Daughter of the Burning City

Sorina is next in line to rule over Gomorrah, a traveling carnival city both vilified and exalted for its vices.  Born without eyes and possessing the power to create illusions so real they seem alive, Sorina and her freak-show family take little notice of the political maneuverings Gomorrah must navigate for survival.  However, the murder of one of her family forces Sorina to explore the darker side of Gomorrah and the darker side of herself.

This debut novel is as intriguing as it is twisted.  The illusions Sorina creates are unique, although one in particular - an old man covered in fingernails where there should be hair - turned my stomach enough that I actively skipped sections about him.  While the villain was predictable, the 'twist' was not, and while Sorina is often unlikable, petulant even, the supporting characters were worth the overdone teenage angst.

Read this book if you like your YA fiction just a little dark, a whole lot strange, and character driven.  4 out of 5.

384 pages