Two very different girls embark on a tense, sprawling quest across a magical world, where the written word holds immense power and reading is restricted to a privileged elite.

Getwin Goode is an apprentice bookbinder, working alongside her mother by day and reading in secret by night. When her mother is called away on secret business for a powerful family of Scholars, Getwin discovers the Raven’s Eye Bookbindery has been holding more secrets than her own illegal reading. Her world is further complicated when she encounters Lea, a young scribe escaped from Missal House, a strict and secretive institution that keeps the scribes compliant with a magical tea and works them till their fingers bleed.

The two girls join forces to find Getwin’s mother and uncover the secrets that have been kept from them both. Their different personalities create a sweet, sisterly dynamic: Getwin is confident but short-tempered as she discovers her family’s secrets; while Lea is sweet and naïve, even as she is forced to confront the cruelty and isolation of her upbringing.

The Raven’s Eye Runaways is an exciting adventure, full of intricate world building and a fast-moving plot. It feels reminiscent of Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights, revealing glimpses of a complex magical world that we’re only beginning to uncover. For ages 10+.