Cloudbound

August 1, 2016
In the turbulent sequel to her much-lauded debut, Updraft, Wilde returns to the city of living bone with a less satisfying story. The communities of the Towers are in chaos, and the enormous bone Spire at the center of the city is dying. Nat is a young councillor wading into the political quagmire and struggling to do what is right, even when the choices aren’t clear. When he springs a trap set for his friend Kirit, he discovers a deadly conspiracy that calls into question nearly everything and everyone he thought he could trust. As Nat assembles his band of marginalized and outcast fliers to save the city, they learn mysteries long lost and do battle against the black-winged guards employed by the corrupt city leaders. Though some of the secondary cast and their motivations are flat and unrealized, the mystery and imaginative worldbuilding are enough to keep fans of the first book reading on. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary.

Starred review from August 1, 2016

After the City's ruling Singers were thrown out of power at the end of Wilde's award-winning debut, Updraft, the Towers are still reeling from the sudden power vacuum. Kirit is one of the few Singers not captured or dead, thanks to her efforts to expose the secrets of the Spire. Her best friend Nat is now a junior councilor for the Densira Tower, owing to powerful councilor Doran Grigrit's mentorship. The two are flying around the broken Spire looking for remnants of the codex that the Singers had guarded when they uncover a dark conspiracy that threatens the entire City. Having the narrative weight carried by Nat rather than Kirit in this outing is a risk, as Nat's character is not as intrinsically exciting. Still, Wilde illustrates his struggles between doing what's right and the path to power that he seeks to travel. VERDICT What makes this a must-read are the further explorations of Wilde's City of Towers and the residents who soar the skies between them. Those who have always wondered what was beneath the clouds will finally get their answer.--MM

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