Since being forced to be an acolyte for the rune scholars on Eratia seven years ago, all Karis has wanted to do is escape to find her brother, Matthias. She gets the chance when she awakens Alix, an automaton unlike any other on the island; he is human-sized instead of giant, he's gentle, and st stunning of all is alive and sentient. Asleep for two centuries, Alix doesn't remember why he was created, but the Scriptmasters want to harness his magic. With Karis' friend Dane, Alix and Karis flee Eratia to find Matthias and uncover Alix's purpose. Victoria's dual point-of-view fantasy debut is rich with empathy and self-discovery, leading readers from Karis' quiet thoughts to Alix's actions, which, despite his being an automaton, are irrefutably human. It's rare to find a YA novel without some kind of romance component, but asexual Karis' journey is engrossing enough to drive the story forward. Though with automatons, rune magic, and even pirates at its helm, this standalone suffers from a lack of concentration, its redemption lies in the observations about the human condition and independence underscoring the plot.

Karis and Alix join forces to flee the authoritarian Scriptorium.Unwilling acolyte Karis discovers Alix, a working automaton, the last of his kind left after Scriptmaster Theodis betrayed the Scriptorium over 200 years ago by initiating the Great Lapse that brought an end to the Scriptorium's supremacy. Chafing under the control of the Scriptorium, Karis makes a deal with Alix: They will escape together and Karis will find her missing brother, Matthias, who was sent away years ago for trying to protect her. There's only one snag-Theodis created Alix, but Alix remembers nothing of the master's betrayal. The narrative examines what it is like to have your personhood denied, both through the perspective of Alix as an automaton and through those of the slaves of the Scriptorium. Bonds of friendship are tested again and again, and questions of betrayal and emotional distance are asked. The pacing remains tightly controlled, staying mostly steady with quick bursts of action and labyrinthine plot twists. Victoria creates an engaging narrative with enough fantasy and science fiction elements to satisfy fans of both genres. Karis is an aromantic asexual, and her relationship with Alix remains strictly platonic. The main cast is left racially ambiguous, and the world contains diversity in race, sexuality, and gender; Matthias has a visual impairment.A colorful fantasy with ancient Greek influences that is a delight to read. (map) (Fantasy. 13-17)

Orphaned Karis has spent seven years as a servant to the Scriptorium, a caste of scribes who rule the island nation of Eratia. Though she is supposed to be ignorant of Scriptwork, the system of rune magic that animates the land, she has been secretly teaching herself-a dangerous task, particularly since her older brother was taken away for getting on the wrong side of the Scriptorium. For centuries, the scribes- primary aim has been to discover the lost secret of automaton magic in order to control Eratia-s ancient robotic army. When Karis discovers an automaton hidden in a cave, she accidentally wakes it. Alix, the automaton, displays both emotion and intelligence, shattering Karis-s preconceptions, and the two delve into the mystery of his origins, a journey that leads them to discover rot at the heart of the Scriptorium itself. Victoria weaves a range of sexualities into her debut, including an asexual, aromantic protagonist and a gay couple. Left vague, some elements of worldbuilding lend confusion; nevertheless, this fast-paced standalone novel features intriguing concepts and a thoughtful exploration of what qualifies one to be -alive- and -human.- Ages 12-up. Agent: Rebecca Strauss, DeFiore and Company Literary Management. (Feb.)