A Wild Radiance

In this confident dystopian adventure, a teen trained to control radiance—magic that feeds off one’s life force and emotions—finds herself entangled in a nationwide conspiracy. After 10 years of instruction, 16-year-old Josephine leaves the House of Industry for an apprenticeship as a Conductor, wielder of the radiance that powers the machines of Progress that keep society running. Away from her mentors’ stifling rules for the first time, Josephine realizes that everything she was taught at the House—including the fact that radiance energy isn’t a threat to nonmagical citizens— may be a lie. She finds it particularly difficult to uphold the House principle of eschewing attachments upon meeting extremely attractive, though cold and standoffish, Senior Conductor Julian, 19, as well as mysterious teen Ezra, who hides secrets behind a disarming smile. Upon joining a movement that’s poised to upend the current world order, Josephine must reconcile her repressed yearning for community with the internalized rage and violence impacting her radiance. Balancing scenes both grim and heartwarming, Mora (The Immeasurable Depth of You) weaves a cathartic, hopeful tale of awakening to the realities of indoctrination, fighting against exploitative capitalism, and the redemptive power of human connection. Josephine has pale skin. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)