A stirring tale of hidden gifts, divided loyalties, and deeper truths.
A young aristocrat’s double life becomes increasingly difficult to maintain in Exley’s expansive fantasy. Juliet of the House of Apelles possesses a secret talent for disappearing, an ability that has long allowed her to escape the expectations surrounding her. But secrecy becomes harder after formidable Sentinel Antonius enters her life and the celebrated gladiator Noa draws her attention toward the feared Atmos. With family pressures mounting and loyalties becoming tangled, Juliet must decide how much of herself she is willing to reveal.
Juliet’s ability to vanish proves a fitting gift for a woman accustomed to moving beyond the boundaries set for her. Exley gets considerable mileage from the irony, especially when Juliet discovers that some consequences cannot be escaped. Antonius unsettles her emotional defenses, Marcellus remains a steadying influence, and Noa’s formidable presence hints at a world beyond Juliet’s sheltered experience. The accumulating secrets give the narrative its tension. Though deliberately paced, the novel rewards attention with layered relationships, social friction, and searching questions about what ultimately gives life meaning.
A heady, thought-provoking fantasy with plenty to chew on.
***
Pub date December 11, 2023
ISBN 978-1954448124
Print length 352 pages
Price $11.99 Paperback, $6.50 Kindle edition
