First published 2011
Briony carries guilt like a weight she cannot shed. Her stepmother made certain of that before dying, ensuring Briony would blame herself for every family misfortune. The swamp becomes her refuge. There she speaks with the Old Ones, ancient spirits dwelling in the marshes. Only witches possess the sight to see these beings. In Briony's village, witches meet their end at the executioner's hand. She lives with constant dread that someone will discover her secret. Part of her believes she deserves whatever punishment awaits. Then Eldric arrives with his bright golden eyes and wild tawny hair. He moves through the world with easy confidence, like sunlight itself. He sees something special in Briony and treats her accordingly. His presence shifts everything in her carefully guarded world. Briony has spent years protecting her secrets, but she discovers that some truths have been hidden even from her. The mysteries surrounding her family run deeper than she ever imagined.
Genres: historical-fiction, fantasy, magical-realism, young-adult
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Briony's Village, The Swamp
Period: Unspecified
361 pages · Hardcover · Dial Books
Content warnings: abuse, anxiety, depression, emotional-abuse