His Mortal Demise

Gr 7 Up–After the deadly ending of The Last Bloodcarver, this dual-POV, dual time line sequel inspired by Vietnamese folklore sees Nhika brought back to life—and the price Kochin paid to do it. Nhika wakes up in Congmi Manor with her memories just out of reach and slow to return—she remembers getting shot, but not what happened after. Six months previously, readers see Kochin sailing his houseboat upriver with a casket—with Nhika’s body preserved inside and his love for her driving him forward. His plans to resurrect her may cost more than he imagined. After waking, Nhika must navigate across a war-torn Theumas to find Kochin, discover how he brought her back, and what terrible price he paid to do it. The divided time lines provide a clever balance to the plot as readers are able to stay with Nhika and solve the mystery of what happened in the time skip while Kochin pursues the mysteries of resurrection. Le’s unique story structure keeps tensions high by approaching the mystery from both sides, cleaving Nhika and Kochin’s character arcs to their exploration of morality and place in society. Their power as “heartsooths,” pejoratively called “bloodcarvers,” continues to recall themes of medical ethics and cultural heritage in diaspora as in the first book. Fast-paced, full of lush details, this novel sees Le expand upon the dangerous world introduced in The Last Bloodcarver. Characters are coded Southeast Asian, with queer supporting characters.