• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2020 March #1
  The archipelago of Myriad was once ruled by fearsome sea monster–like gods, and their remains, dubbed godware, fuel a bustling salvage trade, legal and otherwise. Teenage Hark, an orphan and street kid, has no qualms about taking advantage of people's hunger for these divine scraps, selling them stories and fake godware whenever he can. In spite of this, Hark has always harbored a fascination for the old gods. When his bully of a best friend, Jelt, ropes him into a dangerous job with a smuggler's gang, it goes awry, landing Hark in indentured servitude to a slightly mad scientist, Dr. Vyne, at Sanctuary—a home for addled former priests. Hardinge (Skinful of Shadows, 2017) conjures an imaginative world shaped by monsters, corruptive faith, storytelling, fear, and friendship. She is unafraid to probe darkness, literal and figurative, as Hark confronts personal dilemmas and a toxic friendship, all while wrestling with the question of what to do when he comes into possession of the still-beating heart of a god. Chilling and provocative, this dark fantasy will appeal to thrill seekers and cerebral tweens. Grades 7-10. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.

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.