Daughter of the Burning City

Gr 10 Up—Sorina is the 16-year-old adopted daughter of the Proprietor of Gomorrah, a traveling city/circus loosely based on the biblical city of the same name. Many inhabitants of Gomorrah are able to perform magical tasks. In addition to being able to see despite being born without eyes, Sorina also has the rare ability to create illusions. Her most elaborate illusions are a group of people she calls her family, who all have unusual characteristics and fill special roles in her life. When these created members of her family are murdered at each new city they visit, Sorina wonders about the nature of her talents and whom she can trust. Amid her own investigations and mounting pressure from her father to get involved with political machinations that could end in a war between the Northern and Southern cities, Sorina must question everything about herself and her way of life to get to the truth. The richly drawn backdrop and imaginative fantasy world allow the author to thoughtfully explore complex issues such as what makes someone real and how we should treat people who are different. The illustrations add an interesting element to the unfolding mystery. However, the cookie-cutter dialogue and predictable romance keep the otherwise compelling story from being truly great.