The Darkening

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What to expect

A fierce revolutionary. A desperate prince. Together they will face the Storm, or be swept away . . .

In this thrilling and epic YA fantasy debut the only hope for a city trapped in the eye of a cursed storm lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a prince terrified of his throne.

Prince Dalca was born for one purpose: to protect his home from the Storm, a deadly force that surrounds his city and curses everyone it touches. Vesper Vale is the daughter of failed revolutionaries. Since the Queen sentenced her mother to death by the Storm, she and her father have been on the run.

So when the queen's soldiers - led by Prince Dalca - catch up to Vesper's father, she will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing her mother's cruel fate.

Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, and that her home is in dire peril, she has little choice: trust the devious prince with her family's secrets, or follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm . . .

'Wild and thrilling' Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth

'Enchanting and wildly clever' Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Critics Review

A world that will ensnare you from the first page. The Darkening is at once a grand epic and an intimate adventure, following a brave band of heroes fighting their innermost curses
Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
A thrilling, fast-paced adventure by an exciting new voice. Mara has crafted a brutal, richly-woven world balanced by the most lush and beautiful prose. The Darkening is a wild and thrilling ride, with twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and an ending that'll have you begging for the sequel
Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth
An enchanting and wildly clever debut, Mara's The Darkening delivers on every promise. From its storm-tossed world, to its lyrical prose, to its propulsive, electrifying plot, readers will find themselves utterly ensnared by this book - it is a true masterclass in young adult fantasy
Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of Beasts of Prey
Sunya Mara's gripping debut is a delight: fast-paced, wildly creative and captivating. The world of The Darkening is wonderfully atmospheric - a ringed city ravaged by an endless cursed storm. It's the perfect backdrop for a brilliantly twisting plot that links the daughter of failed revolutionaries with a prince of the royal family they tried to overthrow. The Darkening is the best kind of read: a rollercoaster of adventure and romance.
Vanessa Len, author of Only a Monster
Okay, so picture the storm in Fortnite, only it's a YA Fantasy novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but was left wanting more detail about ikonomancy, the Great King and the world
Book(ish) Magazine
Fresh and viciously clever, Mara's debut offers a world brimming with fury, characters you'd follow into any storm, and twists that'll keep you guessing to the very last page - where you'll promptly demand the sequel
Kate Dylan, author of Mindwalker
The Darkening is a thrilling adventure that will draw readers in like the enchanted storm threatening Vesper's world
Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace
The plot is thrilling and emotionally charged
Culturefly

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