THE DARK BECOMES HER

When dark forces meddle with her family, a teen discovers a world of gods and demons in Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Sixteen-year-old Taiwanese Canadian Ruby Chen doesn’t make waves. As the eldest daughter of immigrants, she does her best to fulfill her parents’ expectations of academic perfection and dutiful obedience. She even stifles her own passion for classical piano just to maintain harmony in her family. But when a malevolent spirit suddenly attacks Ruby and her sister, Tina, on their walk home one day, her life is shaken up. Ruby has always been able to see creatures lurking in the shadows, and she initially tries to move on from the incident. But when Tina starts acting unnervingly differently, Ruby knows she can’t just stand by. Desperate for help, she approaches Shen and Delia, two Taiwanese Canadian teens who can also see spirits and who came to her assistance on the day of the attack. Through them, she learns of an ancient conflict that involves a wandering temple that preys on people’s deepest desires and the guardians who work to keep evil at bay. Can the teens act in time to banish the dark forces from their community and save Ruby’s sister as well? Though the bulk of the book is character-driven, centering on Ruby’s introspection, the blood-curdling horror sequences are riveting, and Ruby’s search for herself amid familial and societal expectations is equally compelling.

A captivating blend of horror and traditional folklore.