Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

No one can know that Jetta's necromantic power animates her family's renowned shadow-puppet shows. When she and her parents must flee--amid a rebellion--they make an unlikely ally in Leo, a young man with his own secrets. A heroine whose supernatural ability and bipolar disorder are both significant, but not defining, characteristics; a vivid world inspired by nineteenth-century South Asia; and an epistolary structure make for a particularly compelling fantasy-romance.

Kirkus Reviews

Sixteen-year-old shadow puppeteer Jetta Chantray performs with her family's traveling troupe, the Ros Nai. The dark-skinned, dark-haired Chakrans have been colonized by the pale, blond Aquitans who prize their sugar and sapphires, and their shadow theater too. But Jetta has a secret—instead of sticks and strings, she binds souls with blood magic and tucks them inside her puppets. Jetta is desperate to impress the Aquitan general and win passage to Aquitan, where she hopes to find a cure for her mental illness. When the Ros Nai collides with Chakran guerrillas, Jetta and her family are plunged into the chaos of the rebellion. Thus begins an action-packed journey that takes readers from a sultry cabaret to a subterranean tunnel, tropical jungle, putrid midden, shining city, and stone prison. Jetta discovers the dark side of her gift, long-held family secrets, and truths about the horrors and lies of war. There's a somewhat thin romance with a mixed-race smuggler, and the plot occasionally gets tangled in the weeds of imagery. But readers will be rewarded with vividly drawn settings reminiscent of Hawaii and Southeast Asia, exciting action scenes, and a complex protagonist who contends not only with her malheur, but also ambition, anger, and family loyalty. Ephemera, including telegrams, letters, and scenes from plays, enhance the story.A brooding fantasy with a diverse cast, rarely-seen setting, and compelling heroine who struggles with bipolar disorder. (author's note) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

A lush land reminiscent of South Asia is the setting for a thrilling trilogy opener by Heilig (The Girl from Everywhere). Sixteen-year-old Jetta, part of a family troupe of shadow performers, can bind departed souls to intricate shadow puppets with her blood, but such magic has been forbidden by the Aquitans ever since they conquered Chakrana. Her family seeks an audience with the king of Aquitan, hoping to gain access to its healing spring waters for Jetta-s -ups and downs,- and to find a place to weave their magic. Following a rebellion, daunting trials-such as the unforgiving jungle and a haunted underground passage-stand between Jetta and Aquitan. Jetta has her parents and her magic on her side, but there are those that would do anything to harness her power, and the specter of war looms. Telegrams, letters, and play scenes sprinkled throughout create a strong sense of place, and Jetta-s struggle to accept herself is relatable. Heilig uses intricate prose to animate nuanced characters and action-packed scenes in this immersive, epic fantasy. Ages 13-up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, the Bent Agency. (Sept.)