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Costa Book of the Year: This novel of science, magic, murder, and a determined Victorian-era teenager is a “heady concoction . . . absolutely unforgettable” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Faith Sunderly leads a double life. To most people, she is modest and well mannered—a proper young lady who knows her place. But inside, Faith is burning with questions and curiosity. She keeps sharp watch of her surroundings and, therefore, knows secrets no one suspects her of knowing—like the real reason her family fled to the close-knit island of Vane. And that her father’s death was no accident. In pursuit of revenge and justice for the father she idolizes, Faith hunts through his possessio...
Winner of the Branford Boase award, Fly By Night is the stunning YA fantasy novel from Frances Hardinge, author of the Costa Award winning The Lie Tree. As the realm struggles to maintain an uneasy peace after years of civil war and tyranny, a twelve-year-old orphan called Mosca Mye and her loyal companion, a cantankerous goose, are about to become the unlikely heroes of a radical revolution. Mosca is on the run, heading for the city of Mandelion. There she finds herself living by her wits among cut-throat highwaymen, spies and smugglers. With peril at every turn, Mosca uncovers a dark plot to terrorize the people of Mandelion, and soon merry mayhem leads to murder . . . Fly By Night has an unforgettable cast of characters and an inspiring message at its heart – sometimes the power of words can change the world. Fly By Night is followed by its thrilling sequel, Twilight Robbery. 'Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now' - Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls.
“Equal parts dazzling fantasy, swashbuckling adventure, and tender coming-of-age tale” from the author of the Costa Book of the Year, The Lie Tree (Publishers Weekly, starred review). The gods are dead. Fifty years ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. Now, even coin-sized scraps of dead god are worth a fortune because of the strange powers they’re said to possess. But few are brave enough to dive and search for them. When fifteen-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of one of these deities, he’ll risk everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, scientists, and cults who would kill for its power. Because Hark needs the heart if h...
“Full of rich language that is reminiscent of an old fairy tale. . . . [a] spine-chilling, creative work [and] a well-wrought fantasy.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Following a mysterious incident that leaves her feverish and sopping wet, Triss awakens to a world that’s eerily off-kilter. Her memories are muddled, her sister despises her, and when she brushes her hair, out come crumbled fragments of leaves. Is she going mad? Or has she endured a nightmarish chain of events? Is this related to the illnesses she’s had since her brother died in the Great War? And why is she so hungry? In her search for the truth, Triss ventures from the shelter of her parents’ protective...
Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2017. 'A Skinful of Shadows confirms Hardinge's status as one of our finest storytellers. It's rare to find a book which is every bit as intelligent and stylish as it is riveting - I was enthralled' - Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent. Frances Hardinge weaves a dark, otherworldly tale in A Skinful of Shadows, her first book since the Costa Award-winning The Lie Tree. When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding. Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment. And now there's a ghost inside her. The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, but it may be her only defence in a time of dark suspicion and fear. As the English Civil War erupts, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession – or death.
Twilight Robbery is the extraordinary sequel to the award-winning Fly By Night by Costa winner Frances Hardinge. The city at night is a dangerous place . . . Mosca Mye and Eponymous Clent are in trouble again. Escaping disaster by the skin of their teeth, they find refuge in Toll, the strange gateway town where visitors may neither enter nor leave without paying a price. By day, the city is well-mannered and orderly; by night, it's the haunt of rogues and villains. Wherever there's a plot, there's sure to be treachery, and wherever there's treachery, there's sure to be trouble – and where there's trouble, Clent, Mosca and the web-footed apocalypse Saracen the goose can't be far behind. But as past deeds catch up with them and old enemies appear, it looks as if this time there's no way out . . . 'Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now' - Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls.
For fans of Natalie Haynes, Kiran Millwood-Hargrave and Neil Gaiman comes Frances Hardinge’s spectacular new novel Unraveller. Called her ‘best yet’ by the Guardian, and ‘sheer perfection’ and ‘a masterpiece’ by reviewers, Hardinge expertly weaves together mythology and mystery in a meticulously-detailed world besieged by curses. If you must travel to the country of Raddith, then be prepared. Bring a mosquito net for the lowlands, and a warm coat for the hills or mountains. If you mean to visit the misty marsh-woods known as the Wilds, you will need stout, waterproof boots. (You will also needs wits, courage and luck, but some things cannot be packed.) You have of course heard ...
On Gullstruck Island the volcanoes quarrel, beetles sing danger and occasionally a Lost is born... In the village of the Hollow Beasts live two sisters. Arilou is a Lost - a child with the power to depart her body and mind-fly with the winds - and Hathin is her helper. Together they hide a dangerous secret. Until sinister events threaten to uncover it. With a blue-skinned hunter on their trail and a dreadlocked warrior beside them, they must escape. Can the fate of two children decide the future of Gullstruck Island? Discover a dazzling world, a breathtaking heroine... and an incredible adventure!
In the tradition of truly fantastic storytelling, Verdigris Deep is a darkly witty, utterly creepy and clever novel by Frances Hardinge, author of The Lie Tree. Verdigris n. a blue-green rust that tarnishes ageing and forgotten copper coins, altering them entirely . . . One evening, Ryan and his friends steal some coins from a well. Soon after, strange things begin to happen. Peculiar marks burn on Ryan's knuckles and light bulbs mysteriously explode. Then the well witch appears, with her fountains for eyes and gargled demands. From now on the children must serve her – and the wishes rotting at the bottom of her well. 'Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now' - Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls.
An amnesiac girl explores an enchanting underground world filled with sinister secrets in this YA fantasy from the award-winning author of The Lie Tree. In the underground city of Caverna, the world’s most skilled craftspeople toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare—wines that remove memories, cheeses that make you hallucinate, and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as he slits your throat. On the surface, the people of Caverna seem ordinary, except for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to express (or fake) joy, despair, or fear—at a steep price. Into t...