This book y’all.
Every once and a while we stumble upon a book that resonates so deeply with us, we can scarcely breathe. This book is that for me. It will be one I will reread again, for sure!
My Review
This book has earned its place among my favorites.
I love, love this story. It’s about a young woman on the verge of adulthood who goes against society’s norms by entering a contest: survive the labyrinth and receive a scholarship to a male-only university. She does so, hoping she can help her father find the cure to save her mother.
When I first saw the book, I knew I needed it. I had intended to get it, but then my mom surprised me by pre-ordering it for my birthday. Unfortunately, it took me MONTHS to have the time to read it. And no doubt to prepare myself for the adventure it held within its pages.
Told in first person, present tense, the story swept me away. The descriptions were tight and carried a punch. The characters were alive. I felt invited into the story as if one of the characters and I did not want it to end. I teared up multiple times. It spoke to me on a deeper level, and I’ll leave it at that. Love this story. Thank you, Ms. Weber for sharing it with the world!
The Book
The task is simple: don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys.
In a thrilling new fantasy from the bestselling author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, one girl makes a stand against society and enters a world made exclusively for boys.
Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port have received a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. The poorer residents look to see if their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.
In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.
With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.
Welcome to the Labyrinth.
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The Author
Mary Weber is the award-winning HarperCollins author of the bestselling young adult Storm Siren Trilogy, and The Sofi Snow duology. An avid school and conference speaker, Mary’s passion is helping others find their voice amid a world that often feels too loud. When she’s not plotting adventures involving tough girls who frequently take over the world, Mary sings 80s hairband songs to her three muggle children and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California which is perfect for stalking LA bands and the ocean. She gets nerdy at maryweber.com; Facebook: marychristineweber; Instagram: maryweberauthor; Twitter: @mchristineweber; and Goodreads.