Cover Blurb
I am Valshara, the black stone born of fire. Break me and my edges turn into knives.
Condemned to a slave camp for her crimes, goblin convict Valshara Sh’a makes a death-defying escape to freedom. But navigating Vindor’s treacherous cavern system is only the beginning of her troubles. An encounter with a rogue king turns her world upside down, and a bargain with fairy tricksters leaves her responsible for a human child.
As she tries to smuggle the boy through the walls of a barricaded city, Valshara can’t let down her guard. Because somewhere in the darkness behind her, a bounty hunter rises—relentless as night fall and merciless as death itself.
Emily Golus re-imagines Victor Hugo’s beloved Les Misérables as an epic fantasy adventure about suffering, redemption, and the extraordinary power of love.
My Review
Emily Golus spins a fantastical tale based on the classic Les Miserables using her world of Vindor as the setting. Follow Valshara, an escaped goblin prisoner, on her journey Top Side where goblins rarely go. I loved the characterization of Valshara and the details of the world building through the eyes of a goblin. I laughed through much of this book because of Valshara’s antics while helping a human child get home.
It has a deep story of overcoming as she learns new truths about herself and how life can really be. It will pull at the emotions. I believe the humor I found enriched the experience and had the right touch of lightening the dark side of things without downplaying them.
If you like Les Misérables and a good fantasy romp, then you’ll enjoy this book.
Other Notes
Emily set this story in her world of Vindor. I have to admit I had not read any of her books before this. When I am done reading all nine A Classic Retold books, I’ll have to check out her Vindor books because of how rich the world feels.
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