Midnight on the Celestial

A privileged teen discovers the dark truth about her family’s grand legacy in Alexandra’s spellbinding debut. In the realm of Tamarynth, some people possess Morphia, the ability to alter reality. Certain Morphics can heal, some can manipulate time, and others—such as Lady Roe Demarcus—can assist spirits in communicating with the living. At 18, all Morphics undergo evaluation of their magical control. Those who fail must surrender their Morphia, either immediately or after serving a work sentence aboard the Celestial. Invented by Roe’s ancestors, the Celestial is a cruise ship, teeming with unbridled spectacles, that both stores and runs on extracted Morphia. Impressing the vessel’s tyrannical bosses and guests might earn one a retrial, so when Roe’s evaluation ends in disaster, she flouts her parents’ orders to trade her magic for academia and joins the Celestial’s crew. But while the ship dazzles by day, it turns nightmarish once guests retire for the evening. With help from new friends, Roe starts plotting an escape—as well as a revolution. Though the ending feels rushed and some story elements go unexplored, a vividly imagined setting conspires with an intersectionally diverse cast of richly developed characters to enthrall readers while championing kindness, self-acceptance, and social justice. Ages 13–up. Agent: Ellen Goff, HG Literary. (Mar.)