Sisters of Shadow and Light (Sisters of Shadow and Light #1)
by Sara B. LarsonPublisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: November 5th 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:
From the acclaimed author of DEFY, Sara B. Larson, SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT is a timeless and fantastical tale of sisterly love and powerful magic
"The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes…".
Zuhra and Inara have grown up in the Citadel of the Paladins, an abandoned fortress where legendary, magical warriors once lived before disappearing from the world―including their Paladin father the night Inara was born.
On that same night, a massive, magical hedge grew and imprisoned them within the citadel. Inara inherited their father’s Paladin power; her eyes glow blue and she is able to make plants grow at unbelievable rates, but she has been trapped in her own mind because of a “roar” that drowns everything else out―leaving Zuhra virtually alone with their emotionally broken human mother.
For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world…until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes.
Can you briefly describe SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT and its characters?
SOSAL is the story of two sisters, Zuhra and Inara, who grow up trapped behind a sentient, magical hedge. They live in an abandoned citadel with their mother, who is emotionally broken from their father’s disappearance the night Inara was born—the same night the hedge grew, trapping them there. The citadel was once inhabited by the Paladin, a race of magical beings—the same magic that Inara inherited from their father, the last Paladin in their world. Without anyone to teach her how to harness and control her power, she ends up trapped in her own mind. They have little hope of escape…until the day the hedge lets a stranger through for the first time, and everything changes.
Zuhra, the older sister, is fiercely loyal and protective of Inara. She’s loving and strong-willed, but stifled by their entrapment and her mother’s rules—which include refusing to let her investigate any rooms the Paladin once used, beyond the few ones they inhabit. Inara is gentle and kind, but can rarely communicate because of the power that creates a roar in her mind, trapping her even more fully than the hedge. There are some other amazing characters in this book, but I don’t want to spoil anything!
Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?
The sisters are definitely my first favorites…I love both Zuhra and Inara so much. I am the oldest of five girls, so I can definitely relate to Zuhra and her desire to protect Inara and her deep love for her sister. But I do have a few other favorites, too…I just can’t say much because I don’t want to spoil anything!
How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?
It started with Inara and Zuhra first. I saw a picture of a girl with glowing blue eyes and it ignited this little idea I’d had sparking inside for a while. Then I saw an image of a citadel on a cliff with a waterfall that ran out from underneath it, and I thought—what if a huge hedge grew around that—trapping a family there? And from there, the rest of it blossomed into the story you now have!
If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?
Oof, that’s a hard question! I’m not sure it describes it necessarily, but one song I listened to on repeat for certain scenes was Breathe by Fleurie.
If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?
I have such a hard time with this honestly…but I think Mackenzie Foy would be a lovely Inara (with glowing blue contacts, of course), or the model Bogdana from Russia reminds me so much of her from the pictures I saw on pinterest…as for Zuhra, I think Marie Avgeropoulos would do a great job!
Fall is here, and we love to find a cosy place to read our favourite books. What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?
I love hot chocolate on a brisk fall day (or night, or morning), and I have to say curling up in a cozy blanket by a fire is my perfect place to read a book when it’s cold out!
Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT?
There are so many great books out there, it’s incredibly hard to narrow them down to a few recommendations. Some of my favorite recent reads have been the CARAVAL series, BONE CRIER’S MOON (comes out in March), and THE MUSE OF NIGHTMARES. Also, if they haven’t read my two other series, they could always go back and read those while they wait—the DEFY trilogy, and the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN duology.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on the sequel to SOSAL, and a few other secret projects!
Sara B. Larson is the best-selling and critically acclaimed author of the YA fantasy DEFY trilogy (DEFY, IGNITE, and ENDURE) and the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN duology. Her next YA fantasy, SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT, comes out November 5th from Tor Teen. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband, their four children, and their Maltese, Loki. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction.October 30th
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While I would like to have a sentient, magical hedge, I can now see that they can have drawbacks!
ReplyDeleteThis premise is so exciting! YA fantasy is my favorite genre, so this book is definitely on my TBR.
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing this one around! I love the premise of it and thanks for giving us all a chance to win a copy of the book. You're great!
ReplyDelete