Amber & Dusk

Gr 6 Up—Abandoned as a baby on the steps of the Temple, Sylvie was raised by the Sisters of the Scion. Sylvie has always longed for more than could ever be had in the Dusklands—the land of twilight just mere miles away from the mystery and the perpetual darkness of Dominion. And she knows she is destined for more, because she has a magical gift—one that allows her to create illusions from thin air. Escaping the Sisters' cloister and traveling to the Amber City where the sun never sets, Slyvie hopes that she has finally found a place to belong. But though the empress Severine gives her the new name of Mirage and allows her into the palais of Coeur d'Or, it is as part of a cruel wager that pits the aristocratic dynasties of Dexter and Sinister against one another. As Mirage works to control her legacy, understand the machinations and intrigues of the court, and find her place in the palais, she begins to learn that the lines between good and evil aren't so clearly defined and that the Amber City is not the home she imagined. The author gives enough details about the characters so readers can fill the gaps, and there are enough surprises as to players' motivations to keep the narrative engaging. The setting of a land with a static sun is attention-grabbing. On the whole, this is a satisfying read.