Drowned

Following cataclysmic floods, the remnants of humanity compete viciously for space on dry land while predatory “scribblers,” creatures with swordfishlike horns, thin their ranks. The physically disabled, like nearly 16-year-old Coe, who was left with just one hand after a scribbler attack, face a bleak future, consigned to the dangerous outer edges of the platform that offers protection from high tides and makes social ranking a matter of life and death. Coe’s narration sometimes bogs down in angst, but tight plotting keeps the story moving forward. When Coe and her unattainable beloved, Tiam, “who laughs in the face of scribblers and ghosts and taunts the vicious ocean,” rise in the favor of the royals, they become targets for those discontented with the selfish king’s rule. Suspense mounts as Coe and Tiam explore the labyrinth beneath the royal palace and the mysteries of their island’s past. A fantasy twist toward the end of this series opener from Reilly (a pseudonym for writer Cyn Balog) fits perfectly with the fairy tales Coe retells throughout the novel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (July)