City of Islands

In the newest fantasy realm from Wallace (The Memory of Trees), female empowerment and inclusion are a natural part of life. Twelve-year-old orphan Mara has longed to become a mage. After a string of tragedies, she is forced to dive for the Lady of Tides, an influential mage, looking for magical treasures belonging to the founders, long-vanished, underwater-dwelling creatures who were responsible for the creation of the City of Islands. Mara’s luck takes a turn for the better after she discovers the bones of hybrid creatures, which the Founders were known to have created. But what she had hoped would be her ticket to becoming a mage actually sends her on a treacherous journey in which she tries to break into a nigh-impenetrable fortress and discovers a plot that could threaten the city’s continued existence. Mara’s emotional reactions are at times curiously underwhelming, particularly her discoveries of a profound betrayal and her own magical abilities. However, Wallace’s world offers dreamlike imagery, a fresh concept, and a haunting atmosphere. Ages 8–up. [em]Agent: Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Foundry Literary + Media. (July) [/em]