Copyright Date:
2015
Edition Date:
2015
Release Date:
09/08/15
Pages:
274 pages
ISBN:
1-942664-33-8
ISBN 13:
978-1-942664-33-8
Dewey:
Fic
Dimensions:
22 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
School Library Journal Starred Review
(Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)
Gr 9 Up-Skybright never knew her parents. She was raised by an affluent Chinese family who took her into their home to be a handmaid to their daughter, Zhen Ni. The two grew up as close as sisters, best friends and confidants who shared everything. Skybright loves her mistress, but as both girls grow up, changes start to occur. While Zhen Ni finds love in a new friendship, Skybright discovers a new side of herself, one filled with darkness. She fights to balance her duties, the love she has for another, and this evil within herself. Skybright struggles to maintain her true self, as well as to hide what she is becoming from her closest friend. The teen doesn't know who she is anymore. Is she a servant, a friend, a lover, or a demon? Could she be all of these things, or must she choose one? This coming-of-age story takes readers on a fantastical journey through friendship and Chinese mythology. YA fans will love Pon's storytelling ability and the immersion into a world filled with love, danger, and fantasy. VERDICT Readers will be begging for a sequel to find out what happens to these intriguing characters.— Jessica Strefling, US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Library
Word Count:
68,879
Reading Level:
6.1
Interest Level:
4-7
Accelerated Reader:
reading level: 6.1
/ points: 11.0
/ quiz: 175863
/ grade: Upper Grades
Reading Counts!:
reading level:5.6 /
points:17.0 /
quiz:Q66753
Lexile:
870L
Inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology, this sweeping fantasy is set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns 16, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell. When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self - even as she falls in love for the first time.