REBEL SKIES

Kitchen helper Kurara, who works in the floating castle Midori and has memories she can’t unlock, finds herself on a quest to restore her best friend’s body following a disaster.

In this Japanese-inspired fantasy, the sky-dwelling Sorabito people and the groundlings (who form the middle strata of society) live under the rule of the Emperor, whose throne is being fought over by Prince Ugetsu and Princess Tsukimi. The princess is obsessed with Crafters, those who can control shikigami, or sentient animal beings made of folded paper; some Crafters serve the imperial family. Kurara’s world is shattered when, shortly before the Midori is destroyed, a stranger named Himura tells her she’s a Crafter just like him. Following the crash, Haru, Kurara’s best friend, is revealed to be a rare human shikigami. Although most of Haru burns up, Himura saves his core, informing Kurara that if she impresses the princess, she’ll be able to access records available only to the royal family that will allow her to rebuild Haru’s body. Kurara trains with Himura aboard the Sorabito ship the Orihime. Working with her challenges Himura’s ingrained belief that shikigami exist merely to serve Crafters. Engrossing revelations are interspersed throughout this debut, which deftly toggles between multiple viewpoints, exploring Kurara’s position as she’s caught between a Sorabito rebellion, an assassination plot, and a predatory princess, all while trying to decipher her own fragmented memories.

A deliciously edgy plot and lingering mysteries will leave readers eager for the sequel.