Into the Midnight Void

November 15, 2021
After Emanuela and Verene escape from their underground cell, they form a grudging alliance in order to control six of the eight ring cities. Occhia and Iris, their respective homes, are forfeit: There is no one left in Occhia since Emanuela lost control of her magic and slaughtered the population, and the citizens of Iris have lost their faith in Verene. The girls don't speak of the past, avoiding in particular any mention of Theo, Verene's twin brother who trapped them underground, and Alessandro, Emanuela's best friend, whom she abandoned in the catacombs. When Emanuela kills the last of the watercreas--the old rulers of the cities--she inadvertently triggers the destruction of her world. The veil surrounding the cities descends and consumes everything, but then Emanuela wakes up in a previously hidden ninth city that serves as the afterlife. She and Verene are whisked away by the murdered watercreas, who task them with capturing the ninth city's ruler, a powerful and insatiable magic user. Emanuela's conviction that she is a savior figure despite so much evidence to the contrary adds to the already heightened tension in a novel filled with secrets, betrayals, and disasters. Her attraction to Verene, hinted at in Beyond the Ruby Veil (2020), is undeniable here despite Emanuela's best efforts to hide it, and Verene's eventual reciprocation offers brief moments of sweetness. Characters follow a White default; Verene has brown skin. Dark, spectacular, and tragic. (Fantasy. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 11, 2022

Gr 9 Up-After falling as far as she possibly could in the first book, Emanuela now rules over six cities, separated by the mysterious Ruby Veil. Her d�tente with Verene and the fake rebellion she foments in the city keep Emanuela in power and their enmity wavering. What her nemesis doesn't know is Emanuela can't control her magic; so when the Ruby Veil finally falls, it's all her fault. Forced on a quest with her enemies, Emanuela must navigate the city of the dead and try to put things right, only to come face-to-face with the best friend she failed. Fast-paced and just as violent as the first novel, Emanuela is is forced to face consequences of her quest for world domination. Each of the characters has a hard-won arc in this duology, as they grapple with self-worth, power, love, and memory. Fitzgerald's writing is sharp and multifaceted, but the greatest strength is the depth given to her characters: teenagers are allowed to be angry and ambitious, as well as impulsive. Some plot elements get handed to the characters, making the adventure the weakest link in the book. Its tackling of the limits of love, the depth of friendship, and the queer romance elements will satisfy most readers who have embarked on this wild ride. Verene has brown skin, and everyone else reads as white. VERDICT World dominating chaos lesbians are forced into a quest that naturally involves more murder. Gruesome and unforgivable, these characters appeal to a specific niche, but those readers will enjoy themselves.-Emmy Neal

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.