These Vengeful Gods

Gr 7 Up–In a stratified world ruled by immortal gods, Crow should not be alive. Since the Silencing, a widespread genocide of the god Death’s children and descendants, Crow has grown up in hiding. Sheltered by his uncles, he lives in the Shallows, the poorest district of the city, which is plagued by police violence and constant flooding. Crow’s existence is illegal because of his father’s ancestry, but in a cruel twist, his mother, who abandoned him to his fate during the Silencing, is now the president of Escal and enforcer of its violent laws. Crow is a talented arena fighter, but it is only after his uncles are arrested for helping Deathchildren that he is thrust into the spotlight, sponsored to fight in the elite Tournament of the Gods. What follows is a tense journey through vicious magical fight sequences, brutal competition, alliances, and romance, all of which culminates in Crow’s harrowing investigation of the secrets behind the Silencing and the enforced poverty of the Shallows. Crow is transgender and exists within the world of the novel alongside other queer characters. While transphobia is represented in specific characters, the gods themselves include nonbinary identities, and the book offers a nuanced portrayal of diverse identities. The complex worldbuilding, plot, and themes become a remarkable fantasy parable for the violence engendered by a world where a wealthy few rule over the suppressed masses.