The Maid and the Crocodile

Beauty and the Beast meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this exquisitely crafted standalone romance set some time after the events of Ifueko’s Raybearer series. Orphaned 17-year-old Sade, who has vitiligo and walks with a cane, is a Curse-Eater—someone born with the rare ability to not only see the mysterious “spirit silt” that coats everything like “cotton lining their throats,” but also cleanse its lingering effects. When an offering to an enchanted gecko accidentally bonds her to the strikingly handsome Crocodile God, she attempts to heal him from the curse slowly transforming him into his namesake. Despite the Crocodile God’s informing her of their connected fates, Sade leaves to work as the official Curse-Eater at an inn located in one of the city’s affluent districts. But the more Sade uses her abilities, the greater the cost, forcing her to choose between the security that being employed offers and the threat of becoming once again unhoused. Via Sade’s first-person POV, Ifueko delivers a complex and nuanced exploration of intersections between disability, economic inequity, and abuse of power. Sade’s relationship with the Crocodile God presents a thoughtful examination of power and consent without sacrificing tenderness or chemistry. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kim-Mei Kirtland, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Aug.)