The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Rich, harrowing, and unafraid to tackle discrimination-perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Tomi Adeyemi.Ī Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart. Lacking an overt historical or geographic parallel, the tale instead features a cast spectacularly diverse in class, gender, sexual orientation, and race-Fie’s skin is “terra-cotta,” Jas’ and Tavin’s are “dark gold,” while a villainous northerner is described as “pork-pink.” Debut author Owen offers well-balanced worldbuilding and a propulsive plot and excels at tender, intimate moments and complicated, realistic romantic and familial relationships. Facing death and deprivation, Fie’s companions also encounter Sabor’s insidious violence toward Crows. Often furious Fie instantly dislikes Phoenix Prince Jasimir and his Hawk bodyguard, Tavin, but soon finds herself head of the trio as they outrun and outwit ambitious Queen Rhusana and her night-riding Oleander Gentry-white-clad and masked (recalling the KKK)-relentless skinwitch trackers, and monstrous ghasts. But that day comes too soon when a rare retrieval from the royal palace delivers two corpses…who ain’t dead yet. A witch with “bone” (tooth) magic, 16-year-old Fie will one day succeed her Pa as chief of a band of itinerant Crows. Only the Crows can dispatch and dispose of Sinner’s Plague victims, but they are shunned, abused, and murdered by Sabor’s other castes. A low-caste girl takes on a high-risk quest in this series opener.

The merciful crow series