THE LOSS OF THE BURYING GROUND

Two girls from enemy countries find themselves inextricably linked after a shipwreck.

When Cora, the daughter of a journalist from Dura, wakes up on a deserted island after surviving a shipwreck, she thinks she’s alone until she finds her way to Vivienne, another survivor, who was lady’s maid to the drowned princess of Ariminthia. The ship they were on, the Burying Ground, was intended to be the neutral location for the signing of a peace treaty between the two long-warring nations. But the ship went down before the treaty could be finalized, and Cora and Vivienne find themselves at the mercy of the elements and at risk from pirates; they’re forced to form an uneasy partnership to stay alive while grieving the losses of those they knew on board. When they’re unexpectedly rescued by an Ariminthian ship, the situation quickly becomes complicated and dangerous, with Cora being accused of war crimes. The girls must wade through the propaganda they’ve each been exposed to their entire lives, trying to learn the truth. Told in alternating first-person perspectives, the story moves quickly and paints a convincing portrait of the lives of ordinary citizens caught up in the political games of their governments. While the worldbuilding can be difficult to follow at first, it ultimately finds its footing, allowing Vivienne and Cora to take center stage. The characters have minimal physical descriptions and are racially ambiguous.

An intriguing fantastical take on contemporary political themes.