Foody, Amanda
WORK TITLE: Daughter of the Burning City
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.amandafoody.com/
CITY: Philadelphia
STATE: PA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | no2017093160 |
|---|---|
| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017093160 |
| HEADING: | Foody, Amanda |
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| 005 | 20170718073600.0 |
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| 010 | __ |a no2017093160 |
| 035 | __ |a (OCoLC)oca10899111 |
| 040 | __ |a ICrlF |b eng |e rda |c ICrlF |
| 100 | 1_ |a Foody, Amanda |
| 370 | __ |e Philadelphia (Pa.) |2 naf |
| 372 | __ |a Young adult fiction |a Fantasy fiction |a Accounting |2 lcsh |
| 374 | __ |a Authors |a Accountants |2 lcsh |
| 375 | __ |a Females |2 lcdgt |
| 377 | __ |a eng |
| 670 | __ |a Foody, A. Daughter of the burning city, ©2017: |b title page (Amanda Foody) dust jacket (Tax accountant in Philadelphia) |
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:College of William and Mary, B.A., 2015; Villanova University, M.A., 2017. Also attended the American Business School Paris.
ADDRESS
- Home - Philadelphia, PA.
- Agent - Brianne Johnson, bjohnson@writershouse.com.
CAREER
PwC, tax accountant, 2017-.
WRITINGS
- Daughter of the Burning City, Harlequin Teen (Buffalo, NY), 2017
- Ace of Shades ("The Shadow Game" series), Harlequin Teen (Buffalo, NY), 2018
SIDELIGHTS
Amanda Foody is a young-adult fantasy fiction writer based in Philadelphia. By day she is a tax accountant who holds a master’s degree in accountancy from Villanova University and a bachelor’s in English literature from the College of William and Mary. A Harry Potter fan, Foody likes to write about immersive settings and characters grappling with insurmountable destinies.
In 2017, Foody published her debut book, Daughter of the Burning City, which is set in a magical traveling carnival. At age three, Sorina was rescued from slavery by a man who then adopted her as his daughter. She has no eyes, yet she can see by magical means. She can also create lifelike illusions for her father, owner of the Gomorrah Festival, which boasts that it caters to anyone’s dreams and desires. Sorina’s illusions populate the carnival’s Freak Show: a fish man, a fire-breathing baby, trapeze artists, and a two-headed boy. She loves her creations as if they were her own family. One day, the fish man is murdered, but how can he be dead if he is just an illusion? To help her investigate who is murdering her illusions, Sorina enlists the gossip-worker Luca, a demisexual person who is overly critical of her yet who Sorina still thinks is cute. They uncover political machinations involved in the murders, the brewing war between the Northern and Southern cities, and danger at play within the sinister carnival itself. Sorina also wants to understand the extent of her illusion magic. Soon a forbidden romance begins between Sorina and Luca.
Generating circus excitement, Foody employs color, exotic foods, and geography to tell the story, observed Katherine Noone in Voice of Youth Advocates. Noone added that “the freakishness of Sorina’s crew disappears into the normal squabbling and teasing of family life among well-characterized individuals” and that teens will enjoy the slowly developing romance between Sorina and Luca and the magical illusions. A writer in Publishers Weekly praised the magic, political intrigue, and colorful setting but questioned the romance between Sorina and the cold Luca and thought the finale was too neat and tidy. Nevertheless, the writer said: “A few big twists clear up most of the early inconsistencies that arise.”
“A book that aims high but attempts to cover too much territory” is how a Kirkus Reviews writer characterized the novel, adding that it tries to champion the outsider but also stigmatizes the “freak” and eliminates Sorina’s disability by giving her magical sight. In Booklist, Cindy Welch explained that “Foody’s mystery seems focused on the illusion-killer, but there is a darker story of political unrest,” along with social themes of the haves and have-nots and commentary on people who believe that “different” is perverse. According to Sunnie Scarpa in School Library Journal, “The richly drawn backdrop and imaginative fantasy world allow the author to thoughtfully explore complex issues such as what makes someone real.”
On the Fantasy Book Review website, a writer noted: “The impact of the final reveal feels muted in part because of this hold up in development, meaning it lacks the punch it should have.” Nevertheless, the critic thought that the novelty of the book is its fresh setting and world creation and found the novel “unfailing in its message of acceptance and individuality, woven within an interesting, curious and vivid world.” Calling the book enticing, mysterious and compelling, Fay Tannerr wrote online at YA Books Central that “Foody did an excellent job with an intricately written plot filled with murder, mystery and excitement.” She went on to single out “all the details that were described in a mesmerizing way from the smell of licorice cherries to the smell of the smoke that is continuously in Gomorrah’s air.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, June, 2017, Cindy Welch, review of Daughter of the Burning City, p. 91.
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2017, review of Daughter of the Burning City.
Publishers Weekly, May 8, 2017, review of Daughter of the Burning City, p. 62.
School Library Journal, July, 2017, Sunnie Scarpa, review of Daughter of the Burning City, p. 88.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 2017, Katherine Noone, review of Daughter of the Burning City, p. 73.
ONLINE
Amanda Foody Website, http://www.amandafoody.com (February 1, 2018), author profile.
Fantasy Book Review, http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/ (February 1, 2018), review of Daughter of the Burning City.
YA Books Central, http://www.yabookscentral.com/ (November 10, 2017), Fay Tannerr, review of Daughter of the Burning City.
- Daughter of the Burning City Harlequin Teen (Buffalo, NY), 2017
- Daughter of the Burning City - 2017 Harlequin Teen, https://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Burning-City-Amanda-Foody/dp/0373212437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482345981&sr=8-1&keywords=daughter+of+the+burning+city
- Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game Series) - 2018 Harlequin Teen, https://www.amazon.com/Shades-Shadow-Game-Amanda-Foody/dp/1335692290/ref=la_B01N5SPJBO_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517194963&sr=1-1
- Amanda Foody - http://www.amandafoody.com/about/
Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After spending her childhood longing to attend Hogwarts, she now loves to write about immersive settings and characters grappling with insurmountable destinies. She holds a Masters in Accountancy from Villanova University, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from the College of William and Mary. Currently, she works as a tax accountant in Philadelphia, PA, surrounded by her many siblings and many books.
DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY is her first novel. Her second, ACE OF SHADES, will follow on April 24, 2018 from Harlequin TEEN.
Foody, Amanda. Daughter of the
Burning City
Katherine Noone
Voice of Youth Advocates.
40.4 (Oct. 2017): p73. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * J * S
Foody, Amanda. Daughter of the Burning City. Harlequin Teen, July 2017. 384p. $19.99. 978-0-373-21243-9.
At sixteen, Sorina is the leader of the freak show in her adoptive mother's traveling Gomorrah festival. Audiences are impressed by her magic as an illusionist and horror-fascinated by the fact that her face has no eyes, although she sees perfectly well. They do not realize that she has created all eight of her talented fellow freaks, including Fire-Breathing Baby and Two-Headed Boy. When someone begins murdering her creations, heartbroken Sorina pursues the killer. She enlists the help of Luca, a mysterious newcomer whose own magic involves instant healing from normally mortal wounds. Although Sorina's father assures her that his political rivals are responsible, Luca is certain that the killer is a Gomorrah magic-worker. As the truth unfolds, Sorina needs all of her surviving freaks to outwit the killer.
A map would have been useful because geography is crucial to the clever plot. The Down- Mountain festival travels to five Up-Mountain cities, and the murders are tied specifically to three of them. Foody knows how to evoke circus excitement using color and taste, including the festival's signature treat--licorice-dipped cherries. Teens will be intrigued by the slow development of the romance between Sorina and Luca and satisfied by the outcome when the freaks' unique talents assure victory against the villains. For readers, the freakishness of Sorina's crew disappears into the normal squabbling and teasing of family life among well-characterized individuals. Fans of Stephanie Garber's Caraval (Flatiron, 2017) will enjoy comparing the magical feasts.--Katherine Noone.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
1 of 6 1/28/18, 8:57 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Noone, Katherine. "Foody, Amanda. Daughter of the Burning City." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2017, p. 73. PowerSearch, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511785083 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=fe5b1998. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511785083
2 of 6 1/28/18, 8:57 PM
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Foody, Amanda: DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2017): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Foody, Amanda DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY Harlequin Teen (Children's Fiction) $19.99 7, 25 ISBN: 978-0-373-21243-9
Magic, murder, and mayhem abound in Foody's debut.Ever since her father rescued her from enslavement and adopted her when she was 3, 16-year-old Sorina has lived in Gomorrah, a huge, traveling circus-festival. Born without eyes yet magically able to see, Sorina is in charge of the Gomorrah Festival Freak Show. The attraction is full of Sorina's illusions, semi-independent creations who have become like family: a scaled grandfather, a boneless acrobatic sister, a flaming baby, and more. But when someone begins to systematically murder her illusions, she begins to question the ways her magic can work. Fiercely loyal and protective, she'll do whatever it takes to safeguard her family--even if it means working with extremely irritating-but-cute Luca, another Gomorrah jynx-worker. As the duo teams up to solve the murders and prevent more, their connection grows from irritation to friendship to attraction. Luca appears to be demisexual, disinclined to build sexual or romantic relationships without an emotional bond, and the couple has welcome conversations about the speed of their relationship and consent. While many characters are coded as white, it is implied that many of Gomorrah's residents (including Sorina) are racially diverse. The novel clearly attempts to champion the outsider (and arguably does so successfully with demisexuality), but its disruption of our world's stigmatization of disability is incomplete--both in its inconsistent questioning of "freak" (though Sorina's arc is one of empowerment) and in Sorina's disability-erasing magical sight. A book that aims high but attempts to cover too much territory. (Fantasy. 14-17)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Foody, Amanda: DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2017.
PowerSearch, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A493329190/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=8d00d5ba. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A493329190
3 of 6 1/28/18, 8:57 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Daughter of the Burning City
Cindy Welch
Booklist.
113.19-20 (June 2017): p91. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Daughter of the Burning City. By Amanda Foody. July 2017.384p. HarlequlnTeen, $19.99 (9780373212439). Gr. 8-11.
A traveling circus city called Gomorrah is home to blind 16-year-old jynx worker Sorina, whose skill is creating illusions so realistic they lead their own lives: birdlike Hawk; boneless acrobat Venera; dagger-headed Crown; bark-wrapped Human Tree; conjoined twins Unu and Du; fire- breathing baby Blister; and Trout, a man whose gills let him breath underwater. Sorina, as Gomorrah's proprietor's daughter, holds a place of importance, but that doesn't prevent her creations from being killed off one by one. As she searches for the killer, family secrets are uncovered, and the controversy Gomorrah ignites each place it goes becomes an important political component of the story. Gomorrah is a freak show on wheels, surrounded by the entourage that usually supports carnival-like shows, but on a scale so large it becomes a city in and of itself. On the surface, first-time author Foody's mystery seems focused on the illusion- killer, but there is a darker story of political unrest, struggles between haves and have-nots, and those who believe that "different" is perverse. --Cindy Welch
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Welch, Cindy. "Daughter of the Burning City." Booklist, June 2017, p. 91. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A498582821/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=b3f6713e. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A498582821
4 of 6 1/28/18, 8:57 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Daughter of the Burning City
Publishers Weekly.
264.19 (May 8, 2017): p62+. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Daughter of the Burning City
Amanda Foody. HarlequinTeen, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-373-21243-9
The Gomorrah Festival is a sprawling, traveling city of performers who cater to needs both innocent and not so innocent. Sixteen-year-old narrator Sorina, the festival owner's adopted daughter, is an illusion worker who uses her ability to create Gomorrah's freak show performers. She's also a "freak" herself: she has no eyes, only smooth skin where they would be, yet she can see thanks to her talent. Sorina's creations serve as the family she never had, among them acrobat party-girl Venera and the two-headed Unu and Du. When Gill, the "Trout Man," is killed, Sorina is shocked: her illusions aren't real, right? To figure out what has happened and who is responsible, Sorina enlists the help of gossip-worker Luca, her guide to Gomorrah's sinister Downhill neighborhood. Debut author Foody's colorful setting is vast--filled with magic, political intrigue, and the potential to grow--yet Sorina's romantic interest in Luca is a head-scratcher, given his lack of warmth and frequent put-downs aimed at her. A few big twists clear up most of the early inconsistencies that arise, but the too-neat finale may not satisfy all readers. Ages 14--up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Daughter of the Burning City." Publishers Weekly, 8 May 2017, p. 62+. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491949166/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=1906c564. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491949166
5 of 6 1/28/18, 8:57 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Foody, Amanda. Daughter of the
Burning City
Sunnie Scarpa
School Library Journal.
63.7 (July 2017): p88. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
FOODY, Amanda. Daughter of the Burning City. 384p. illus. Harlequin Teen. Jul. 2017. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780373212439.
Gr 10 Up--Sorina is the 16-year-old adopted daughter of the Proprietor of Gomorrah, a traveling city/circus loosely based on the biblical city of the same name. Many inhabitants of Gomorrah are able to perform magical tasks. In addition to being able to see despite being born without eyes, Sorina also has the rare ability to create illusions. Her most elaborate illusions are a group of people she calls her family, who all have unusual characteristics and fill special roles in her life. When these created members of her family are murdered at each new city they visit, Sorina wonders about the nature of her talents and whom she can trust. Amid her own investigations and mounting pressure from her father to get involved with political machinations that could end in a war between the Northern and Southern cities, Sorina must question everything about herself and her way of life to get to the truth. The richly drawn backdrop and imaginative fantasy world allow the author to thoughtfully explore complex issues such as what makes someone real and how we should treat people who are different. The illustrations add an interesting element to the unfolding mystery. However, the cookie-cutter dialogue and predictable romance keep the otherwise compelling story from being truly great. VERDICT With so many standout fantasy novels, such as Sarah Beth Durst's Conjured and Kate Elliott's "Court of Fives" series, readily available, this is recommended only as a secondary purchase.--Sunnie Scarpa, Wallingford Public Library, CT
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Scarpa, Sunnie. "Foody, Amanda. Daughter of the Burning City." School Library Journal, July
2017, p. 88. PowerSearch, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497611161 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=a87ae1f2. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497611161
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- Fantasy Book Review
http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Amanda-Foody/Daughter-of-the-Burning-City.html
Word count: 588Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody
Daughter of the Burning City book cover
Free preview
Rating 6.8/10
Ultimately the pleasure here is in Foody's worldThe best thing about Amanda Foody’s debut lies in the title itself. Her ‘Burning City’ is an immersive, sensory experience that rivets from the very first page. The smoke from her travelling circus wafts off the page, the dirt and ash from the trodden ground almost tangible on the tongue. The ‘freaks’ that adorn the mainstage of her Gomorrah Festival are so gaudy and rich that no space is left in the imagination for error. It’s an engulfing and curious experience.
But a good book is more than just its setting, and this story of young Sorina and her quest to uncover who’s murdering her ‘Freak Show’ family is an uneven one.
The premise is intriguing, as each of Sorina’s family members are as bizarre as can be imagined (a baby pyromaniac, a giant, sentient tree and a man made up of enormous finger nails are just a few), and getting to know them, as well as the rules that constrain them in Foody’s world is quite fascinating.
Sorina herself is also an interesting construct: 16 years old, both eyeless and able to see, the only ‘illusion-worker’ in the city and also the person in line to take over management of the city from her adoptive father, Villiam, in the not-too-distant future.
However throughout the book, Sorina flits too easily between overriding confidence and recurring self-doubt in a way that feels difficult to connect with. Throughout her investigation into the murders, she ponders whether or not she is able to ask herself the ‘hard questions’, which ultimately isn’t able to do. This inability holds up the narrative, dawdling too long on romantic entanglements and denying the reader the opportunity to follow any clues to try and work out the end.
The impact of the final reveal feels muted in part because of this hold up in development, meaning it lacks the punch it should have considering the events that have unfolded.
Overarching political conflicts between the circus and its various host cities also fail to feel as significant as they should, especially when suggested as a possible motive for the attacks later on.
However, the attacks themselves are gruesomely depicted, drawn vividly by Foody and making for visceral and uncomfortable reading. The next attack is feared yet perversely desired, and easily one of the primary reasons to keep the pages turning.
But ultimately the pleasure here is in Foody’s world, which is a fresh departure from the norm and a confident statement in a debut novel. Additionally, for its target audience of young adult readers, Daughter of the Burning City is unfailing in its message of acceptance and individuality, woven within an interesting, curious and vivid world.
This Daughter of the Burning City book review was written by Ally Wybrew
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Word count: 1698Daughter of the Burning City
0.0
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Daughter of the Burning City
Author(s)
Amanda Foody
Publisher
Harlequin TEEN
Genre(s)Fantasy
supernatural
Fantasy RomanceAge Range
14+
Release Date
July 25, 2017
ISBN
9780373212439
Buy This BookSixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show.
But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered.
Desperate to protect her family, Sorina must track down the culprit and determine how they killed a person who doesn’t actually exist. Her search for answers leads her to the self-proclaimed gossip-worker Luca, and their investigation sends them through a haze of political turmoil and forbidden romance, and into the most sinister corners of the Festival. But as the killer continues murdering Sorina’s illusions one by one, she must unravel the horrifying truth before all of her loved ones disappear.
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November 10, 2017
Fay Tannerr Fay Tannerr
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Overall rating5.0
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Enticing and compelling!Daughter of the Burning City was an enticing, mysterious and compelling novel. It tells the story of Sorina, an illusion-worker working in the Festival of Gomorrah. Sorina has created illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities of their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show. Her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered. Sorina must try to find out who the killer is with the help of Luca, a self proclaimed gossip-worker and how to get justice for her family.
Debut author Amanda Foody did an excellent job with an intricately written plot filled with murder, mystery and excitement. I loved all the details that were described in a mesmerizing way from the smell of licorice cherries to the smell of the smoke that is continuously in Gommorrah's air. I also enjoyed the details that went into describing the Freak Show and all of Gomorrah including Up-Hill, Down-Hill and Skull Gate.
I found the characters to be unique and interesting. I really Liked Sorina's character and her unique abilities as well as all her family's abilities. I also liked Luca and his snark. He was a mystery and I think just great! Verena, Du, Unu, Tree, Gill, Crown, Nicoleta, Blister, Hawk and Kahina were really interesting characters too and made the story work! The illustrations in the book were also a really nice touch!
I truly enjoyed Daughter of the Burning city and would recommend fans of fantasy and mystery to give Daughter of the Burning City a try!
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https://sfbook.com/daughter-of-the-burning-city.htm
Word count: 511aughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody
a review by Alice Wybrew, in the genre(s) Fantasy. Book published by Harlequin Books in June 2017
The best thing about Amanda Foody’s debut lies in the title itself. Her ‘Burning City’ is an immersive, sensory experience that rivets from the very first page. The smoke from her traveling circus wafts off the page, the dirt and ash from the trodden ground almost tangible on the tongue. The ‘freaks’ that adorn the main stage of her Gomorrah Festival are so gaudy and rich that no space is left in the imagination for error. It’s an engulfing and curious experience.
But a good book is more than just its setting, and this story of young Sorina and her quest to uncover who’s murdering her ‘Freak Show’ family is an uneven one.
The premise is intriguing, as each of Sorina’s family members are as bizarre as can be imagined (a baby pyromaniac, a giant, sentient tree and a man made up of enormous finger nails are just a few), and getting to know them, as well as the rules that constrain them in Foody’s world is quite fascinating.
Sorina herself is also an interesting construct: 16 years old, both eyeless and able to see, the only ‘illusion-worker’ in the city and also the person in line to take over management of the city from her adoptive father, Villiam, in the not-too-distant future.
However throughout the book, Sorina flits too easily between overriding confidence and recurring self-doubt in a way that feels difficult to connect with. Throughout her investigation into the murders, she ponders whether or not she is able to ask herself the ‘hard questions’, which ultimately isn’t able to do. This inability holds up the narrative, dawdling too long on romantic entanglements and denying the reader the opportunity to follow any clues to try and work out the end.
The impact of the final reveal feels muted in part because of this hold up in development, meaning it lacks the punch it should have considering the events that have unfolded.
Overarching political conflicts between the circus and its various host cities also fail to feel as significant as they should, especially when suggested as a possible motive for the attacks later on.
However, the attacks themselves are gruesomely depicted, drawn vividly by Foody and making for visceral and uncomfortable reading. The next attack is feared yet perversely desired, and easily one of the primary reasons to keep the pages turning.
But ultimately the pleasure here is in Foody’s world, which is a fresh departure from the norm and a confident statement in a debut novel. Additionally, for its target audience of young adult readers, Daughter of the Burning City is unfailing in its message of acceptance and individuality, woven within an interesting, curious and vivid world.
Written on Monday 20th November 2017 by Alice Wybrew.