Woven in Moonlight
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ISBN10: 1645672050
ISBN13: 9781645672050
Paperback
400 Pages
$10.99
Finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Book Award
Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.
When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.
She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princesa, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.
Reviews
Praise for Woven in Moonlight
"Woven in Moonlight—appropriately—weaves a beautiful spell that takes culturally specific details and spins them into an engaging fantasy world."—NPR
"[Woven in Moonlight] brings much to the table, from mouth-watering depictions of food to juicy politics to an intricate magic system involving weaving moonlight into tapestries, but where it really shines is in its insistence that people should question their inherent beliefs."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Woven in Moonlight is a nuanced and empathetic fantasy . . . Touching on ideas of restorative justice in a unique and vivid setting, Isabel Ibañez delivers a confident, subtle and inspiring debut about what it takes to move a divided society forward.”—BookPage (starred review)
"Isabel Ibañez's gorgeously written YA debut builds a world that feels true to life with a distinctive magic system at its core. The revolt and the politics between the Illustrians and Llacsans are nuanced and the characters from both groups are fully fleshed individuals with their own motives. Readers are likely to empathize with Ximena's struggles as she attempts to find her true self within her dual identities. Woven in Moonlight spins a satisfying tale of adventure, romance and magic.”—Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“A lush, vibrant feast of a book, set in a world as colorful and inventive as the fierce heroine’s magical tapestries. I could have remained lost in its pages forever.”—Margaret Rogerson, The New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens
“Isabel Ibañez brings a modern story to an ancient world—with immersive prose, original magic, and characters as rich as the Bolivian culture that constructs the story. A wholly unique book for the YA shelf.”—Adrienne Young, The New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep
“A story that glitters as bright as Ximena’s moondust. With its slow burn romance and simmering intrigue, Woven in Moonlight kept me reading long into the night. Isabel Ibañez writes pure magic.”—Shelby Mahurin, The New York Times bestselling author of Serpent & Dove
“A spellbinding, vivid debut. Plot twists abound, the magic is uniquely drawn, and intrigue illuminates the pages. The world of Inkasisa is so beautifully rendered I never wanted to leave it.”—Rebecca Ross, author of Queen’s Rising
"A refreshing, page-turning debut."—Kirkus Reviews
"With sword fights, damsels, vigilantes, magic, and betrayal, this thoughtful novel should have broad appeal."—Booklist
"Debut author Ibañez creates a complex story, pairing an intriguing, subtle layer of magic with the deftly handled political intricacies."—Publishers Weekly