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Life is precious and precarious on the islands of Belene. Besieged on all sides by a capricious ocean full of malicious spirits, the people of the islands find joy where they can. Mayara, one of the island's fearless oyster divers, believes she's found her joy: she's marrying the love of her life, the artist Kelo. But on the day of her wedding, a spirit-driven storm hits her island, and to save her loved ones, she must reveal her deepest secret: Mayara has the power to control the spirits. When the storm ends, the queen's soldiers come for her. She's taken, along with other women who have revealed their power, to an island filled with bloodthirsty nature spirits, and left without food, water, shelter, or any tools except their own wits. Whoever survives the Island of Testing will be declared heirs to the queen. But win or lose, the life Mayara wanted is gone.
About the author
Sarah Beth Durst is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Spellshop, as well as over twenty-five fantasy books for adults, teens, and kids, including the Queens of Renthia series, Drink Slay Love, and Spark. She has won an American Library Association Alex Award and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for the Andre Norton Nebula Award three times. She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.
Summary
The natural magic of the classic The Island of the Blue Dolphins meets the danger and courage of The Hunger Games in this dazzling, intricate stand-alone fantasy novel set in award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst’s beloved world of Renthia.
Life is precious and precarious on the islands of Belene. Besieged by a capricious ocean full of malicious spirits, the people of the islands seek joy where they can. Mayara, one of the island’s fearless oyster divers, has found happiness in love. But on the day of her wedding to the artist Kelo, a spirit-driven storm hits the island with deadly force.
To save her loved ones, Mayara reveals a dangerous secret: she has the power to control the spirits. When the storm ends, she is taken into custody by the queen’s soldiers and imprisoned with other women like her.
They vary in age and social status, but to many they are heroes who will aid the country or witches that will sacrifice themselves trying. No matter who they are, the women are sent to a terrifying place—an island filled with bloodthirsty nature spirits, and left without food, water, shelter, or any tools except their own instincts and magic. Whoever survives the Island of Testing will be declared heirs to the queen. But no matter if she wins or loses, Mayara knows that the life she dreamed of is gone.
Additional text
“This intriguing dive into the powers that attempt to control Renthia yields an action-packed fantasy.”
