The Byways: A Novel

by Mary Pascual

Overview

Neurodivergent high school student CeeCee Harper has a temper and a reputation for trouble. Angry at the rumors and afraid she’ll never fit in, she makes a wrong move—and lands in the byways, a world of alleys, magic, and forgotten people . . . some that aren’t even human. And if she doesn’t escape quickly, CeeCee learns, she’ll be trapped for good.

Searching for a way out, she gets lost among monsters, drug pushers, the homeless, and political upheaval, and soon finds there are those who will stop at nothing to keep her from leaving. But the byways pull people in for a reason. CeeCee must figure out why she got stuck in the first place—before her loved ones are put in danger and she loses them forever.

A dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland meets Howl’s Moving Castle, this contemporary fantasy will enchant Diana Wynne Jones and Christina Henry fans.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684631902
Publisher:	SparkPress
Publication date:	06/06/2023
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	15 - 18 Years

About the Author

Mary Pascual is a writer and artist who believes finding magic is only a matter of perspective. She loves stories about characters with heart and fantastical settings that are more than meets the eye. She grew up in California and enjoys reading, art, traveling, exploring outside, and building elaborate stage sets for Halloween. Writing has taken her on a number of unexpected adventures, including working in high tech, meeting psychics, interviewing rock bands, and even once attending a press conference for Bigfoot. She got hooked on reading adult science fiction and fantasy in the fifth grade; in retrospect, much of her reading material was completely inappropriate (which probably explains a few things). She lives with her husband, son, and assorted demanding cats in San Jose, California.

Editorial Reviews

2024 IBPA Silver Winner in Fiction: Science Fiction & Fantasy
2023 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Finalist in Young Adult (Fantasy - Urban)
2023 International Book Awards Winner in Fiction (Fantasy)

“. . . a smart, delightful novel that features a pinch of danger, a spoonful of political unrest, and a dash of romance . . . A fun, charming, and modern twist on an old classic.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“The never-ending, mind-boggling series of alleys with their sinister magic haunted me long after I finished the book. . . . This book would be perfect for the fans of Neil Gaiman and Naomi Novik.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“In Mary Pascual’s exciting fantasy novel . . . vibrant imagery abounds.”
—Foreword Reviews

“For anyone who has ever felt miscast or bypassed, set down or let down, this story about a girl who feels just a little too much is exciting and weird and beautiful and wise.”
—Sean Stewart, New York Times best-selling author of Galveston and Mockingbird

“Tautly paced, The Byways has aspects of both The Lightning Thief and Alice in Wonderland with a protagonist who must learn the language and laws of another realm in order to find herself and her way home. This lush, well-written YA fantasy tale follows CeeCee as she overcomes her feelings of being an outsider by courageously embracing herself through a series of trials rife with humor and action—all within this gorgeous paranormal universe.”
—Susan Wands, author of Magician and Fool

“A fun and imaginative twist on a classic tale. Pascual's world is dark and gritty, and her characters are full of spunk and charm. You'll love getting lost in The Byways!”
—Lenore Borja, author of The Last Huntress

“From the first page, Mary Pascual captivates and enchants with this modern, edgy take on Alice in Wonderland. Her rich and complex characters shine brightly in the dark world she paints in The Byways. The tension and the twists will keep you reading until the very end. A true delight! Wildly original!”
—Stacey L. Tucker, author of The Equal Night Trilogy

“The agility and caliber of imagination Mary Pascual exhibits in this book are impressive. Move over, Lewis Carroll!”
—Maki Morris, author of Blood and Brume

“CeeCee is a worthy and powerful heroine—filled with grit and determination. As she combats weird, dangerous, and frightening challenges in the byways, readers will root for her from beginning to end.”
—Fatima R. Henson, author of Love in the Age of Dragons

“The Byways is a fast-paced fantasy ideal for readers craving a perfectly mysterious adventure through a magical and unknown realm. For both the young and young at heart, this urban retelling of Alice in Wonderland guarantees gasps, laughter, chills, and excitement—and will leave you dreaming of a new self to discover.”
—Yodassa Williams, author of The Goddess Twins

From the Publisher

2023-02-06
A high schooler crosses over into a new world in Pascual’s YA fantasy novel.

CeeCee Harper is no stranger to unsympathetic teachers, bullies who think she’s weird, and other hardships that come with being a high school student with sensory processing disorder and ADHD. She also has impulse-control issues that make her temper rise at inconvenient times, especially when she’s frustrated. Her only ally is her best friend, Trudy, but CeeCee wonders if she really understands her. After a particularly difficult day, an angry CeeCee makes the wrong choice and shoplifts a rabbit keychain from a local store in her unnamed city; the fear and regret that follow lead her to flee down a side alley off a main street, and that’s how she ends up crossing into “the byways”—a parallel realm where magical humanoids live under the rule of the Queen and her enforcers. CeeCee befriends part-cat/part-boy Jesse, who guides her through the absurd world of the byways as she tries to find her way back home. Pascual’s take on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) results in a smart, delightful novel that features a pinch of danger, a spoonful of political unrest, and a dash of romance (found in the most unexpected way). CeeCee’s coming-of-age story is one about choices, about grappling with one identity, and about finding a place to belong. Throughout, the author engagingly negotiates how the world views CeeCee, and how she views herself, with fittingly captivating prose: “She thought about cats and people and how much she would like another cup of coffee about now. She thought about home and the strangeness of perspective….Her mind was scattered, unfocused, too fast, and yet everything was clearer than she had felt in a long time.”

A fun, charming, and modern twist on an old classic.

Kirkus Reviews