The City in the Lake
The City in the Lake is a young adult fantasy novel, published by Knopf in the US.
About the Book
The Kingdom’s Heart is the City. The City’s heart is the King. The King’s heart is the Prince. The Prince is missing.
Ever since the Prince disappeared, nothing has been right in the Kingdom. Something has disturbed the strange, old magic that whispers around its borders … something cunning and powerful. And the disturbance extends to the farthest reaches of the Kingdom, including the idyllic village where Timou is learning to be a mage under her father’s tutelage.
When Timou’s father journeys to the City to help look for the Prince, but never returns, Timou senses that the disturbance in the Kingdom is linked to her – and to the undiscovered heritage of the mother she never knew. She must leave her village, even if it means confronting powers greater than her own, even though what she finds may challenge everything she knows. Even if it means leaving love behind.
Reviews
From Elizabeth Bunce, author of A Curse Dark As Gold:
“Neumeier’s prose is delicious–deft, lyrical, rich, and surprising. The characters are engaging … And the story is satisfying, unfolding in a steady, measured pace that lets Neumeier’s talent with language, setting, and characterization shine.” [Thank you, Elizabeth.]
And other reviewers:
“This book is stunning. No real words can do it justice.” [Thanks, Nettle! And I hope EVERYONE takes the time to read your entire extremely flattering review, available here.]
“This is a lovely story, beautifully told. It is a slow read, in the best sense of the term, because to rush through it would be to waste its wealth of detail.” – [Thanks, Charlotte!]
“… an immensely satisfying book heavy with myth, metaphor, and symbol. It’s a beautifully written book with a fairy-tale feel but more depth than a fairy tale. It draws on myth and folklore for some of the imagery and elements, yet it’s a wholly original tale.” [Sheila, I can't express how much I appreciate your saying so.]
“… one of the most chilling villains [you] are likely to encounter in fiction.” [Wow, Karen, seriously, thanks so much! It's such a pleasure to know my villain came across so well.]
“[Faerie is] a place beyond human understanding, a place with its own laws, few of which are understood by human visitors … It is perilous, and those that enter seldom leave unscathed – or perhaps ‘unchanged’ would be a truer word. Properly done, Faerie evokes a sense of wonder, a sense of being drawn into something larger, a sense of dangerous beauty … Rachel does good Faerie.” [Thanks, Will, for such a thoughtful review.]
Availability
US Hardcover | ISBN: 9780375847042 | RRP: US$15.99