In this gorgeous standalone companion to the critically acclaimed fantasy, The Boneless Mercies, April Tucholke spins a bold and blood-hungry retelling of the King Arthur legend that is perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Garth Nix, and Laini Taylor.

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On the heels of a devastating plague, Torvi’s sister, Morgunn is stolen from the family farm by Uther, a flame-loving Fremish wolf-priest who leads a pack of ragged, starving girls. Torvi leaves the only home she’s ever known, and joins a shaven-skulled druid and a band of roaming Elsh artists known as the Butcher Bards. They set out on a quest to rescue Torvi’s sister, and find a mythical sword.

 

On their travels, Torvi and her companions will encounter magical night wilds and mystical Drakes who trade in young men. They will sing rowdy Elshland ballads in a tree-town tavern, and find a mysterious black tower in an Endless Forest. They will fight alongside famous Vorseland archers and barter with Fremish wizards. They will feast with rogue Jade Fell children in a Skal Mountain cave, and seek the help of a Pig Witch. They will face wild, dangerous magic that leads to love, joy, tragedy, and death.

 

Torvi set out to rescue a sister, but she may find it’s merely the first step toward a life that is grander and more glorious than anything she could have imagined.

coming April 2020

ARC requests can be sent to:

brittany.pearlman@macmillan.com 

"The Boneless Mercies feels like a cathartic war cry advocating for the power of girls and women. [...] A dynamic critique of the hero's journey: Who is granted honor and glory, and at what cost does it come?"  

 

"...a deeply feminist update to its source material."

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--The New York Times

"These fierce, honorable adolescent female warriors hold their own and break all the rules. Wow."

--Kirkus, Starred Review

"Tucholke injects close intimacy into her lush saga, interweaving love and murder, mercy and glory into her portrayal of life and death. It is a beautiful, haunting modern-day epic that stars a bold and resourceful sisterhood of heroines unafraid to claim agency."

--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Frey embodies the pursuit of glory through a quest to become a hero remembered in story and myth. Fans of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings will find similar themes and elements. This is a must-have for avid fantasy readers who enjoy action-packed plots. VERDICT An excellent choice for any YA fantasy collection." 

--School Library Journal, Starred Review

First chapter excerpt on Bustle

Trained warriors kill loudly. We kill silently. And that is how you hunt a beast.
 

Frey yearns for a life worthy of saga and song. But she is a Boneless Mercy, a member of an ancient female sect that has survived the rising and falling of kingdoms.

 

Mercies are death-traders, doomed to roam Vorseland killing the old or the sick for meager pay. Their methods are quiet, even merciful, yet wherever the seasons lead them, their daggers inspire unease. Frey and her band of Mercies--Ovie, Runa, and Juniper--are weary of the death trade and dream of a bigger life. So when Frey hears that a beast is slaughtering people in a northern jarldom, she decides that killing it is the Mercies’ chance at fame and fortune, even if it means they must align with the reclusive Sea Witches and face the ruthless Cut-Queen of the Red Willow Marsh. Their success—or failure—might change the fate of women everywhere.

"Frey’s earnest narrative voice creates a strong sense of the center of this fantasy: female solidarity. Bodily closeness, a shared quest for justice, and sheer joy in physical capacity are only part of it: collaboration and attentive respect are the true underpinning of Tucholke’s creation. This is the quiet force behind a plot of conquest and adventure, and of the diverse religions, cultures, terrains, and tales that make up Tucholke’s invented world. A dark and vivid story, with what-happens-next? momentum." 

--The Horn Book

"Fierce and glorious, this story of outcast girls defying fate utterly bewitched me. Tucholke is a gorgeous writer." 

--Laini Taylor, New York Times-bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer

"Ruthless and lyrical, heart-warming and blood-chilling, and beautifully redolent of ancient tales and history. It will sing to a new generation of heroes." 

--Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Season

"The Boneless Mercies maintains the mystical, haunting flavor of an ancient ballad across the length of a novel. Its every page hints at a deeper magic at work; it contains a whole world and all its myths and histories within its skin."

--Melissa Albert, New York Times-bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

"I fell in love with this stunning novel from the very first page. Fierce and unforgettable, with gorgeous prose and a fantastic premise that more than delivers. Easily one of my favorite YA novels of 2018." 

--Katherine Webber, author of Wing Jones and Only Love Can Break Your Heart

April Genevieve Tucholke is the author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Between the Spark and the Burn, Wink Poppy Midnight, and The Boneless Mercies. Her books have been published in sixteen countries, and have received eight

starred reviews. They have been selected for the Junior Library Guild, Kids' Indie Next picks, and YALSA Teens Top Ten. When she's not writing, April likes walking in the woods, exploring abandoned houses, and drinking expensive coffee. She currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

 

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photo by Macey Snelson

 

For all rights information please contact:

 

Tracey Adams

Adams Literary
Email: info@adamsliterary.com
Phone: 704.542.1440

 

You can snail mail me at:

April Tucholke
PO Box 8780

Boise, ID 83707

 

You can also write me via the contact form below. 

 

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