Mystic City

September 3, 2012
Several generations into climate change, parts of Manhattan are 30 feet underwater, and class divisions are progressing rapidly down the path H.G. Wells envisioned. The air-conditioned heights of the Aeries are havens of thuggish privilege, while in the swampy Depths are the poor and the mystics, a strictly controlled class of magicians whose powers are drained to keep them in check. Aria Rose is the only daughter of a city powerbroker and has lost weeks of her memory to a recreational drug overdose. In that lost time, she had a whirlwind romance with the scion of a rival family—or so her parents tell her. A dynastic marriage has been arranged in the name of “true love.” But if Aria was so in love with Thomas Foster, why is she obsessed with a rogue mystic who haunts her movements and her dreams? Debut author Lawrence’s writing is assured, though pacing and characterization take second place to the milieu. Aria is surrounded by gorgeous yet bland secondary characters, and it takes a while to warm up to her predicament. Ages 12–up. Agents: Michael Stearns and Ted Malawer, the Inkhouse.

January 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Aria Rose, the daughter of one of the two ruling families of New York City, has huge gaps in her memory. She's told that she is madly in love with Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies, the other ruling family of NYC, and that they will marry in a month-but she can't remember anything about him. Instead, she feels drawn to Hunter, a rebel mystic. In Lawrence's dystopian sci-fi tale (Delacorte, 2012), mystics have magical powers but have second-class status and are confined to the Depths, the area of what used to be Central Park. They are feared and drained of their mystic energy twice a year by the government. As the wedding date comes closer, Aria begins to wonder if everyone is lying to her. Is there anyone she can trust? Capably narrated by Celeste Ciulla, this debut novel draws listeners in with its intriguing premise. The setting of a New York City overcome by global warming, searing temperatures, and flooded streets is fascinating. There's lots of action, mixed with a touch of Romeo and Juliet. Give this to fans of Ally Condie's Matched (Dutton, 2010) or Legend (Putnam, 2011) by Marie Lu. A sequel is forthcoming.-Julie Paladino, East Chapel Hill High School, NC

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