Starred review from January 15, 2024
On the island of Dantessa, everything from commerce to social standing is determined by how one performs in the thousands of possible games registered in the magical Book of Play. As low-ranking participants in the Great Game, 12-year-old Pia and her grandfather are just barely getting by, and when Gramps is stripped of his status and sent to dwell on the Pawn Isles, Pia must risk everything to raise the money needed to rescue him. She joins the Seafoxes, a team of young players organized by the brilliant Vittoria Aslani, who intends to enter the annual noctis tournament, an ever-changing game of wits and strategy with life-and-death stakes and a fabulous prize in the form of more than enough money to save Gramps. To win, Pia and her new friends must compete against better-trained, better-equipped teams, and contend with the goddess of death, in the process discovering the secret behind the Great Game. Fagan (The Mirrorwood) skillfully blends adven-
ture and team-based competitions, set against a memorable, Mediterranean-leaning environment and populated
by eclectic characters described as having varying skin tones. Clever, warmhearted, fast-paced, and energetic, this tale has much to offer. Ages 10–up. Agent: Hilary Harwell, KT Literary.