A Sleight of Shadows

By: Kat Howard

Narrated by: Madeleine Maby

Return to Kat Howard’s Alex Award­–winning world begun in An Unkindness of Magicians as Sydney struggles with the reality of losing her powers—and the lengths she’ll go to get her magic back.

After taking down the source of corruption of the Unseen World, Sydney is left with almost no magical ability. Feeling estranged from herself, she is determined to find a way back to her status as one of the world’s most dangerous magicians. Unfortunately, she needs to do this quickly: the House of Shadows, the hell on earth that shaped her into who she was, the place she sacrificed everything to destroy, is rebuilding itself.

“The House of Shadows sits on Bones. All of the sacrifices, all of the magicians who died in Shadows, they’re buried beneath the foundations. Bones hold magic.”

The magic of the Unseen World is acting strangely, faltering, bleeding out from the edges. Determined to keep the House of Shadows from returning to power and to defeat the magicians who want nothing more than to have it back, Sydney turns to extremes in a desperate attempt to regain her sacrificed magic. She is forced to decide what she will give up and what she will lose and whether what must be destroyed is not on the House of Shadows, but the Unseen World itself.

World Fantasy Award finalist Kat Howard has written a sequel that asks how you have a happily ever after in a world that doesn’t want it, where the cost of that happiness may be too much to bear.

Critic reviews

"...the character of Sydney is clearly and consistently depicted; Maby gives her a fierce focus and a single-minded dedication to her task."

Fantastic

This was an amazing ending to a great series. The Magic is so visceral and real, making the books a delight to read. I look forward to more books by this author, she reminds me of a young Patricia McKillip!

Great

Loved it, great ending to the series. I have to write 3 more words.

Great

Great original story and an excellent performance. I’m now a big fan of Kat Howard.

Wish it was longer so I could keep reading

Really fantastic follow up to its predecessor with interesting new characters, tons of plot twists, and a main character you can root for.