Part of Graceling Realm
First published 2012
Queen Amarina rules Montmar, but she has never truly ruled at all. Her advisors seized control when she inherited the throne as a child, making decisions she now questions. Amarina needs to understand Montmar's past before she can shape its future, so she disguises herself and explores the city alone after dark. During these secret journeys, she discovers disturbing truths about her father Leck's reign. His grace allowed him to manipulate minds, and he used this power with terrible cruelty. Amarina encounters two thieves who specialize in recovering stolen goods. They possess crucial information about her father's rule. One thief is a graceling who has not yet identified his gift. As Amarina works with them to piece together the full scope of Leck's crimes, she finds herself drawn to this mysterious graceling. He may hold more than just answers about her father's legacy.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Monsea
Period: 8 years after Leck's death
576 pages · Hardcover · Dial
Content warnings: abuse, mental-illness