Beyond the Ruby Veil

Starred review from September 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-Emanuela Ragno is determined to save Occhia, no matter how much blood she must wade through to do it. Unapologetically ambitious, she's the perfect match for her best friend Alessandro, heir to the richest and most powerful family in the city. Surrounded by a red veil of magic, Occhia is ruled by the "watercrea: " the mysterious immortal who turns blood into the city's only source of water-blood she gets from citizens who have "omens" appear on their skin, marks which spread rapidly before the person dies. When the watercrea arrests Emanuela at her wedding for an omen she kept secret, Emanuela is not a willing sacrifice. She kills the watercrea and in her escape discovers the truth beyond the ruby veil. Fitzgerald has crafted a violent world with dynamic heroes, her writing anchored in clever dialogue and thrilling action sequences. Emanuela and Alessandro are both gay, Emanuela's acerbic wit and ambition a foil for Ale's soft, romantic nature as they find potential love interests in the villains they face off against. Characters use self-harm as a way to access magic, which may be worth mentioning during reader's advisory. With vibrant world-building and engaging characters, Fitzgerald's dark fantasy debut is perfect for fans of Holly Black's The Cruel Prince and Emily A. Duncan's Wicked Saints. Ale is white and Emanuela's skin color isn't overtly stated. VERDICT A must-purchase for YA collections. Readers will be caught up throughout Emanuela's ascent into power as she attempts to save Occhia-whether it wants to be or not.-Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., IL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2020
A ruthless young noblewoman seeks greatness by rescuing her city from drought. In the veiled city of Occhia, anyone with an omen--a red mark that appears on the body--must surrender themselves to the ancient watercrea, who takes and transforms their blood into Occhia's carefully rationed water. Seventeen-year-old Emanuela Ragno is imprisoned in the watercrea's tower on her wedding day after her omen is revealed at the ceremony, but she escapes and kills the watercrea, unaware that Occhia's underground well is almost empty. Without the watercrea, the city is doomed. When the hunt for Emanuela commences, she flees into Occhia's catacombs with Alessandro, her meek and bookish fiance. The two emerge in an unfamiliar city where a mysterious young woman called the Heart provides the citizens with abundant--and bloodless--access to water. Emanuela is intrigued: If she discovers the source of the woman's magic, she can return to Occhia as its savior. Cunning and ambitious, Emanuela pushes the narrative forward with confidence in her own judgment and ability, paying no heed to Ale's words of caution. Her eagerness to gain power, paired with a sense of self-righteousness, propels her toward a path of violence and revenge. Flashbacks offer further insight into the characters. Emanuela and Ale express same-sex attraction and have a platonic relationship. Characters are White by default. A fast-paced debut that reaches spectacularly bloody heights, with an ending that teases a sequel. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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September 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 Emanuela's carefully planned life is dashed to pieces when her wedding is interrupted by the watercrea, the mystical woman who eventually collects every Occhian citizen for the water their blood can contribute to the drought-plagued city. But rather than go peaceably to her death, Emanuela fights back and flees her home with Alessandro (aka Ale, her best friend and ex-fianc�). They hide in the catacombs, only to find themselves in a city that mirrors their own, but without their catastrophic lack of water. The secrets they learn there ignite Emanuela's relentless determination to win back her city's water at any cost. Fitzgerald populates her story with fierce women who rule cities and seek glory; the protagonists' characterizations are narrow enough, however, that it is difficult to root for the intended heroine or her female counterpart in the mirror city, and the same thing goes for their male sidekicks. There is hope for the future, though, since Fitzgerald hints at a romantic attraction between the women that may help add intrigue to the planned sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)