the city’s guardians, 17-year-old Vesper vows to rescue him. She finds an ally in Izamal, a revolution-minded Wardana from the fifth ring who helps her gain access to the ikonamancers’ headquarters—and to Dalca—as an apprentice. Vesper’s proximity to Dalca allows her to see an unexpectedly vulnerable side to the prince, complicating her animosity toward him, and when she learns about the true natures of the Regia and the Storm, Vesper realizes that she and Dalca may actually share a common goal. The book’s setting—a city trapped within a storm, ruled by a powerful deity in human form—is intriguing, as are the descriptions of its magic system, ikonomancy, which utilizes symbols to activate spells. The story moves briskly from start to dramatic finish, driven by the characters’ urgency and desperation to save their families and their city from destruction. Characters are diverse in appearance.
A dark and emotionally charged fantasy. (Fantasy. 13-18)
