In the slums of BrightStone, Moon Children are worth less than the scrap they must collect to survive. It doesn’t matter that these abandoned half-breeds are part-Meridian with their ancestors hailing from the technologically advanced city that floats above the once-thriving, now plague-ridden BrightStone. Instead they are rejected by both their ancestral societies and forced to live on the outskirts of civilization, joining clans simply to stay alive. Not to mention their role as Tithe, leading the city’s infected citizens deep into the Pits where their disease can be controlled. Nineteen-year-old Raggy Maggy is no different, despite the mysterious heart-shaped panel that covers her chest. Or at least she wasn’t… Not until her chance discovery of a Meridian-built clockwork dragon—and its murdered owner. When the Inquestors policing the city find Maggy at the scene of the crime, she quickly turns into their prime suspect. Now she’s all anyone can talk about. Even her clan leader turns his back on her, leading her to rely on an exiled doctor and a clanless Moon Child named Ghost to keep her hidden. In return, all she has to do is help them find a cure for the plague they believe was not exactly accidental. Yet doing so might mean risking more than just her life. It also might be the only key to uncovering the truth about the parents—and the past—she knows nothing about.
4 Stars
Pang delivers a fascinating storyline, strong character development, and plenty of plot twists which will draw readers into the first book of the IronHeart Chronicles and leave them eagerly anticipating the next tale in the series. Maggy is a plucky and loyal character that will fascinate readers but what makes this novel so enthralling is the relatable and carefully drawn characters coupled with vivid imagery throughout every scene.
SUMMARY: Raggy Maggy is a Moon Child, rumored to be the product of a BrightStone mother and a Meridian father. At nineteen, her survival is based on the metal scraps she can gather and sell. Her life changes once she finds a Meridian-made mechanical dragon near its owner’s dead body. Maggy must now hide from the Inquestors, the local police force, who want to charge her with murder.
In exchange for sanctuary, Maggy agrees to help a back-alley physician find the origins of the Rot, a disease that only affects the citizens of BrightStone. As their plan is put into motion, a far-reaching conspiracy is revealed and Maggy must prove her mental and physical strength if she wants to find the origin and possible cure for the disease. (ALLISON PANG, Aug., 241 pp., $3.99)
Keitha Hart
