The Lustrous Dark

Gr 10 Up–Shay, orphaned at birth, is raised by the midwife who delivered her and trained to carry on her mentor’s skills as an apprentice. While Shay is a devoted ­apprentice, she longs for the deep bond between mother and daughter. When Shay ­discovers that her birth mother is alive, she risks ­everything to find her, only to learn that her mother is addicted to Snow, a dangerous and debilitating drug that corrupts the magic within women. This discovery sets Shay on a perilous path to save her mother from Snow’s grip and to join a rising revolution determined to free women from the men who control the drug’s distribution and use it as a tool to suppress women and their magic. This is a rich, immersive tale about growing up, choosing trust after heartbreak, and discovering family in unexpected places. The worldbuilding is extensive, drawing readers fully into a magical fairy-tale realm inhabited by hags, bone-eaters, and bloodsuckers. Shay is flawed yet fearless as she navigates a world designed to keep her powerless, and readers will root for her as she confronts dangers on her quest to save her mother and find the family she has always longed for. An author’s note warns about sensitive scenes including depictions of drug abuse, ­human trafficking, ­anxiety and depression, parental death, grief, and more. There are quite a few scenes with disturbing imagery and mature topics. This book is inspired by a Moroccan folktale, and the midwife is described as having “rosy-brown” skin.­