"[An] entertaining coming-of-age fantasy . . .this is a solid debut for anthropologist Jobin, who steers clear of genre cliches while offering up a refreshingly metaphysical take on magic, a believably dark setting filled with unusual threats, and a seductive and manipulative villain."--"Publishers Weekly" "Jobin combines elements of suspense and mystery with a pervasive sense of impending doom in this opening volume of this trilogy."-"-SLJ" "The Nethergrim itself is indeed the stuff of nightmares, and Jobin judiciously doles out details about it, heightening suspense further . . . Fantasy fans will find much to enjoy in this elegant gem of a novel"--"BCCB"