This book is fantasy fiction. We believe it contains valuable lessons and themes but it may not be as explicitly Christian as the rest of our range. We recommend parents familiarise themselves with the fantasy books their children read and discuss the stories and themes with them.
Ages 12+
Venice is a carnival of opposites, and Liona Carvatti thinks she understands it all: canal and palace, magician and merchant, plague and pantomime. As a patrician’s daughter, Liona enjoys the sparkling life of a noble family—although she would prefer to be tending to her flowers than practicing violin or standing around in a ball gown. But what Liona fails to realize is that Venice is a city of stone in a world of water. And ruling the dark waters are the Seleni—ageless, cold, and calculating.
When she loses everything she relies on, Liona must set a new course that will shake the foundations of Venice itself.
“Under different circumstances, I would have enjoyed seeing Venice in disguise. I have never had so much freedom; as a patrician’s daughter I was not often allowed out of my house, and never alone.
"Today, I am anonymous and nearly invisible as I wander for hours through the streets of the Castello district. I admire the gauzy shimmer of the spells that support the wooden pilings beneath our buildings and fortify our wooden bridges until they can be rebuilt with Istrian stone. Children point at the street magician’s stalls, begging for the smoke animals and spinning balls of light. These vendors are not members of the magicians’ guild; their spells are crude and rudimentary, but they can make easy money entertaining children and reading the fortunes of superstitious adults.
"My hand goes instinctively to the mark on my wrist, and I tug at my shirtsleeve to ensure that it’s hidden."
406 pages.
Sinking City, The is in the following collections:
