cover image The Diminished

The Diminished

Kaitlyn Sage Patterson. Harlequin Teen, $18.99 (464p) ISBN 978-1-335-01641-6

First in a duology, Patterson’s sprawling debut follows two teenagers living very different lives. As Queen Runa’s favorite nephew, Ambrose “Bo” Trousillion is likely to succeed her as ruler of the Alskad Empire. Obedience “Vi” Abernathy is a foundling who is feared by the public and treated like a slave. In their society, twins who split a conscience are standard, so both Bo and Vi are considered oddities: Bo because he is an only child, and Vi because her twin perished in infancy and, unusually, she has yet to succumb to grief or lose her mind. The two seem fated to remain strangers until a shocking revelation places them both in the crosshairs of the Suzerain religious order and its assassins. After a slow start dense with worldbuilding, Patterson settles into a character-driven narrative that champions self-determination and condemns xenophobia. The key twist connecting the two main characters is obvious, but the story is no less entertaining for it, and it’s easy to root for the couples Patterson has crafted. Ages 12–up. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US (Apr.)