Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Ruin of Stars
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WEBSITE: http://www.linseymiller.com/
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NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in AR.
EDUCATION:Graduate in biology; M.F.A. candidate.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author. Has also worked as a crime lab intern, neuroscience lab assistant, and pharmacy technician.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Arkansas native Linsey Miller dreamed of being a doctor or medical examiner, not an author, as a youth. “I read a lot as a kid,” Miller told Natalie Aguirre in a Literary Rambles website interview, “and grew up around books, so the idea of writing wasn’t an odd one; however, writing never seemed like a job that was obtainable. I studied biology in college and didn’t really start writing books or short stories until my senior year when I was seriously doubting my life choices (my med school interviewer said it sounded like I would be a better writer than doctor which should’ve been a hint).” Miller further commented on her journey from science to literature in ScarletWriters website: “[B]y the time I graduated I was burned out. The prospect of medical school filled me with dread instead of joy, and I went through a rough year of trying to decide what I needed to do and what I could do. Eventually, I decided to scrap the idea of medical school (which was a whole different emotional journey). I am very lucky that I have a very good support system.”
Miller finally decided to give writing a try. “It was an all-or-nothing time, and if it hadn’t worked out by the end of the year, I was going to do something else, hopefully using my degree but maybe not,” Miller further commented in ScarletWriters website. The gamble paid off, with publication in 2017 of the first novel in a high fantasy duology, Mask of Shadows, followed the next year with the concluding volume, Ruin of Stars, both books featuring Sal Leon, a gender fluid highway robber desperate to find revenge on the noble families that destroyed both the home and family of the young thief. Sal finds his opportunity for such revenge in becoming an assassin for the Queen.
Mask of Shadows
Miller’s debut introduces readers to non-binary Sallot Leon, who uses variously the pronouns she/he/they as appropriate. Sal is a common criminal but wants more. This condition is the result of the nobles of Erlend who have destroyed all Sal loves, destroying his country of Nacea. Living for revenge, Sal steals a flyer to try out for the Queen’s Left Hand, her personal assassins named after a ring on each finger of that hand: Ruby, Emerald, Opal, and Amethyst. Now the Queen needs a new Opal, and this is Sal’s chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. However, nothing is easy for Sal, as the audition turns out to be a fight to the death with all sorts of cunning and violent types, from ex-soldiers to circus acrobats. Sal manages to defeat all others, gaining entrance to the Left Hand, and also wins the heart of a court scribe, Elise. Together, they begin to dream of a new and better life, but that will come only if Sal can learn to navigate this treacherous world.
School Library Journal writer Elaine Fultz offered a mixed critique of Mask of Shadows, terming it a “laudable but disjointed attempt at teen genre fiction featuring a strong gender-fluid main character.” Fultz added: “The main character’s gender-fluidity is well intentioned but is ultimately an awkward fit in this unsuccessful fantasy adventure.” Others found more to like. A Kirkus Reviews critic had praise for Mask of Shadows, noting: “The killing games and court intrigue–which may or may not involve magical specters previously used for torturing and killing Naceans–are breathless and terrifying. Gory, well-plotted, suspenseful on every page, and poised for the sequel.” Similarly, Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Nancy K. Wallace commented: “Excellent worldbuilding forms the backdrop and explains Sal’s anger and hatred for Erlend and its lords who savagely destroyed the homeland. Nonstop action makes this book hard to put down. Fantasy fans will love it.” A Children’s Bookwatch writer was also impressed, observing: “A consistently riveting and entertaining novel from cover to cover, Mask of Shadows reveals author Linsey Miller having an impressive flair for originality, as well as a gift for deftly crafted, truly memorable characters.” Likewise, online Lambda Literary reviewer Michele Kirichanskaya concluded: “Linsey Miller’s Mask of Shadows introduces some much-needed new representation to young adult fiction and historical fantasy: a compelling non-binary, gender-fluid protagonist. A fascinating mix of unique world-building, gripping action, and thoughtfully-drawn characters, Mask of Shadows is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read.”
Ruin of Stars
In Ruin of the Stars, now an elite assassin, Sal has the power to hunt down the lords who destroyed their family. But Sal must also determine who these lords are and enlists old friends as well as enemies of the Queen to do so. Sal is single-minded, trying to ignore the fact that beloved Elise is being held captive, and deals with enemies one after the other. One thing Sal cannot ignore though, is the presence of terror in the north, the return of shadows and disappearing children. In this concluding volume of the duology, Sal learns truths and secrets that can no longer be hidden.
A Kirkus Reviews critic offered a nuanced assessment of Ruin of Stars, commenting: “Though at times long-winded, this is a fitting conclusion to an inventive fantasy series.” Similarly, Booklist writer Carolyn Kelly felt that while this sequel “struggles with pace and coherence, … a bright spot is the romantic chemistry between Sal and Elise, also a winning character.” A further ambivalent evaluation came from Fultz, again writing in School Library Journal: “Overall flawed world-building makes this ambitious fantasy a choice for fans of the first book who want to see Sal’s journey through.” Fultz added, “Sal, in spite of all the throat-slitting, remains an endearingly sympathetic character, and their passionate voice for justice is this story’s gem in the rough.” A much higher assessment, however, came from online New York Journal of Books contributor J.S. Fields, who concluded: “Ruin of Stars is perfectly primed for YA readership, with an expansive, three-dimensional cast of queer characters, stunning action sequences, and a level of fantasy violence that offers escapism without gratuitous gore. A fine sequel to Mask of Shadows, Ruin of Stars, with its beautiful cover art and dynamic hero(ine) belongs on every bookshelf.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, June 1, 2018, Carolyn Kelly. review of Ruin of Stars, p. 95.
Children’s Bookwatch, November, 2017, review of Mask of Shadows.
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2017, review of Mask of Shadows; June 1, 2018, review of Ruin of Stars.
School Library Journal, July, 2017, Elaine Fultz , review of Mask of Shadows, p. 91; June, 2018, Elaine Fultz, review of Ruin of Stars, p. 92.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 2017, Nancy K. Wallace, review of Mask of Shadows, p. 75; June, 2018, Jonathan Ryder, review of Ruin of Stars, p. 72.
ONLINE
Illustrated Page, https://theillustratedpage.wordpress.com/ (September 3, 2017), Sarah Waites, “Guest Post: Questioning Motives by Linsey Miller.”
Lambda Literary, https://www.lambdaliterary.org/ (October 24, 2017), Michele Kirichanskaya, review of Mask of Shadows.
Linsey Miller website, http://www.linseymiller.com (October 6, 2018).
Literary Rambles, http://www.literaryrambles.com/ (September 18, 2017), Natalie Aguirre, author interview.
New York Journal of Books, https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/ (August 28, 2018), J.S. Fields, review of Ruin of Stars.
Novel Knight, http://novelknight.com/ (August 15, 2017), review of Mask of Shadows.
ScarletWriters, https://scarletwriters.com/ (July 10, 2018), author interview.
Teenreads.com, https://www.teenreads.com/ (November 2, 2017), review of Mask of Shadows.
Women Write About Comics, https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/ (September 15, 2017), review of Mask of Shadows.
Guest Post: Questioning Motives by Linsey Miller
Posted by Sarah Waites on September 3, 2017
Linsey Miller has been kind enough to write a guest post, in which she talks about characterization and her debut novel, Mask of Shadows.
Questioning Motives
I like to setup questions when beginning a draft. They keep me focused and I can edit my answers as I write if I discover character changes need to be made. In addition to characterization questions, I don’t start until I have an endgame (emotional and physical) for each character. I didn’t include that in the following questions, but it’s always part of them. I have known where Sal will be at the end of the duology since the beginning, and that has shaped who they are. The backbone of Sal is their ambition and grief and how they reconcile both with their morality. These questions helped me explore and solidify these parts of Sal and how to convey them.
29960675However, I’m not including standard characterization concerns. I decided Sal hated tomatoes but loved pickled pigs’ feet or that they’re rash and overprotective of their friends how most writers do—filled out a character sheet with world building in mind, changed everything while writing, and then laughed at the sheet and my prior comments. The questions below are the ones I asked myself to determine what the world building needed to be to make Sal who they are. They deal with how I approached Sal’s characterization as an aspect of how they’d be received within the context of American YA literature, not within the book.
Also, I’m sorry for the amount of “I wanted” you’re about to read. My wants are singular on how I wanted Sal, so replace these with what you want and need your character to be.
What did I want Sal to be?
The endings of some books left me wanting when I was a kid. My grief never felt separate from me. It never got better, only quieter, and even victory brought it rushing back. The books in which I saw this melancholy response to victory were the ones that really spoke to me. I wanted to provide a similar story about grief, victory, and the dozen contradicting feelings that come with them, and this hinged on Sal. Even in the happiest of books, most victories aren’t won without loss. I wanted to explore that loss through Sal.
I also wanted Sal do be the dashing rogue with a dark past (and darker present) who was confident (bordering on arrogant) and set in their ways because these are characteristics we see repeated in fantasy (and romance) characters. Sal needed to know who they were and what they wanted, and they needed to be ruthless about going after it while still being empathetic with other characters so that they didn’t come off as purely that archetype. Also, since Sal is a genderfluid character of color, I didn’t want to present them as wholly morally bankrupt or violent. They’re ruthless but caring, not the stone-cold stoicism we typically associate with assassins. Sal cares.
That care is often what drives Sal to react how they do—I wanted Sal to be reactionary, not antagonistic. Their violence is a response to violence and the threat of further violence as well as revenge. I didn’t want them to be only heartless bordering on trope.
At the heart of it all, I wanted Sal to be relatable even in their darkest moments. They needed to be all of these things so that they could be real.
What didn’t I want Sal to be?
I didn’t want Sal to just be a killer. They’re not in a dystopian society where murder is forced or necessary—Sal kills by choice. It might be a reaction to aggression by the antagonists of Mask of Shadows, but it’s still something Sal didn’t have to do. I didn’t want this to become Sal defining feature because of the harm this might have done when paired with Sal’s marginalizations.
I also didn’t want Sal to be a learning experience or an ambassador for genderfluid people. They were going to be, to an extent since they might be the first genderfluid character some readers experience, but I didn’t want to cater Sal’s gender to my own cis expectations. Sal needed to exist for theirself.
So I laid down rules for myself about lines Sal could not cross and things I could not directly or indirectly tie to their culture or gender. I kept a running list of past, present, and changing stereotypes and representation issues for characters I don’t share identities with and tried to steer clear of them. I discussed navigating the multiple intersecting aspects of identity with others.
Sensitivity readers were fundamental to Sal’s characterization (as well as the development of most side characters), and I cannot stress their importance in writing enough. No matter what I did or didn’t want Sal to be, at the end of the day, the opinion of the sensitivity readers won.
How did I want Sal to be received by readers?
Because Sal is genderfluid, how genderfluid readers (especially genderfluid readers of colors) received Sal was one of the most important parts of Mask of Shadows for me. I wanted Sal to be positive representation, and I had very strict rules for that. To be honest, the first rule was that the comfort, safety, and opinions of these readers came first. My failure to write would have hurt them more than anyone else, and so to fail was unacceptable. This required that I set up some very hard lines in the sand on what I would and would not do with Sal.
Sal’s navigation of the world isn’t something I made it. While Sal is not a universal representation of genderfluidity and should not be taken as such, they are not fully fictional. The way in which they navigate the world is how some genderfluid people also navigate our world. Sal is for them.
Sal is not—and could not be so long as I wrote Mask of Shadows honestly—a teaching experiences for cis readers to learn about genderfluidity. I think it’s very important for us (authors within the socially privileged group that controls much of what happens in media) to recognize that a learning experience for us can still be an act of violence against marginalized people. Just because we learned something doesn’t mean the act that brought about that education was justified. Our education cannot trump the safety of marginalized readers.
I also think it’s disingenuous to insist that marginalized characters can only grow when they are oppressed or discriminated against (which is often what we want to know—educate me on how you are oppressed). We do not hold non-marginalized characters to that standard, and I know that personally, I liked escaping into the worlds where inescapable aspects of my person were not held against me. Genderfluid teens deserve a chance to escape.
I wanted Sal to be perceived as that chance. However, my perception of things is skewed by my privilege. Who I wanted Sal to be, how they were characterized, and how I perceived them had to come second to how genderfluid readers needed Sal to be perceived. This idea repeats a lot in my ideas about Mask of Shadows and writing, but I feel that it’s a very important step to take when crafting books. We, authors within socially prioritized groups, must always question our characterization motives.
All of this isn’t to say that Sal was born of me asking questions. Sal started out as a completely different character in a completely different plot, but I didn’t know Sal outside of my original, bare conception of them—a non-binary assassin with a soft spot for bookish nerds. These questions helped me develop them as they needed to be written, not only as they necessarily needed to be.
Originally from Arkansas, Linsey has previously worked as a crime lab intern, neuroscience lab assistant, and pharmacy technician. She is currently an MFA candidate represented by Rachel Brooks of Bookends Literary. Her debut novel MASK OF SHADOWS is the first in a fantasy duology out now (8/29/17) from Sourcebooks Fire. The sequel RUIN OF STARS is coming out August of 2018. She can be found writing about science and magic anywhere there is coffee.
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About
Wayward biology student turned writer found writing anywhere there is coffee. Author of debut YA fantasy MASK OF SHADOWS and sequel RUIN OF STARS.
QUOTE:
y the time I graduated I was burned out. The prospect of medical school filled me with dread instead of joy, and I went through a rough year of trying to decide what I needed to do and what I could do.
Eventually, I decided to scrap the idea of medical school (which was a whole different emotional journey). I am very lucky that I have a very good support system.
Interview With Linsey Miller + Ruin of Stars Giveaway (Giveaway Closed)
July 10, 2018 10 Comments
Hello and welcome to a very special blog post! Today I have the one, the only, the fabulously amazing Linsey Miller for a riveting interview! Her debut novel Mask of Shadows was released last August, and the thrilling conclusion, Ruin of Stars, will be on shelves this August on the 28th! I’m asking her all about the process of being a debut author, how it feels to close the current on Sal’s gripping journey, and what we can look forward to from her next. Without further ado, let’s get into the interview.
Interview
1. What was the inspiration behind Mask of Shadows? How did Sal’s story come to life?
Honestly, I just really wanted to read a book about assassins and characters who were well aware of what they were doing and dealing with the ramifications of their job. At the same time, I had an idea for pretty trope-y characters who were named after the rings on their queen’s left hand and did all of her assassinations so that she didn’t have to. Morality in fantasy worlds is really interesting to me.
I wanted to explore who would volunteer to kill people to ensure that their leader stayed in power and why? How could they be the hero? How does our concept of heroic clash with social and political realities?
Then the precursor to Sal started forming, and I knew at once that they could be the dashing rogue with a heart of gold who would find their place in the world and figure out what it means to be an assassin logistically and emotionally.
2. What are you most excited for readers to learn from Ruin of Stars?
More about Sal and Nacea! No spoilers, so I’ll just say that being able to go deeper into the backstory of what happened ten years ago and what that means for the present was very interesting. Sal goes through a hard journey of self-discovery with some of that information, and I’m excited for readers to join Sal on that journey.
3. Do you think there is a chance you’ll ever revisit Sal’s world?
Maybe? I feel like if I ever did, I’d have to revisit Ruby or else people would hate me? If I do get the chance to revisit it one day, I’d like to either write about the civil war ten years before the start of Mask of Shadows or what happens in the decades after Ruin of Stars.
4. The exciting news is out! You have more book deals! I’m so excited for By Grace and Blood. Can you tell us anything about it?
Yes! It’s surreal and wonderful. I’m so glad I get to write this book and share it. I can’t really tell you much about it yet, but I think it will appeal to people who like magic, mysteries, found families, and fantasy politics. It should be a fun fantasy novel with more magic and less murder (probably) than Mask of Shadows.
5. Most authors talk about writing process and how each project can change that process. How has your writing process changed from Mask of Shadows to By Grace and Blood?
More post-it notes, less uncertainty, same anxiety.
It’s still fairly similar, but I know what my major weaknesses are now and where I might get caught up in drafting and revisions. Oddly, every time I sit down to write it immediately feels like I’ve forgotten how to write a book. But it seems to not take as long for me to get into the swing of “oh, yes, this is how words work” once I do start writing.
6. I read in your author bio that you were a Biology major with aspirations of being a doctor. How do you go from a path of medicine to writing Young Adult novels?
I realized very late in the game that I didn’t love the idea of medical school as much as I used to. I had planned on becoming a medical examiner from about sixth grade, and by the time I graduated I was burned out. The prospect of medical school filled me with dread instead of joy, and I went through a rough year of trying to decide what I needed to do and what I could do.
Eventually, I decided to scrap the idea of medical school (which was a whole different emotional journey). I am very lucky that I have a very good support system. I worked in a pharmacy for a year, tutored online, and wrote another book while executing a very intense plan to get published. It was an all-or-nothing time, and if it hadn’t worked out by the end of the year, I was going to do something else, hopefully using my degree but maybe not.
It worked out. I don’t think I would have written the books I did without my biology background. Science history and the way we approach medicine is, I think, an integral part of the worlds I create, and I’m glad I have that knowledge. I just wish I had figured out what I wanted to do a little earlier.
7. What is some advice you would give to aspiring Young Adult authors? Any tricks of the trade you can share?
Don’t be afraid to fail. Find your people.
Writing is hard. There’s a lot of failure that is inherent in the process of writing and getting published, and that failure isn’t a fault. It’s just what happens, and it is what makes you a better writer and reader. However, it still sucks. Find the people who will help you get through those moments where it’s rough and seems like the bottom, and cherish them. Then, return the favor and be there for them. Writing is a solitary process sometimes, but it doesn’t have to be lonely.
A few quick and fun questions:
It’s summer! What is the cast of Ruin of Stars up to?
Emerald—swimsuit on, cold drink in hand, feet in pool—is trying to relax with Our Queen Marianna and has also stolen all of the fans so that they point directly at them. Nicolas del Contes is in the pool, blindfolded, and trying to hunt down Ruby. Ruby, of course, is cheating, and has left the pool to get something to drink. Isidora dal Abreu is talking loudly to Nicolas to cover up the fact that Ruby is very obviously no longer responding from the pool. It’s not working.
Sal has talked Maud into a game of chicken and currently has her on their shoulders. Amethyst and Rath are their opponents, and Elise, sunbathing with a book nearby, is cheering on Sal. She might also be posting it to Instagram. With a lot of emojis.
Erlend doesn’t want to share the pool with any of them, left in a huff, and is miserable and melting somewhere faraway where they can’t bother anyone. Winter stepped on a hornet, and North Star got badly sunburned. None of them are happy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If the Left Hand went to a coffee shop what would be their orders?
Emerald: Earl Grey tea.
Ruby: A caramel latte with whipped cream, a shot of espresso, and chocolate syrup on top. It’s hot. He drinks it with a straw while wearing sunglasses inside.
Opal: It’s five in the morning, they haven’t slept, and they just ordered a black coffee with four shots of espresso. The barista is terrified.
Amethyst: Cold brew with cream, and she orders a thing of oatmeal with dried fruit on the side.
Have some book recommendations from and about our beloved LGBTQ+ community?
YES!
I’m only going to list currently out YA books. Some of them are parts in a series and some authors have multiple books. lgbtqreads.com is amazing and has much fuller, wonderful lists.
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore,
Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst,
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee,
Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann,
Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis,
QUOTE:
I read a lot as a kid and grew up around books, so the idea of writing wasn’t an odd one; however, writing never seemed like a job that was obtainable. I studied biology in college and didn’t really start writing books or short stories until my senior year when I was seriously doubting my life choices (my med school interviewer said it sounded like I would be a better writer than doctor which should’ve been a hint).
Natalie Aguirre
LINSEY MILLER INTERVIEW and MASK OF SHADOWS GIVEAWAY
Happy Monday Everyone!Today I’m excited to have debut author Linsey Miller here to share about her YA fantasy MASK OF SHADOWS. Sal seems like a fantastic character who has been described as reminding some of Arya Stark in Games of Throne, and the court intrigue sounds intense. But before we get to that I have some exciting Follower News.
Follower News
Nick Wilford's YA dystopian novel BLACK AND WHITE is being released. Here's a blurb: What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?
In Whitopolis, two high school students, Wellesbury Noon and Ezmerelda Dontible, are about to find out as a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity.
Links: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks
Add on Goodreads
Now here’s a blurb of MASK OF SHADOWS from Goodreads:
Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class and the nobles who destroyed their home.
When Sal Leon steals a poster announcing open auditions for the Left Hand, a powerful collection of the Queen's personal assassins named for the rings she wears -- Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst, and Opal -- their world changes. They know it's a chance for a new life.
Except the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. But Sal must survive to put their real reason for auditioning into play: revenge.
Hi Linsey! Thanks so much for joining us.
1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.
Hi! I read a lot as a kid and grew up around books, so the idea of writing wasn’t an odd one; however, writing never seemed like a job that was obtainable. I studied biology in college and didn’t really start writing books or short stories until my senior year when I was seriously doubting my life choices (my med school interviewer said it sounded like I would be a better writer than doctor which should’ve been a hint). I started writing, researching, and learning about the young adult publishing world then. That was five years ago. Now, MASK OF SHADOWS just came out and I’m an MFA student studying fiction.
2. That's interesting about your medical school interview. Yes, that sounds like a clue.
Where did you get the idea for MASK OF SHADOWS?
There wasn’t any specific moment when I remember getting the idea. I’ve always loved assassin stories and questions of morality in young adult novels, and at some point while writing my first book I thought, “But what if assassins were color coded?” And then it sort of spiraled out of control from there.
3. Sal has been described as gender fluid by other reviewers, which adds another really interesting aspect to their character. Share about this aspect of Sal and tips for writing about a character that may not fit traditional gender expectations.
Sal is genderfluid. I went into writing MASK OF SHADOWS knowing that Sal was non-binary, and
I spent a lot of time talking to a lot of very kind people about gender, self, and representation. Because I’m not genderfluid, I didn’t want to write a story about gender because it would have felt very disingenuous coming from me, so before even drafting MASK OF SHADOWS, there was a lot of talk with a lot of people about it. I think that’s the only tip I feel comfortable giving—listen to people.
There are prior characters in American young adult literature who have not fit into traditional gender expectations (I think this would be a very interesting and much longer post on gender, race, and main characters in YA by a more well-suited writer than me), but I feel that Sal, since non-binary people are so often erased from literature and fantasy, doesn’t necessarily fit into that, especially since I am not non-binary.
4. That's great how you talked to a lot of people and importantly listened too! What was your plotting process like for MASK OF SHADOWS and how has what you’ve learned from writing this book influenced your writing going forward?
It was intense! I plotted it out in my head on the trip to Yallfest, wrote the first draft in 30 days a few months later, and then I revised it up until it was accepted into Pitch Wars. From there, it went through a lot of revisions and series-arc changes. I definitely learned how to revise and implement characterization while writing it. I was always fairly organized about my plotting, but now I know all the little questions I need to ask myself at the start to make writing easier.
Also, I’ve got my caffeine intake down to a science.
5. Wow! That was a quick initial drafting idea. So Sal is a thief and trying to be an assassin. I read in your bio that you were once a crime lab intern. Did your criminal justice background help you at all in developing this aspect of the story? If not, what did?
It sort of did! I had wanted to be a forensic pathologist from the age of eleven to twenty-two, so I weirdly knew a lot about some of the more physical aspects of what happens in MASK OF SHADOWS. Because Sal’s grief and how they deal with death is at the forefront of their character, I didn’t want to shy away from the realities of death or dying. I spent two months at the crime lab, and aspects of what I experienced there definitely helped. I would not change my background in biology for anything. It’s been amazingly helpful and vital to my development as a writer.
6. Being a forensic pathologist sounds fascinating. Glad your experiences helped you. What was your world building process like? What tips do you have for other writers who write fantasy about creating a fantasy world?
Long and detailed and probably very silly. I built the world like I was reading a world history book, and then I settled on the details. Magic existed in the world until about a decade prior to the start of the book, so a lot of the differences between our world and Sal’s are based on what magic could do and how different people interacted with it.
What really helped me was looking at the big consequences and then asking myself what miniscule things that would change—like shaking hands or wearing shoes or having germ theory. Find the small things and those will make the world feel more real.
7. Your agent is Rachel Brooks. Share how she became your agent and your road to publication.
Rachel Brooks is a wonderful agent who became my agent almost purely by chance. I wasn’t really querying yet because my first book was still out with agents, but I posted a few #SFFpit pitches and she liked one of them. After that, I queried her as normal and the rest is history. Almost exactly a year after signing with Rachel, we got to announce that Sourcebooks Fire had acquired MASK OF SHADOWS.
And it was all thanks to a tweet.
8. Your book was released about a month ago. What has it been like to debut for those of us still dreaming of it and how have you been celebrating/promoting the release of your book?
I am extremely lucky because Sourcebooks is an amazing publisher, and they’re really been pushing MASK OF SHADOWS and making sure everything goes well. It’s amazing and overwhelming in the best way. There are a lot of conflicting emotions that happen when your books comes out, and honestly, it still hasn’t totally set in yet. I always joke that I don’t know how to celebrate, but I definitely recommend finding a way to remember the positives. I have collection of custom coffee mugs memorializing really important, happy moments now. It’s weird but it works for me. I like it.
Find something you like and make it your celebratory thing.
9. That's good to know that Sourcebooks is so good to work with. What is something that has surprised you about either getting an agent or becoming published and why?
The actual act of getting publishing. It can be hard, sometimes, to keep going in publishing because it feels like every step of the way is littered with rejection. For a long time, I didn’t think MASK OF SHADOWS would get published, but now it is. It’s been out for a little over a week, but it’s really about four years old.
So keep going.
10. What are you working on now?
The sequel to MASK OF SHADOWS, which is fun. I’m also drafting (very slowly) a completely new YA fantasy that I hope sees the light of day in the next few years.
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Linsey. You can find Linsey at her website, on Twitter, on Tumblr, or on Instagram!
Linsey has generously offered MASK OF SHADOW for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower and leave a comment through September 30th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest.
If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is for U.S. and Canada.
Here's what's coming up:
Monday, September 25th I have an agent spotlight interview with Danielle Burby and a query critique giveaway
Wednesday. October 4th I have an interview with Sheri Larsen and a giveaway of her new YA fantasy MARKED BEAUTY and my IWSG post
Monday, October 9th I have an interview with debut author Tracey Neithercott and a giveaway of her YA magical realism GRAY WOLF ISLAND
Saturday, October 14th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop
Monday, October 16th I have a guest post with debut author Karina Van Glaser and with a giveaway of Karina's MG contemporary THE VANDERBEKERS and a query critique giveaway by agent Ginger Clark
Hope to see you on Monday!
QUOTE:
Though at times long-winded, this is a fitting conclusion to an inventive fantasy series.
Miller, Linsey: RUIN OF STARS
Kirkus Reviews. (June 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Miller, Linsey RUIN OF STARS Sourcebooks Fire (Young Adult Fiction) $17.99 8, 1 ISBN: 978-1-4926-4752-2
In this conclusion to a fantasy duology, genderfluid assassin Sal hunts down the five Erlend nobles on their hit list.
Sal is out for revenge on North Star, Deadfall, Riparian, Caldera, and Winter, the code names for those responsible for the decimation of Sal's home country, Nacea. Designated the new Honorable Opal and afforded the resources of the queen of Igna's elite assassins, Sal hunts down the Erlend nobles who now threaten Igna with war. While uncovering the dark plot that connects flayed corpses, severed ears, and missing children, Sal copes with PTSD and deepens their relationship with Elise de Farone. The bloody action is diluted by scene after scene of lengthy dialogue and repetitious narration. Despite technical issues, readers will appreciate the novel's timely parallels to our world; Erlend's "us first" mentality and adherence to heteronormative gender roles are particularly familiar. Miller (Mask of Shadows, 2017) remedies the previous book's misstep of conflating expression and identity. This time, she more accurately represents genderfluidity by asserting that presentation does not equate gender identity and by introducing more transgender and nonbinary characters. The cast is also racially diverse; Sal is presumably white, with other characters' skin ranges from pale to dark brown.
Though at times long-winded, this is a fitting conclusion to an inventive fantasy series. (Fantasy. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Miller, Linsey: RUIN OF STARS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540723234/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=027c0d81. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540723234
Miller, Linsey. Ruin of Stars: Mask of Shadows, Book 2
Jonathan Ryder
Voice of Youth Advocates. 41.2 (June 2018): p72+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Miller, Linsey. Ruin of Stars: Mask of Shadows, Book 2. Sourcebooks Fire, August 2018. 416p. $17.99. 978-1-4926-4752-2.
3Q * 3P * S
In this second installment of the Mask of Shadows, Sal has become Opal, a member of an elite group of assassins called "The Queen's Left Hand." As such, Sal now has the power and authority to hunt down the people who killed their family and destroyed their homeland of Nacea. However, in the process of seeking both the queen's desires and Sal's personal vengeance, they stumble upon a mystery surround missing children, strange runes, and the return of sinister shadows. Will Sal find revenge for the ruin of their homeland and family? Will they be able to resolve their feelings for Elise, daughter of the Erlend king who has destroyed Nacea? Will they uncover the evil forces behind the mystery of the missing children? Only time will tell.
This is the concluding chapter in a duology, and it puts the reader immediately into the action, with little introduction or setup. As such, this does not work as a standalone volume and should only be purchased along with the first installment or where the first installment is already part of the collection. The setting is a quasi-medieval fantasy world, where magic exists but without the elves, dwarves, and other mythical creatures that populate so much of the genre. The narrative is well paced, if somewhat confusing, and filled with complex intrigues that flow from both court life and the mysterious disappearing children. Sal is intriguing and their genderfluidity adds depth to their personality. The narrative deals with issues of mystery, self-identity, and revenge. The ending provides a sense of closure, while leaving the door ajar for further adventures. This is a solid addition for high school library collections.--Jonathan Ryder.
This story is a beautiful tale of revenge, fear, debt, and finding your place in a world that you feel you do not belong in. It is amazing how the author uses past and present throughout the book to show the development of Sal and their new beginning. Sal is an amazing character; they may be an assassin but they feel that they have to repent for what they have done. Sal must explain themself multiple times throughout the book, an issue some members of the LGBTQ+ community will relate to. 4Q, 3P. --Leilani Jimenez, Teen Reviewer.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Ryder, Jonathan. "Miller, Linsey. Ruin of Stars: Mask of Shadows, Book 2." Voice of Youth Advocates, June 2018, p. 72+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A545022960/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2f8256d2. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A545022960
QUOTE:
The killing games and court intrigue--which may or may not involve magical specters previously used for torturing and killing Naceans--are breathless and terrifying. Gory, well-plotted, suspenseful on every page, and poised for the sequel.
Miller, Linsey: MASK OF SHADOWS
Kirkus Reviews. (July 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Miller, Linsey MASK OF SHADOWS Sourcebooks Fire (Children's Fiction) $17.99 9, 5 ISBN: 978-1-4926-4749-2
A scarred street thief competes to become an elite assassin.Sal comes from Nacea, a country and people obliterated in a war between other countries. After years living under an unsavory gang leader, robbing and fighting just to survive, Sal--who's genderfluid and signals by that day's clothing whether they want to be called "he," "she," or "they"--sees the perfect chance to get revenge for Nacea. The Queen's Left Hand, which is "her collection of assassins and personal guards named for the rings she w[ears]--Ruby, Emerald, Opal, and Amethyst," needs a new Opal. As Opal, Sal would have access to the wealthy lords responsible for the Nacean genocide. The trials for the new Opal unfold bloodily, with three rules: kill the competition, don't harm anyone else, and don't get caught. Both Auditioners and the Left Hand wear masks throughout. Sal has brown skin, trauma, a set of skills, and a heady crush on a noblewoman. Political exposition reads messily, and some microflaws in the logic feel sloppy (for example, Sal bathes and eats in their room before nailing the door shut against the other murderous aspirants). However, the killing games and court intrigue--which may or may not involve magical specters previously used for torturing and killing Naceans--are breathless and terrifying. Gory, well-plotted, suspenseful on every page, and poised for the sequel. (Fantasy. 14-adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Miller, Linsey: MASK OF SHADOWS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A498344932/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4f9527fa. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A498344932
QUOTE:
Excellent worldbuilding forms the backdrop and explains Sal's anger and hatred for Erlend and its lords who savagely destroyed the homeland. Nonstop action makes this book hard to put down. Fantasy fans will love it
Miller, Linsey. Mask of Shadows, Book 1
Nancy K. Wallace
Voice of Youth Advocates. 40.4 (Oct. 2017): p75.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * S
Miller, Linsey. Mask of Shadows, Book 1. Sourcebooks Fire, August 2017. 352p. $17.99. 978-1-4926-4749-2.
Sal Leon is a thief, skilled at stealth and deception, killing rarely and only when necessary. The inadvertent theft of a poster advertising auditions for the queens Left Hand (her personal assassins designated by the jewels of her rings) leads Sal to try out for a position, viewing it as a way out of the life of crime. With little knowledge of what will be required, Sal becomes Number 23, face hidden behind a mask from the other participants. Days combine strenuous training with contests in which the combatants must kill or be killed. Paired with Maud, a maid to bind wounds and school Sal in court manners, the reader gradually learns that Sal's only motivations to win are hatred and revenge.
The elements of this novel are familiar but the author skillfully manages to weave them into a something unique and exciting. Sal's character is gender fluid, providing additional interest to the story. Reminiscent of The Hunger Games in places, Sal recoils at the task of killing fellow combatants that have become friends. The decision is made to hang back, allow the others to pick each other off, and rely on personal skills to watch and listen undetected. Excellent worldbuilding forms the backdrop and explains Sal's anger and hatred for Erlend and its lords who savagely destroyed the homeland. Nonstop action makes this book hard to put down. Fantasy fans will love it.--Nancy K. Wallace.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Wallace, Nancy K. "Miller, Linsey. Mask of Shadows, Book 1." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2017, p. 75. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511785094/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ac84b3fc. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511785094
QUOTE:
struggles with pace and coherence. A bright spot is the romantic chemistry between Sal and Elise, also a winning character.
Ruin of Stars
Carolyn Kelly
Booklist. 114.19-20 (June 1, 2018): p95.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Ruin of Stars. By Linsey Miller. Aug. 2018. 352p. Sourcebooks/Fire, $17.99 (9781492647522). Gr. 9-12.
Gender-fluid Sal Leon, crown assassin, has finally begun taking their revenge against the forces who wiped out Sal's people by unleashing monsters from a twisted magical experiment on an unsuspecting populace. To destroy the shadow creatures, magic was eradicated from the land. However, as Sal closes in on their targets, they uncover a trail of disappearances and mutilations suggesting that someone is trying to recreate the past. Meanwhile, Sal's beloved Elise has been kidnapped by her father, one of the people Sal has sentenced to death. Can Sal, a refugee-turned-killer for an adopted kingdom, avenge their people without sacrificing the realm's peace? Sal's strong-willed personality and rich emotions create a protagonist who continues to shine against an obscure setting and conflict. Divested of the organizing structure of the previous book's competition plot, this sequel to Mask of Shadows (2017) struggles with pace and coherence. A bright spot is the romantic chemistry between Sal and Elise, also a winning character. The antagonists' tyrannical opposition to freedom of gender engagingly broadens Sal's fight beyond retribution alone. --Carolyn Kelly
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kelly, Carolyn. "Ruin of Stars." Booklist, 1 June 2018, p. 95. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A546287669/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6bb59a9a. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A546287669
QUOTE:
A consistently riveting and entertaining novel from cover to cover, "Mask of Shadows" reveals author Linsey Miller has having a impressively flair for originality, as well as a gift for deftly crafted, truly memorable characters.
Mask of Shadows
Children's Bookwatch. (Nov. 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Full Text:
Mask of Shadows
Linsey Miller
Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139, Naperville, IL 60563
www.sourcebooks.com
9781492647492, $17.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class--and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand (the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears) Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive. A consistently riveting and entertaining novel from cover to cover, "Mask of Shadows" reveals author Linsey Miller has having a impressively flair for originality, as well as a gift for deftly crafted, truly memorable characters. While unreservedly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to high school and community library young adult fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mask of Shadows" is also available in a paperback edition (9781492660897, $10.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Mask of Shadows." Children's Bookwatch, Nov. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A518588256/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5846abb6. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A518588256
Online now: www.publishersweekly.com
Publishers Weekly. 264.31 (July 31, 2017): p91.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
PICTURE BOOKS
The Curious cares of Bears Douglas Florian, illus. by Sonia Sanchez. Little Bee, ISBN 978-14998-0462-1, Aug.
Feather Remi Courgeon. Enchanted Lion, ISBN 978-1-59270-210-7, Aug.
* The Pomegranate Witch Denise Doyen, illus. by Eliza Wheeler, chronicle, ISBN 978-14521-4589-1, Aug.
* Waiting for Goliath Antje Damm. Gecko, ISBN 978-1-77657-141-3, Aug.
FICTION
* Dress Codes for Small Towns Courtney Stevens. HarperTeen, ISBN 978-0-06-239851-2, Aug.
Hit the Ground Running Alison Hughes. Orca, ISBN 978-1-4598-1544-5, Aug.
Mask of Shadows Linsey Miller. Sourcebooks Fire, ISBN 978-1-4926-4749-2, Aug.
COMICS
Gregory and the Gargoyles #1 Denis-Pierre Filippi, illus. by J. Etienne and Silvio Camboni. Humanoids, ISBN 978-1-59465-798-6, Aug.
Surfside Girls, Book One: The secret of Danger Point Kim Dwinell. Top Shelf, ISBN 9781-60309-411-5, Aug.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Online now: www.publishersweekly.com." Publishers Weekly, 31 July 2017, p. 91. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499863520/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5178554c. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499863520
QUOTE:
Sal, in spite of all the throat-slitting, remains an endearingly sympathetic character, and their passionate voice for justice is this story's gem in the rough. VERDICT Overall flawed world-building makes this ambitious fantasy a choice for fans of the first book who want to see Sal's journey through
MILLER, Linsey. Ruin of Stars
Elaine Fultz
School Library Journal. 64.6 (June 2018): p92.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
MILLER, Linsey. Ruin of Stars. 416p. Source-books/Fire. Aug. 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781492647522.
Gr 9 Up-In this sequel to Mask of Shadows, genderfluid Sal continues their career as Opal, one of the Queen's Left Hand, an elite assassin corps. Sal believes that they are the sole survivors of their homeland's annihilation and vows to kill every responsible political leader. Gruesome zombielike monsters, Shadows, are thought to be extinct with the banishment of magic, but they are being secretly harvested by Gaspar del Weylin--aka North Star--the kingdom's most powerful and ruthless leader. Sal's route to murder North Star and his cionies involves investigating the recent disappearances of children; surviving the deaths of friends and allies; and sustaining their romance with Elise, the daughter of one of Sal's targets. Political allegiances, real and false, are difficult to track even as the story reaches its conclusion. The convoluted plot and confusing multitude of geographical and personal names frustrate the flow of what could be an engaging genre-bending hybrid. A clear message about challenging society's binary gender and sexual orientation definitions motivates the Queen to unseat the supremacist leaders who devalue or outright forbid an individual's right to a spectrum of identities. Sal, in spite of all the throat-slitting, remains an endearingly sympathetic character, and their passionate voice for justice is this story's gem in the rough. VERDICT Overall flawed world-building makes this ambitious fantasy a choice for fans of the first book who want to see Sal's journey through.--Elaine Fultz, Madison Jr. Sr. High School, Middletown, OH
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Fultz, Elaine. "MILLER, Linsey. Ruin of Stars." School Library Journal, June 2018, p. 92. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540902966/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9cf39316. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540902966
QUOTE:
The main character's gender-fluidity is well intentioned but is ultimately an awkward fit in this unsuccessful fantasy adventure
A laudable but disjointed attempt at teen genre fiction featuring a strong gender-fluid main character.
Miller, Linsey. Mask of Shadows
Elaine Fultz and Madison
School Library Journal. 63.7 (July 2017): p91+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
MILLER, Linsey. Mask of Shadows. 384p. Sourcebooks/Fire. Sept. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781492647492.
Gr 9 Up--Sal is a gender-fluid war orphan living as a thief until they hear about auditions for their Queen's assassination squad. Sal survives deadly weapons training, sneak attacks, and mortal combat as "auditioners" compete to the death for the honored post. Sal's former robbery victim, Elise, now their language tutor and crush, offers Sal additional incentive to win because love among the Queen's favored is less likely to be judged unseemly. Sal's competition, known only by their assigned numbers, are driven by bloodlust and have various levels of expertise in violence. Sal's assigned servant, Maud, serves as the novel's comic relief as she and Sal banter about Sal's slim chances of success. In their kingdom left vulnerable by brutal wars, Sal seeks vengeance, love, and acceptance. The main character's gender-fluidity is well intentioned but is ultimately an awkward fit in this unsuccessful fantasy adventure. Determined readers may need to take notes to keep track of the countless fallen territories, the auditioners' numeric labels, and the veteran assassins' gemstone identities. The incomprehensible political history of Sal's world also hinders this ambitious series opener. VERDICT A laudable but disjointed attempt at teen genre fiction featuring a strong gender-fluid main character. Strictly for patient fans of complicated, gory sagas.--Elaine Fultz, Madison Jr. Sr. High School, Middletown, OH
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Fultz, Elaine, and Madison. "Miller, Linsey. Mask of Shadows." School Library Journal, July 2017, p. 91+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497611175/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4a0efcaf. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497611175
QUOTE:
Linsey Miller’s Mask of Shadows introduces some much-needed new representation to young adult fiction and historical fantasy: a compelling non-binary, gender-fluid protagonist. A fascinating mix of unique world-building, gripping action, and thoughtfully-drawn characters, Mask of Shadows is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read.
‘Mask of Shadows’ by Linsey Miller
Review by Michele Kirichanskaya
October 24, 2017
What happens when a thief decides not only to become an assassin, but also tries to join an elite and ruthless group of trained killers? Sal Leon, a common criminal, hopes for more in life than just a few stolen coins, and when a nefarious cult known as the Left Hand opens auditions for a new member, Sal jumps at the opportunity. Soon Sal discovers that the audition is actually a competition, pitting other lethal criminals, ex-soldiers, and killers against one another to find out who’s the most vicious of them all.
Mask of Shadows is the first book of Linsey Miller’s new duology. Set in a well-drawn fantastical world, filled with moral ambiguity and high-risk stakes, the novel is a strong introduction to Sal Leon. For Sal, whose family and country were destroyed in the crossfires of war, the Left presents an excellent opportunity to gain access to those on their hit list. As they begin to learn more and more about the Left’s political machinations, as well as fall for the beautiful noblewoman Elise de Farone, Sal’s life suddenly becomes more complicated than they could have imagined.
Though a little shaky in terms of pacing, Mask of Shadows keeps the reader’s rapt attention with twists and turns at every step of Sal’s journey. Sal is an extremely interesting and captivating protagonist, often inexact in their morality, with a strong longing for revenge and adventure. Furthermore, Sal is a gender-fluid person who uses the pronouns she/he/they when appropriate to their current state of being and is readily accepted by most of the people in their environment.
Linsey Miller’s Mask of Shadows introduces some much-needed new representation to young adult fiction and historical fantasy: a compelling non-binary, gender-fluid protagonist. A fascinating mix of unique world-building, gripping action, and thoughtfully-drawn characters, Mask of Shadows is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read.
Review – Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller
POSTED ON August 15, 2017 BY Austine IN Book Review
This book was provided by the publisher (via NetGalley). This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Knight's Judgment
Plot
Characters
Writing Style
Cover
Enjoyment
Overall:
Mask of Shadows was one of those books that I wanted to like. An assassin competition, a gender fluid protagonist, YA fantasy at it’s finest, sounds like the perfect fit. Unfortunately this book was really nothing more than average for me.
Let me start with Sal. Miller’s main character is gender fluid, preferring he/she/they pronouns depending on the situation, which is clearly stated in the story (though not until a little over 10% in). To be honest, I don’t know much about gender fluidity and that alone had me intrigued as to how this character would interact with the world. I think normalizing Sal’s gender fluidity in the text really worked here and the way in which Miller did it made less confusing for me, a reader who isn’t very familiar with it.
My biggest issue with this book came down to, well, everything else. Sal had potential to be an amazing character but fell flat for me. I wasn’t invested in Sal’s story and part of that is because I’ve read it before. Sal could be any of the stereotypical protagonists I pull off my shelves and that made them a forgettable character. Which I think it really unfortunate because I haven’t read about a gender fluid character in YA fantasy more and it seems that despite that, the execution of the character (and story) wasn’t enough to sell me on this book.
Don’t get me wrong, familiar plots aren’t anything new but this one read far too much like a mash-up of Throne of Glass and The Hunger Games. An assassin competition last-person-standing style? I’ve seen it, I’ve read it, I’m no longer interested in it. Not unless it’s done in a way that really stands out and this didn’t.
Maybe I read a different book from everyone else but I was missing the world-building. This book had too much of so parts, not enough of others, and left me feeling like I read a summary of what could be a much longer book. I wanted more depth. The whole beginning part felt very rushed and then when Sal goes to audition to be one of the Queen’s assassin’s, everyone gets a number and suddenly loses whatever made them unique. It might sound odd but I couldn’t really visualize the characters in this book. They were voices and personalities in my head as I read but I couldn’t describe them to you if I wanted to, not clearly at least. I want people, not numbers.
In the end, the info dumping, the descriptions, the things that fantasy is known for (unfortunately) did this book in. I was bored reading it. Nothing kept me moving through except a self-induced obligation to read the book from start to finish for the sake of this review. Mask of Shadows had SO much potential but fell on familiar tropes and left me with a story I’ve read before, but done. . . better, frankly. Yay for gender fluid protagonists but can’t cheer for predictability.
Soaring Magic and Shaky Groundwork: Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller
In Reviews
September 15, 2017
Paige Allen
0 comments
Linsey Miller
Sourcebooks Fire
August 29, 2017
When it comes to adding books to my already bloated reading list, especially in this economy, I err on the side of thorough scrutiny and cautious selection. However, there are a few things in a novel’s synopsis that I fall for faster than my wallet can keep up with: leading characters of color, explorations of gender and sexuality, and the promise of action and adventure. It is still the rare novel that pings all three categories, but with the literary push for greater representation of marginalized identities, I’m excited to find that my options are expanding with numerous great novels.
So, my curiosity was inevitably piqued when I first learned about Linsey Miller’s Mask of Shadows. Its marketing proudly boasts the thrilling adventures of Sallot “Sal” Leon, a genderfluid thief and sole survivor of a country brutalized by magic and war. An exciting highway robbery in the novel’s opening chapter introduces Sal to an audition being held by the Queen of their new land. The Queen is in search of a new member for her personal guard of gemstone-themed assassins. Still grieving the loss of their people, Sal is quick to jump at the opportunity. After all, should they actually succeed, they’ll be able to infiltrate the royal court and exact revenge against the nobles whose war ravaged their land. Now all Sal needs to do is survive.
In researching this novel, I have seen that it is frequently compared to Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass and The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. Of course, this is the unfortunate lot of young adult literature these days: everything is like Harry Potter, like Twilight, like The Hunger Games, like Divergent ad nauseum, forever, until I die of boredom. On a basic surface level, I can definitely see there are certain similarities in the referenced stories–assassins, deadly competitions, and the various political and socioeconomic problems that lead young protagonists such as these on their desperate journeys. But at the same time, Mask of Shadows, The Hunger Games and Throne of Glass could not be more dissimilar. Unfortunately, the reasons for these differences often do not work in Miller’s favor.
Mask of Shadows is at its strongest when dealing with the past, as the novel’s backstory is rich in conflict. A war breaks out between rival countries, Erland and Alona, and each side employs mages to try and turn the tide. Soon finding themselves outnumbered, Erland mages unnaturally manipulate their magic source so severely that some mages outright destroy their bodies, transforming their souls into entities known as shadows. While Erland tries to use the shadows in battle, these uncontrollable monsters soon begin to indiscriminately scour the land in search of flesh to devour. In their attempt to flee, Erland nobles sacrifice Sal’s homeland as fodder. Once Alona proves triumphant in the war and absorbs Erland into its empire, the new Queen finally destroys the shadows and subsequently banishes all magic from the land.
Not only are these events interesting in their own right, but they also offer an innovative twist to the somewhat common Magic Goes Away trope. In these kinds of banished magic stories, the people of the land (as reflected by the protagonist) are often angry about the banishment and long for the days of magic again. If the story wants to go full medieval, there may even be suggestions that the health of the land and kingdom are suffering under the weight of a corrupt ruler and their poor decision-making.
Mask of Shadows takes a new approach by having Sal grateful to the Queen for saving their life from the shadows and the land’s corruptible magic. At the same time, there are characters in the story that do miss the magic. Neither Sal in their hate nor other characters in their love of magic are seen as right or wrong for their opinions, for each group has a unique connection to magic that is understandable based on their life experiences. This nuance in perspective is refreshing to see, especially in its acknowledgement of the complications of history.
Once Sal qualifies for the assassin audition, the novel provides intricately described and well-plotted action sequences at a near consistent rate. As well as trying to avoid a surprise stab to the jugular or dying in one of the scheduled battles, auditioners must traverse a series of complex, seemingly random tests held by the Queen’s current assassins. The multiple obstacles help expand the competition beyond the typical “kill or be killed” routes that it could have devolved into, and the tasks allow Miller to showcase the cunning, abilities, and personalities of Sal and their competitors in dazzling detail. The battle scenes alone read as if they were pulled straight from the big screen.
But it is perhaps this blockbuster compatibility that ultimately undermines Miller’s novel. In many ways it feels like the skeleton framework of a first draft script, lacking significant details in nearly all aspects of its content. While the aforementioned backstory is fantastic, the present world is rather undeveloped. Sal often moves in blank space, appearing from one barely described environment to the next with little notice of their surroundings. When descriptions are finally provided in this regard, the setting does not exert itself beyond vaguely European flavored castles, towns, and political feudalism, as some of the more uninspired fantasies are unfortunately wont to do.
These cliches further tarnish the plot itself, which is overall very predictable. The official synopsis all but reveals the plot in its entirety, and any twists the novel offers can easily be seen several chapters in advance, even to the most casual fantasy fan. Because the novel is so formulaic in its pursuit of an obvious ending, nothing really matters over the course of the story. Beyond the threat of being killed–which we as readers know won’t happen since a sequel was announced almost immediately after Mask of Shadow’s release–there are no realistically serious stakes or insurmountable obstacles for Sal to overcome. Opportunities for actual suspense and emotionally compromising situations are lost before they’re given time to properly flourish.
I could almost forgive a cliched story if the protagonist is interesting enough to hold my attention, but that motivation never really emerges here. The unfortunate thing about Sal is that they had all the makings of a remarkable character. They are impulsive but skilled, able to circumvent whatever situation they find themself in thanks to their quick wits, and a childhood spent surviving on the streets with gangs of thieves. At the same time, Sal is pretty funny and confident, with a hidden sweet spot for the rare people and things they love.
But Miller never really moves beyond these surface details to create a truly compelling character. Their backstory as a genocide survivor should make for powerful explorations of trauma and power, but Sal completely lacks an internal life that extends beyond their pursuit of revenge. Further, the way Miller portrays Sal’s trauma lacks realism or coherency in relation to the plot. Readers learn of Sal’s past through info dumps that permeate the narration at very random times, with little connection to what is happening in the outside world.
Sal feels too disconnected from their current situation, something of a bystander called upon to do some superficially difficult task and thus advance the plot. This again addresses the issue of no obstacles standing in Sal’s way to victory. The closest thing readers get to a real character struggle is Sal’s initial moral aversion and inexperience in killing someone, which is quickly taken care of by the third chapter when Sal successfully makes their first kill to qualify for the Queen’s audition. After that, Sal never dwells on their previous apprehension or lack of skill again, despite being involved in a competition where they could be killed for such an egregious misalignment of life experiences.
I also want to briefly discuss how Miller handles Sal’s gender fluidity, though I will tread lightly in this regard as I am a cisgender woman. Overall, I can appreciate the attempt that Miller has made to write a genderfluid protagonist where the focus of the story is on their adventures rather than their identity. Outside of Own Voices novels, “casual” representation that is reflective of people’s real life relationships with their identities is still surprisingly hard to find. There are very few explicit conversations where Sal must outright explain themself to an intrusive audience, and they mostly occur during the preliminary screening interviews for the audition:
“I dress how I like to be addressed—he, she or they. It’s simple enough…And you can call me a “she” when I dress like this. I dress how I am.” Which was fine by me. I wore a dress, and people treated me like a girl. I wore trousers and one of those floppy-collared men’s shirts and they treated me like a boy. No annoying questions or fights over it.
“And if you dress like neither?” Emerald asked.
“They,” I said…
Most everyone else wanted me to pick one, make addressing me easier on them by denying myself. I was already dressing so they could get it right. The least they could do was try. I didn’t see why had to choose.
“Address me however I look.” I was both. I was neither. I was everything.
These are clear and succulent answers, which I am sure encompasses some genderfluid experiences well. Yet, I am left with some stray thoughts. First, I do wonder about how Miller has Sal emphasize clothing coordination to signal their identity at any given time. It seems like a simplistic approach to gender fluidity that focuses heavily on a person’s external gender presentation for identity validation, rather than their identity simply influencing their chosen presentation.
I also wonder about the concept of gender and gender roles in the world of Mask of Shadows. Like other aspects of the overall world-building, it is strangely underdeveloped. How many non-cisgender people exist in this setting? I would wager zero besides Sal, as they are the only character explicitly stated to be non-cisgender and, for some reason, is misgendered multiple times throughout the novel either by accident or for malicious intent. Unless the kingdom is a particularly backwards place–and readers are given no indication that this may be the case–I find it odd that this fictional world is still beholden to the oppressive societal responses that we experience in real life.
This depiction of “gender in an oppressive society” somewhat feels like a failure of imagination. To truly envision a world that constructs gender in a novel way would have grounded Mask of Shadows in a concrete and original setting, and it would not force Sal to be the only voice of gender diversity in the novel. Further, it would also give Sal more people to befriend and interact with, which would have definitely contributed to the development of Sal’s character. As it stands now, things just feel a bit too unfinished and uncritically created for me to share this novel with others specifically in praise of its diversity.
However, if you’re looking for a quick and fun read this year? Mask of Shadows may be up your alley. It’s not a bad debut by any means, just a lacking one. With the sequel coming out sometime in 2018, I hope that Miller has the chance to lavish her entire novel with all the care and expressive writing that went into the great backstory and wonderfully detailed fight scenes. A more solid foundation for this story will certainly help it soar to the great heights it desires.
Mask of Shadows
by Linsey Miller
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Linsey Miller’s MASK OF SHADOWS is my kind of book. I will read most things high fantasy, and the fact that the main character Sal is a wannabe assassin is even better. I was also intrigued by the fact that Sal is genderfluid. I hadn’t seen that done before, and was excited to see more representation.
MASK OF SHADOWS is Linsey Miller’s first book. It is the first book in a duology, and I will definitely be reading the sequel, RUIN OF STARS, when it comes out! In MASK OF SHADOWS, Sal is competing to become an assassin, Opal, for the queen’s personal assassins known as The Left Hand.
"Sal was a compelling character who I was able to care about immediately....MASK OF SHADOWS will appeal to fans of high fantasy...."
It took me a little while to get into MASK OF SHADOWS, but that’s mostly because I’ve been in a reading funk recently. I just haven’t been able to start books. Once I get a few chapters in, I devour them, but starting a book takes forever. And even once I got into MASK OF SHADOWS, it was on the slow side. There’s a lot of info dumping, which is always a hazard in high fantasy.
Sal was a compelling character who I was able to care about immediately. Sal didn’t have the special something that makes me fall in love with a character, buy I did still enjoy them. Where I felt Sal really shined was when they were making a kill or with their love interest, Elise. There was a lot of time spent focusing on training or info dumping, which could have been better spent on action.
I really hope to see more of Elise in RUIN OF STARS. She seems to have an interesting history, which gets more interesting towards the end of MASK OF SHADOWS. Elise is much more level-headed than Sal, and I think she balances them out nicely.
Another aspect of the story that intrigued me was the destruction of Nacea. Nacea was Sal’s home country, before it was destroyed be these monstrous shadows. After it was destroyed, the queen of Igna, a new country made up of two previously warring countries, is able to make all magic in the country disappear. The book mentions that magic is still accessible within other countries, which raises many questions/red flags for me. Having read other books, such as THRONE OF GLASS, where magic is removed by force by a ruler, my trust of the queen is on the low side.
I really like the other members of The Left Hand: Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald. I can’t wait to get to know these characters better in book two.
Overall, MASK OF SHADOWS will appeal to fans of high fantasy, as long as they’re okay with a slower read. Hopefully book two will be faster paced.
Reviewed by Isabel C., Teen Board Member on November 2, 2017
QUOTE:
Ruin of Stars is perfectly primed for YA readership, with an expansive, three-dimensional cast of queer characters, stunning action sequences, and a level of fantasy violence that offers escapism without gratuitous gore. A fine sequel to Mask of Shadows, Ruin of Stars, with its beautiful cover art and dynamic hero(ine) belongs on every bookshelf.
Ruin of Stars (Mask of Shadows)
Image of Ruin of Stars (Mask of Shadows)
Author(s):
Linsey Miller
Release Date:
August 28, 2018
Publisher/Imprint:
Sourcebooks Fire
Pages:
416
Buy on Amazon
Reviewed by:
J. S. Fields
Reader warning: This review contains spoilers.
Sal is back with their list unfinished, their girlfriend kidnapped, and severed children’s ears popping up all over. Magic it seems, is also back, and being used for nefarious purposes. Sal wants nothing more than to finish their revenge, but shadows are returning in the North and Rath, their childhood friend, needs their help. Sal must stop the shadows and the magic making them, find the missing children, and fulfill the queen’s orders before they can finish avenging Nacea. Nacea, however, has some avenging of its own to do.
A compelling sequel, Ruin of Stars follows Sal on their journey of revenge and redemption. A number of twists occur in the narrative, from Rath’s heartbreaking murder to the revelation that many other Nacean’s survived the massacre that left Sal orphaned. Sal’s desire for revenge is thick yet relatable, and their emotions strong but never overwhelming. The action scenes, as in Mask of Shadows, were exceptional and the gore was perfectly balanced.
Of note in this book is the change in emphasis on Sal’s gender. Mask of Shadows all but ignores Sal’s gender fluidity and focuses nearly entirely on the narrative. This allows the reader to easily move through Sal’s changing gender expression with little catching, so seamlessly is it a part of the world. In Ruin of Stars, Sal’s gender is a point of contention and frequently called out in the first half of the novel.
This shift is jarring, although it does serve as a solid break between the two countries and their different ideologies. With the newfound emphasis on Sal’s fluid gender, it seems odd that their pronouns remain “them” through the narrative, instead of swapping between he, she, and them as in the first book. It is unclear whether this is a choice the character has made (perhaps for ease of use in unfamiliar lands), or whether it is an editorial decision. The discussion of gender, as well as bisexuality and aromanticism, is far more blatant in this sequel, and it is nice to see some of the lesser-known aspects of the queer spectrum explored on page.
The early pacing of the book falls into a standard YA line with a slow start that makes it difficult to get hooked. There is a steep remembering curve of character names, especially, but this resolves midway through the book when the pacing, and action pick up. The pacing is still much faster than many adult epic fantasy novels, however, and the transition between scenes much more fluid.
Also of note was the amount of repetition in the book. It often feels like Sal rehashes the same two or three things in their head every other page. This was wearying to read and numerous times slows down the action. There seems to be little additional character development for Sal in this book, instead relying on the strong work done in Mask of Shadows to carry this narrative to its conclusion which, to be fair, is stunning.
Other characters, however, have excellent development, including the love interest Elise, who proves to be far more robust than originally described. The villains, as well, are perfectly balanced in the morally grey, which casts doubt on Sal’s motivations and gives the book much more depth than Mask of Shadows.
The final 150 pages are worth every internal dalliance. The making of the shadows is both delightful and horrifying, and the final death sequences are so filled with anticipation, thrill, and satisfaction that it is hard to read without triumphant yelling. Ruin of Stars is perfectly primed for YA readership, with an expansive, three-dimensional cast of queer characters, stunning action sequences, and a level of fantasy violence that offers escapism without gratuitous gore. A fine sequel to Mask of Shadows, Ruin of Stars, with its beautiful cover art and dynamic hero(ine) belongs on every bookshelf.
J. S. Fields' debut novel is Ardulum: First Don, a 2017 Foreward Indie Book Award finalist for Science Fiction. Her second book, Ardulum, Second Don, is a Gold Crown Literary Society finalist in Science Fiction. As a scientist she also writes science nonfiction, and spends her summers in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest doing field research.