—Diana Urban, author of These Deadly Games
From the author of Sing Me Forgotten comes a lush new fantasy novel with art-based magic, romance, and murder...
Myra has a gift many would kidnap, blackmail, and worse to control: she's a portrait artist whose paintings alter people's bodies. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor's wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son.
Once she arrives at the legendary stone mansion, however, it becomes clear the boy's death was no accident. A killer stalks these halls—one disturbingly obsessed with portrait magic. Desperate to get out of the manor as quickly as possible, Myra turns to the governor's older son for help completing the painting before the secret she spent her life concealing makes her the killer's next victim.
"A heady blend of the fantastical, the murderous, and the romantic." —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
"Marvelously magical and steeping with mystery." —Adalyn Grace, author of All the Stars and Teeth
Also by Jessica S. Olson:
Sing Me Forgotten
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
March 29, 2022 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780369705662
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780369705662
- File size: 1873 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Levels
- ATOS Level: 5.4
- Interest Level: 9-12(UG)
- Text Difficulty: 4
-
Reviews
-
School Library Journal
Starred review from February 1, 2022
Gr 7 Up-Olson's newest offering is a satisfying dark fantasy of art, science, romance, and murder. Myra Whitlock is an art Prodigy like her mysteriously disappeared mother. In her world, Prodigies are an aberration to the Higher Power (called Artist), because of their ability to heal physical injury through the act of painting. Myra has been secretly called to bring the Governor's heir back to life by painting his portrait. She accepts the assignment for the money it will bring, which will pay for a doctor to diagnose her dying sister. Myra's inability to heal her sister reveals the intricacies of Prodigy magic: one can only fully heal another when the cause of the injury or illness is known. What follows is Myra's journey to find a murderer and a motive in the Governor's manor, and to fulfill her destiny. Olson weaves intense action and tender emotion in her multifaceted work. Descriptions of what a Prodigy feels when the magic overtakes them-experiencing everything the subject felt in injury/death-pierce with anatomical precision. Secondary characters such as pale red-haired August (the Governor's other son), the charismatic Forger, and Myra's spirited sister are as vibrant as the protagonist herself, allowing readers to hope for different outcomes throughout. The time period is perplexing, as there are carriages and corsets but also telephones and a hospital ICU, but it doesn't detract from the seamless storytelling and unexpected climax. Characters' race and ethnicity are not specified. VERDICT A triumphant second novel, Olson's not-to-be-missed tale of intrigue has something for everyone.-Jane Miller
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-
Booklist
March 15, 2022
Grades 8-10 At 18, Myra is a painter who has to care for her sister, Lucy, who has fallen ill. Their parents disappeared a year ago, and while no one has a clue as to where they went, Myra is certain her mother's secret--that she was a Prodigy, a magical portrait artist--is the reason. Myra, too, is a Prodigy, and in Lalverton, a city run by a villainous governor with a vendetta against artists, she could be the next to vanish. When the governor's wife blackmails Myra and contracts her for a magical painting, Myra has no choice but to comply. Can her magic raise the governor's son from the dead? Or will she doom herself and Lucy to a terrible fate? This riff on The Picture of Dorian Gray is both fascinating and novel, and it will attract fantasy fans as well as the artistically inclined. Casual readers may need a glossary for some of the painting terms, like cadmium and phthalo blues.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
Publisher's Weekly
April 4, 2022
Olson (Sing Me Forgotten) crafts a lush and atmospheric murder mystery in this take on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Seventeen-year-old Myra Whitlock has a powerful gift: she can alter living bodies through her paintings. But in the fictional city of Lalverton—where the governor considers her gift a blasphemy—Myra has been forced to become a portraitist’s assistant, knowing that to expose her power would be akin to targeting Myra and her ill younger sister, Lucy, just like their mother, who disappeared a year before. When she inadvertently reveals her gift to the governor’s wife, Myra has no choice but to accept the woman’s offer: if Myra can paint a portrait that can resurrect the governor’s murdered son, Wilburt, she will receive enough money to find better care for Lucy and ensure the woman’s silence. Together with August Harris, the governor’s forgotten eldest son, who experiences anxiety, Myra must work to solve Wilburt’s murder so she can fulfill her bargain—before his killer catches up with her. Though an uninspiring romantic subplot detracts from the twisting, secret-layered narrative, its gothic ambiance and the strong bond between Myra and Lucy delivers. Protagonists read as white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis. -
Kirkus
Starred review from January 1, 2022
Magic, romance, and mystery intertwine in this stand-alone historical fantasy. It's been one year since Myra's parents vanished without a trace, and she has been left alone to take care of her ailing younger sister, Lucy. Barely making ends meet, Myra survives as a painter's apprentice in the same studio where her own mother used to work. But just like her mother's, Myra's artistry holds a big secret: As a Prodigy, Myra can use her painting to change the bodies of humans and animals. If she is found out, her life could be in danger from those who would exploit her abilities--or destroy her as an abomination. But when the governor's wife offers Myra money (and threatens to expose her secret) to bring Will, her recently deceased son, back to life, Myra has no choice but to comply. In doing so, she meets August, Will's painfully shy brother, and--once Myra realizes that Will's death was not an accident--they immerse themselves in a world of dangerous secrets. This effortless blend of fantasy, sisterly love, sweet romance, and murder mystery is a gorgeous take on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. The novel focuses on Myra's touching relationships with Lucy and August, the twisting murder investigation, and, above all, Myra's own empowering journey. The main characters are cued as White; the story thoughtfully addresses Lucy's chronic illness and August's anxiety. A heady blend of the fantastical, the murderous, and the romantic. (Fantasy. 14-adult)COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
Formats
- Kindle Book
- OverDrive Read
- EPUB ebook
Languages
- English
Levels
- ATOS Level:5.4
- Interest Level:9-12(UG)
- Text Difficulty:4
Loading
Why is availability limited?
×Availability can change throughout the month based on the library's budget. You can still place a hold on the title, and your hold will be automatically filled as soon as the title is available again.
The Kindle Book format for this title is not supported on:
×Read-along ebook
×The OverDrive Read format of this ebook has professional narration that plays while you read in your browser. Learn more here.