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Summary
Summary
From the author of The Disasters, this genre-bending YA fantasy heist story is perfect for fans of Marie Lu and Amie Kaufman.
In Kyrkarta, magic--known as maz--was once a freely available natural resource. Then an earthquake released a magical plague, killing thousands and opening the door for a greedy corporation to make maz a commodity that's tightly controlled--and, of course, outrageously expensive.
Which is why Diz and her three best friends run a highly lucrative, highly illegal maz siphoning gig on the side. Their next job is supposed to be their last heist ever.
But when their plan turns up a powerful new strain of maz that (literally) blows up in their faces, they're driven to unravel a conspiracy at the very center of the spellplague--and possibly save the world.
No pressure.Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a world where 14 strains of magic, called maz, are regulated by Maz Management Corporation, 18-year-old tech genius Dizmon "Diz" Hela and her best friends are pulling off their final maz siphoning heist before the latter leave Kyrkarta for Jattapore. A decade ago, an earthquake released the spellplague, or contaminated maz, into the world, killing thousands and infecting many others with a chronic illness that worsens with time. MMC stepped in to clean up and now charges for maz. Orphaned by the spellplague, Diz, caretaker Jaesin, and nonbinary spellweaver Remi formed a family, adopting wealthy techwitch Ania though her parents are still alive. The group began siphoning maz from MMC to make money, but they quickly find themselves in the middle of a larger conspiracy involving the spellplague and a new kind of maz called maz-15. England (The Disasters) creates a well-rounded, multicultural crew in a world that blends fantasy and science fiction. Though some plot twists are predictable, England successfully develops the intrigue surrounding maz-15, and the will-they/won't-they nature of Remi and Diz's relationship keeps the story engaging. Ages 14--up. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Agency. (Jan.)
Kirkus Review
A close-knit team of magic thieves attempts one last job only to uncover a dangerous conspiracy.Science fiction melds with fantasy in the futuristic city of Kyrkarta, where people use both advanced technology and magical energy, called maz. The Maz Management Corporation heavily regulates maz, leading teenage hacker Diz to illegally siphon the valuable resource with her best friends: spellweaver Remi, techwitch Ania, and muscle Jaesin. When the group's final job ends disastrously, it leads to a shocking discoveryand it's vital that Diz and her crew stop things before there is further damage. Action and humor combine in a compelling narrative that is rooted in Diz's complex relationship to her found family. Over the course of their adventures, Diz struggles to let her walls down, hindered by trauma from her childhood. In particular, she slowly learns to give room to her romantic feelings for Remi, who uses they/them pronouns and has a chronic illness caused by contaminated maz. Readers will be hooked by the high stakes throughout, though a linear plot and a sense of inevitable success deflate moments of tension. The cast is racially diverse and joyfully queer. Readers will want to buckle in for this high-speed, bighearted sci-fi/fantasy adventure. (Speculative fiction. 13-17) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.