Below (North, #1)

by Alexandria Warwick

From the author of The Demon Race comes a YA dark fantasy series inspired by Inuit mythology.

In the heart of the frigid North, there lives a demon known as the Face Stealer. Eyes, nose, mouth--nothing and no one is safe. Once he returns to his lair, or wherever it is he dwells, no one ever sees those faces again.

When tragedy strikes, Apaay embarks on a perilous journey to find her sister's face--yet becomes trapped in a labyrinth ruled by a sinister girl named Yuki. The girl offers Apaay a deal: find her sister's face hidden within the labyrinth, and she will be set free. But the labyrinth, and those who inhabit it, is not as it seems. Especially Numiak: darkly beautiful, powerful, whose motives are not yet clear.

With time slipping, Apaay is determined to escape the deadly labyrinth with her sister's face in hand. But in Yuki's harsh world, Apaay will need all her strength to survive.

Yuki only plays the games she wins.

• ISBN10: 1733033408
• ISBN13: 9781733033404
• Publish Date: 4 February 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Andromeda Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[bookishzelda]

Below is an intense and dark read as Apaay fights for her life in a labyrinth prison while trying to find her sisters stolen face.

A cool thing is that the book is inspired by Inuit Mythology. Which is something I know hardly anything about but it encouraged me to look it up. Which is something I have always loved about books, since I was a kid. A book that isn’t just enjoyable but also encourages me to learn about something I might not know much about. I was also really interested in the fact that they chose names by Soul Names and how strong the community is in Apaay’s village.

The Face Stealer is a demon who steals innocent mortals faces. Leaving them blank. Throughout the book the Face Stealer is an evolving character. You never know what his exact intentions are and what is truly the arrangement between him and Yuki.

Apaay is an interesting character, she has this need to prove herself. She’s kind of this weird mash-up of being over confident and thinking she is not capable. She can be impulsive because of it.

I really liked Ila. She has so much empathy for someone who has spent so much time alone. Never once does she complain about her situation. It’s not until pushed that she unleashes and even then it’s in a sympathetic way to Apaay. She has a heart of gold.

Holy smokes. The abuse that Yuki afflicts on Apaay is horrible. Horrible. I don’t know how she kept coming out the other side of it. Yuki is an evil evil character. It’s amazing how Apaay keeps fight and keeps going. She has her moments though where she struggles, she’s only human.

I think the first half of the book the pacing is a little slower but as you cross into the second half of the book things start moving fast. It’s hard to put down. I was confused by a choice Apaay makes at the end but I can also get after thing she is dragged through. It’ll be interesting to see where the series goes.