Hearts That Cut

Gr 9 Up–This climate-ravaged fantasy follows the electric ending of Threads That Bind. Io and the mob queen–turned-wraith Bianca are reluctant allies as they cross the Wastelands following a golden thread that Io is clinging to by her fingertips: the life thread of a god. Io doesn’t know why the gods are trying to bring back the extinct line of Furies or why so many other-born are being assassinated, but the answers lie in the sprawling city of Nanzy. Her only clue is a prophecy from the descendants of the Muses: “She cuts the thread and the world ends.” When Io cuts someone’s thread, she must slice her own, severing the things she loves. Nanzy holds new allies and betrayals in unexpected corners, with subtle foreshadowing to reward careful readers. Io is an intricately developed character who is unafraid of decisive action but ever conscious of the consequences. Hatzopoulou assigns interesting flaws to her cast—loyalty, hubris, and curiosity, adding dimension to the twists and turns of Io’s mystery. The epic dystopian worldbuilding raises interesting stakes, and Io’s romance with Edei will tug at readers’ heartstrings. The real backbone of the story is the trauma, secrets, expectations, and betrayals Io and her sisters have inflicted on one another. The cast is diverse in race, sexuality, and gender.