Vial of Tears
Two sisters become trapped in the underworld--and in the machinations of deities, shapeshifters, and ghouls--in this lush and dangerous Phoenician mythology-inspired fantasy.

Sixteen-year-old sisters Samira and Rima aren't exactly living the dream. Instead, they live with their maddeningly unreliable mother in a rundown trailer in Michigan. Dad's dead, money's tight, and Mom disappears for days at a time. So when Sam's grandfather wills her the family valuables--a cache of Lebanese antiquities--she's desperate enough to try pawning them before Mom can.

But she shouldn't. Because one is cursed, forbidden, the burial coin of a forgotten god. Disturbing it condemns her and Rima to the Phoenician underworld, a place of wicked cities, burning cedar forests, poisoned feasts of milk and lemons, and an endless, windless ocean.

Nothing is what it seems. No one is who they say. And down here, the night never ends.

To get home--and keep her sister safe--Sam will have to outwit beautiful shapeshifters, pose as a royal bride, sail the darkest sea... and maybe kill the god of death himself.
1138574381
Vial of Tears
Two sisters become trapped in the underworld--and in the machinations of deities, shapeshifters, and ghouls--in this lush and dangerous Phoenician mythology-inspired fantasy.

Sixteen-year-old sisters Samira and Rima aren't exactly living the dream. Instead, they live with their maddeningly unreliable mother in a rundown trailer in Michigan. Dad's dead, money's tight, and Mom disappears for days at a time. So when Sam's grandfather wills her the family valuables--a cache of Lebanese antiquities--she's desperate enough to try pawning them before Mom can.

But she shouldn't. Because one is cursed, forbidden, the burial coin of a forgotten god. Disturbing it condemns her and Rima to the Phoenician underworld, a place of wicked cities, burning cedar forests, poisoned feasts of milk and lemons, and an endless, windless ocean.

Nothing is what it seems. No one is who they say. And down here, the night never ends.

To get home--and keep her sister safe--Sam will have to outwit beautiful shapeshifters, pose as a royal bride, sail the darkest sea... and maybe kill the god of death himself.
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Vial of Tears

Vial of Tears

by Cristin Bishara

Narrated by Aixa Kay

Unabridged — 10 hours, 45 minutes

Vial of Tears

Vial of Tears

by Cristin Bishara

Narrated by Aixa Kay

Unabridged — 10 hours, 45 minutes

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Overview

Two sisters become trapped in the underworld--and in the machinations of deities, shapeshifters, and ghouls--in this lush and dangerous Phoenician mythology-inspired fantasy.

Sixteen-year-old sisters Samira and Rima aren't exactly living the dream. Instead, they live with their maddeningly unreliable mother in a rundown trailer in Michigan. Dad's dead, money's tight, and Mom disappears for days at a time. So when Sam's grandfather wills her the family valuables--a cache of Lebanese antiquities--she's desperate enough to try pawning them before Mom can.

But she shouldn't. Because one is cursed, forbidden, the burial coin of a forgotten god. Disturbing it condemns her and Rima to the Phoenician underworld, a place of wicked cities, burning cedar forests, poisoned feasts of milk and lemons, and an endless, windless ocean.

Nothing is what it seems. No one is who they say. And down here, the night never ends.

To get home--and keep her sister safe--Sam will have to outwit beautiful shapeshifters, pose as a royal bride, sail the darkest sea... and maybe kill the god of death himself.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year
A Den of Geek Top New YA Book
A Shelf Awareness Galley Love of the Week Selection

★ "A crown jewel."Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

★ "A breathtaking story celebrating familial bonds. Ancestral tales overlace events and provide a satisfyingly rich tapestry of heritage. Sam and Rima are both strong female leads… [A] stunning, vivid YA fantasy."—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

"Full of magic… This adventure is an escape into a world of mythological creatures."—Den of Geek
 
"A very rich and unique story… Fast-paced and rich with details from Lebanese mythology."—YA Books Central
 
"Bishara’s narrative blends Lebanese history and Phoenician mythology to reflect the complications of familial love and the boundaries of life, death, fate, and choice. Through intricate world-building and storytelling, she brings forth a tale from an underexplored mythical foundation."—The Horn Book

"Perfect for the adventure-seeker who wants to fall into another world—literally. Vial of Tears holds the beautiful complications of family close to its heart, all while telling a sweeping story filled with gods and monsters."—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"Fierce women who aren’t afraid to fight for themselves and each other… Poignant, emotional… I absolutely fell in love."—The Bookwyrm’s Den
 
"Fascinating and deep… Textured and real… I found myself absolutely engrossed by this book. I’ve often felt like writers of mythology-based series tend to retread a lot of the same Greek and Norse ground, but Bishara’s tale was a breath of fresh air."—Starry Constellation Magazine
 
"The setting with the Phoenician pantheon is complex and will likely be a draw for readers interested in mythology, while the fantasy element is effectively balanced with the realism of the sisters’ difficult life circumstances."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"I love a good book about siblings. There aren't enough of them in the world in YA. Especially when the relationship is on the siblings and not focused on romance? *chef kiss* …Fresh and exciting."—A Backwards Story
 
"A compelling read full of mysteries, horrors unseen, and emotional struggles… Original and alluring."—Solano County Library Online

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2021-07-13
A magical coin strands sisters in a Phoenician underworld.

Sam and Rima receive a family heirloom from their great-grandfather who lives in their mother’s hometown in Lebanon—a clay jug with ancient coins in it. The sisters, who live in poverty with their mother (their White father is dead), wonder if this could be the solution to their financial woes. But one coin is frighteningly cold, and when Rima holds it, she summons a mysterious man and a windstorm that sweeps the girls from Michigan to a magical underworld where monsters and gods roam freely. The man—Eshmun, half god and half mortal—furiously wants his precious coin back. Sam gets her bearings in this world that is part historical Lebanon and part mythological, as she learns Eshmun’s role in a prophecy that may affect her and her sister as well. Throughout, Sam keeps her focus firmly on rescuing her sister, whose life hangs in the balance after being attacked by a beast, and returning home. Themes of destiny and death build up to an ending that’s just bittersweet enough. In the author’s note, Bishara, who shares her protagonists’ heritage, details her historical research and the family stories and photographs that inspired her. She generously shares recipes passed down through her family—an addition most appreciated, as the mouthwatering food descriptions are a crown jewel among the vividly painted settings, clothing, and people.

A heroic tale that feels both classic and fresh. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

Product Details

BN ID: 2940172875373
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Publication date: 10/05/2021
Edition description: Unabridged
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