What We Devour

by Linsey Miller

Overview

The eat-the-rich, deliciously dark fantasy you've been waiting for.

A girl with the power of the banished gods must bind herself to a wicked Prince to save her crumbling world, as the poor are sacrificed to save the rich.

Lorena Adler has a secret—she holds the power of the banished gods, the Noble and the Vile, inside her. But she has spent her entire life hiding from the world and her past. Lorena's content to spend her days as an undertaker in a small town, marry her best friend, Julian, and live an unfulfilling life so long as no one uncovers her true nature.

But when the notoriously bloodthirsty and equally Vile crown prince comes to arrest Julian's father, he immediately recognizes Lorena for what she is. So, she makes a deal—a fair trial for her betrothed's father in exchange for her service to the crown.

The prince is desperate for her help. He's spent years trying to repair the weakening Door that holds back the Vile...and he's losing the battle. As Lorena learns more about the Door and the horrifying price it takes to keep it closed, she'll have to embrace both parts of herself to survive.

"Miller always delivers on queer fantasy."—Dahlia Adler, Buzzfeed

"Anyone who reads Linsey Miller knows that her worldbuilding, characters, and tense plot lines make for some of the best dark fantasy novels in the YA genre."—Brianna Robinson, The Young Folks

This heart-pounding YA story of magic and danger is perfect for readers looking for:

• Epic books for tweens and teens
• Dazzling world-building and relatable characters
• Tween and teen LGBTQ+ books
• High fantasy with asexual and aromantic representation
• Fiction examining class structures
• Intricate fantasy worldbuilding

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492679257
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	07/06/2021
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	209,612
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	HL670L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

A wayward biologist from Arkansas, Linsey previously worked as a crime lab intern, neuroscience lab assistant, and pharmacy technician. She can be found writing about science and magic anywhere there's coffee. She is the author of the Mask of Shadows duology, Belle Revolte, and What We Devour. Visit her online at linseymiller.com.

Editorial Reviews

"A triumphant dark fantasy, What We Devour serves up an incredibly smart magic system with a side of eat-the-rich energy. Perfect for fans of Wicked Saints and anyone who likes their romances equal parts swoony and stabby. This is my favorite Linsey Miller book" — Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished Are the Stars

"What We Devour has my new favorite magic system. Miller pulls no punches in a stark examination of class structures and the consequences of conflating worth and wealth set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. With a cunning main character and visceral prose that will leave you haunted, this book is a dark delight." — Kalyn Josephson, author of The Storm Crow duology

"What We Devour is a brilliant and bloodthirsty read that pulls no punches, makes us question all of our actions, and begs us to find a way to change the world." — Laura Pohl, author of The Last 8 duology

"WHAT WE DEVOUR is a twisting, complex puzzle box, effortlessly weaving sinister bargains, deadly magic, and the ethics of power and sacrifice. With an unforgettable cast and themes achingly relevant to today's readers, this book is not to be missed." — Margaret Owen, author of The Merciful Crow duology

"Dark, mesmerizing and wildly original, What We Devour is a captivating fantasy you won't be able to put down." — Andrew Shvarts, author of The Royal Bastards trilogy

"Dark, mesmerizing and wildly original, What We Devour is a captivating fantasy you won't be able to put down." — Andrew Shvarts, author of The Royal Bastards trilogy

"Miller always delivers on queer fantasy." — Dahlia Adler, Buzzfeed

"Lorena's asexuality and many other characters' nonbinary gender identities are refreshing bright spots... The storytelling offers a poignant exploration of what sacrifice really means." — School Library Journal

"Excellent asexual representation in Lorena, rich worldbuilding, political intrigue, and a cast of prickly, passionate characters round out the satisfyingly complex plot. Particularly masterful are the shifts in Lorena's narrative perspective that reflect the sacrifices of significant memories...Mind-bending and incisive." — Kirkus Reviews

"Anyone who reads Linsey Miller knows that her worldbuilding, characters, and tense plot lines make for some of the best dark fantasy novels in the YA genre." — Brianna Robinson, The Young Folks

"Readers who enjoy rich complex characters, difficult moral quandaries and political intrigue will relish sinking their teeth into this book." — Annie Deo, The Nerd Daily

"I'm ready to devour the second installment in this apocalyptic fantasy series." — Kayla Webb, The Tempest

"What We Devour is one of those magnificently atmospheric and character-driven books with a plot that needs to be experienced." — Jodi Scaife, Fanbase Press

"[Lorena is] undeniably intriguing, and she's admirable in her ownership of her asexuality." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Dark, atmospheric, and consuming, WHAT WE DEVOUR is a thrilling and thought-provoking YA fantasy read that will leave the reader reeling." — YA Books Central

From the Publisher

07/01/2021

Gr 9 Up—Lorena Alder, orphaned at a young age, has been hiding in a small village to conceal her noblewright and vilewright powers from the Sundered Crown. But with her fiancé's father about to be arrested and sacrificed to the Door that separates banished demigods from the mortal world, she uses her vilewright to save him and unwittingly reveals her dualwrought status to Alistair, the heir to the throne. To save her fiancé's father, she makes a deal with Alistair to work with him and other noblewrought to destroy the Door before it opens and allows the Vile to take over the world. Along the way she uncovers treason, evil, and a conspiracy to doom the working class. Lorena's asexuality and many other characters' nonbinary gender identities are refreshing bright spots among inadequate explanations and info dumps. Lorena's motivations throughout are murky until the very end, which will leave readers feeling less connected to her. The storytelling offers a poignant exploration of what sacrifice really means, but the messaging about income inequality is a little too overt. Lorena's and Alistair's ethnicities are unstated. VERDICT While the premise is original, this standalone dark fantasy novel fails to set itself apart from other works in the genre.—Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, formerly at Sno-Isle Libs., Marysville, WA

School Library Journal

2021-05-11
In a declining world in which humans can access the power of banished demigods through self-sacrifice, a girl with a secret becomes a catalyst for change.

Long ago, the humans who served and sacrificed to the Noble and the Vile overthrew them and claimed their magic. Now, the Crown, peerage, and common council maintain control over the noblewrought and vilewrought with intricate contracts and magical bindings. Lorena is the only living dualwrought—possessing both creative and destructive wrights—besides the Crown herself. Unlike the Crown, she’s unbound and untrained. Free from the limitations of formal contracts, Lorena prefers nonphysical sacrifices like memories over gory self-mutilation. After a chance encounter with the Crown’s infamous vilewrought heir, Alistair, lands her in his laboratory researching a mysterious Door that is hungry for human sacrifices, Lorena must choose between the quiet life she’s built and the values she holds dear. The text’s anti-capitalist thrust is grounded in depictions of extreme economic stratification, including Lorena’s memories of childhood poverty and her mother’s untimely death, as well as her growing awareness of how those who crave power like hers don’t grasp the sacrifices required. Excellent asexual representation in Lorena, rich worldbuilding, political intrigue, and a cast of prickly, passionate characters round out the satisfyingly complex plot. Particularly masterful are the shifts in Lorena’s narrative perspective that reflect the sacrifices of significant memories. A White default is assumed for primary characters.

Mind-bending and incisive. (map) (Dark fantasy. 16-adult)

Kirkus Reviews