The Theft of Sunlight

December 18, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Though she never really wanted to leave Sheltershorn, her small quiet town far from the hustle and bustle of the city, Rae is the only one who has a hope of finding her best friend's sister Seri, the latest victim of kidnappers. When she arrives in the city, Rae is dismayed to see the discrepancies between the way the very wealthy and powerful live and the squalor of the lower classes' homes and streets. Even worse, those who are in power seem to have no regard for the children who continue to go missing. When Rae is invited to become an attendant to the princess, she almost immediately becomes embroiled in the plots and machinations of palace life, putting her in more danger than she ever expected to face. An unresolved ending will give readers hope that there are more sequels to come in this fascinating series. The only weakness in this novel is how quickly a girl from a family of horse breeders in a small village is accepted into the inner circle of the royal family. Most characters have brown skin. VERDICT Political intrigue, child slavery, societal inequities, and physical infirmities are all explored in this quick-paced read by the author of Thorn.-Jane Henriksen Baird, formerly at Anchorage P.L., AK

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2021
From the magical world of Thorn (2020) comes a tale of political corruption and human trafficking. Eighteen-year-old Amraeya--Rae to intimates--lives in the small village of Sheltershorn on her family's horse farm. Born with a clubfoot and seen as a "cripple" in a society where disability is stigmatized, little is expected of whip-smart Rae, though she is a fierce protector of her family and friends, particularly her sister Niya, whose hidden magical talent makes her a recruitment target of the kingdom's Circle of Mages. When her best friend's younger sister is abducted by snatchers who steal away young children, Rae is at a loss of how to help. An opportunity arrives to visit family at court, and Rae takes it, knowing that she may be able to glean more information about the snatchers. Fortuitously, Rae becomes an attendant to Princess Alyrra, but the secrets they uncover are infinitely more dangerous, revealing sinister conspiracies that could completely destabilize the kingdom. Rae, who has internalized shame over being disabled and not conventionally beautiful, undergoes a journey of coming to appreciate her physical self. Khanani returns to Menaiya to expand the first volume's worldbuilding while maintaining a depth of political and magical intrigue, developing heart-wrenchingly emotional characters, and adding hints of romance. Menaiyans have black hair and brown skin; cultural references suggest similarities to South Asian cultures and Muslim-inspired practices. A beautifully written, fantastical page-turner. (Fantasy. 13-18)

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