We Who Have No Gods

Putting a twist on the magical school setting, Anderson’s rocky debut follows a nonmagical woman who accompanies her younger brother as he is recruited by a monster-fighting secret society. Victoria “Vic” Wood made a promise to her late mother to protect her brother, Henry, and she won’t go back on her word, even when the mysterious Acheron Order identifies him as a witch and insists he come to Avalon Castle for training. Though she is unable to perceive or perform magic, Vic garners attention from an Elder of the Order and the head of the Brotherhood, a rival organization, who both knew her mother. As war brews, Vic navigates Order politics and wrestles with her deep-seated insecurities. Vic and Henry’s fraught, sometimes codependent relationship is the most fascinating and freshest aspect of the narrative, but, after the strong opening, it’s pushed aside to make room for a more familiar plot and underdeveloped side characters, including new friends and a brooding love interest for Vic. Intimations that the Order may not be as noble as it appears add intrigue, but, frustratingly, Vic often misses opportunities to interrogate its problematic history. Anderson doesn’t make the most of her promising premise. Agent: Caitlin Mahony, WME. (Jan.)