Vanessa Le is a Vietnamese-American author who recently graduated from Brown University with a focus on health and human biology. The Last Bloodcarver is her first novel in a debut duology. It is a wonderful fusion of science and fantasy, with steampunk stylings and Vietnamese cultural references throughout.

The main character, Nhika, is a heartsooth: she can alter biology – human or animal – with a simple touch to the skin. It’s a gift she inherited from her grandmother. As healers, the heartsooth were revered by the Yarongese, but that was before Nhika’s home was invaded.

Nhika, now a refugee scraping a living within the city of Theumas, must hide her gift, as this integral part of her is now feared and reviled. It is considered a dark art and is labelled ‘bloodcarving’. In Theuman society, even the latest fashions are designed to protect the populace from the bloodcarver’s touch, with high necklines and long sleeves in vogue.

When an act of mercy exposes Nhika, she ends up caged like an animal and for sale on the black market. Her surprise purchase by the aristocratic Congmi family appears to be a blessing, but it leads to a possible murder, and perhaps something even darker and more dangerous.

Le’s worldbuilding is rich and detailed, and she handles complicated subjects, such as race and cultural identity, with sympathetic intelligence. The layers within the descriptive explanations when Nhika is using her gift are wonderous. The Last Bloodcarver is a creative beginning to this intriguing tale. For ages 12+.