Nielsen is no stranger to stories featuring impulsive protagonists caught in a complicated fantasy adventure. In her newest novel, she mixes in a fatal plague, nefarious rulers, and a scapegoated minority, lending a modern feel to a somewhat medieval setting. Heroine Ani Mells, self-described as "not the type of girl who panicked over ordinary near-death experiences," is what is known as a "grub," one of the second-class River People. When she is caught one day by the country's wardens, she finds herself ordered to an island set aside for the Scourge victims. Though she's never felt ill, she is fingered as having the dreaded disease. Luckily, her best friend Weevil manages to tag along. They begin to piece together the secrets of the dreary Colony, where the sick are seemingly being worked to death, until they're secluded in an infirmary, never to be seen again. Constant action, with the underdogs earning the respect of the older Scourge victims, will keep readers engaged through numerous plot twists until a triumphant ending.

Ani and Weevil are the first River People to be captured and tested for the deadly Scourge. The intrepid youngsters unravel the corrupt machinations of the governor, uncover the disease's origins, and unite the kingdom--while overcoming the prejudice against River People. Nielsen's fans will recognize this appealing standalone book's recipe: equal parts adventure, mystery, and political intrigue, with a pinch of romance.

A baffling illness threatens a fantasy land.Ani's up in a tree picking a vinefruit when wardens capture her. She's done nothing wrong, but the wardens say that the red stain on her arm from the vinefruit juice is a symptom of the Scourge, a deadly, contagious, always-fatal disease. It's clearly a pretext: before they found her, Ani heard them mention their assignment to "come get" several people of Ani's ethnic group. The River People—forbidden from voting or owning property, not bathing "often enough"—are a stereotypical blend of Romany and indigenous peoples. The ruling townsfolk, on the other hand, have no specified ethnicity and seem white. The governor diagnoses Ani and her best friend, Weevil, with the Scourge and sends them to the Colony, a quarantined island from which nobody returns. (Colony wardens, oddly, seem immune to the Scourge.) Ani and Weevil play Colony rabble-rousers, resisting unfair treatment and working to untangle the governor's statement that "River People are the Scourge." Nielsen provides two major plot twists, and both are robust and horrifying in content; however, the method and pace of divulging them are meandering and vague, lacking punch. Characters are stock, and the prose sometimes overexplains, even stretching beyond Ani's first-person voice to reveal other characters' emotions.Predictable execution hampers what could have been an intriguing exploration of the mechanics of corruption. (Fantasy. 10-13)

Best friends Ani and Weevil are part of a loyal, hardworking community of River People living under the thumb of Governor Felling of Keldan, who denies them voting rights and infringes on their borders. Though they have little, Ani, an only child, and fatherless Weevil are devoted to each other. When Ani and Della, the well-heeled daughter of a prominent Keldan family, are taken to Attic Island after testing positive for the Scourge, a deadly and incurable plague, Weevil joins them. There, Ani finds herself in trouble as she tests the boundaries of the wardens- powers. As Ani mysteriously gets stronger while Della weakens, she and Weevil discover a band of dissidents who claim to be cured of the Scourge. The dissidents- belief that River People are -dirty- and -cowards- is overturned as they work with Ani and Weevil to uncover a conspiracy. Nielsen-s (A Night Divided) polished fantasy smoothly combines medieval elements with hints of mystery and romance. Though the plot is conventional, it delivers a significant message about how misinformation breeds intolerance. Ages 10-14. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Aug.)

Gr 5-8 Under orders from Governor Felling, wardens enter the River People's country to extract five grubs, a derogatory name given to its citizens. But the grub, Ani Mells, turns out to be a handful. When Ani is tested for the Scourge, a disease plaguing the people of Keldan, she gets quarantined on Attic Island with the other Colonists who test positive for the disease. The problem is, patients enter the island but never leave. Ani suspects there is more going on than meets the eye, and in order to survive, she must uncover the truth. The story quickly advances from there, with Ani embroiled in a fight for her life. The characters are well defined and memorable. Feisty Ani, a likable character who is thoughtful and strong, drives the story forward and keeps readers wanting to know more.