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We Set the Dark on Fire
CCBC Review:
Daniela and her family illegally crossed the border into Medio when she was small. At 12, with forged citizenship papers, she was accepted into the Medio School for Girls, where students are groomed for one of two roles: Primera or Segunda—first or second wife—to the sons of wealthy, politically connected families, roles with origins in their culture’s creation story. Primeras are intellectual confidantes who support their husband’s career; Segundas emotional and romantic companions. Now graduating, Dani has been chosen as Primera to Meteo Garcia, son in a powerful family with Presidential aspirations for him. Dani’s arch enemy at school, Carmen, has been chosen as Mateo’s Segunda. La Voz, a resistance group protesting border regulations and immigrant crackdowns, recently provided Dani with better forged papers, but at a price: They want her to spy for them in Mateo’s household. With Mateo cold and threatening, Carmen unexpectedly evolves into a friend, perhaps even someone Dani can trust. When Dani discovers Mateo’s role in increased hostilities against protesters, she struggles to balance protecting her secret against acting as her conscience dictates. She’s also navigating feelings for Carmen that are turning from a tentative bond of trust to strong romantic attraction. Political intrigue set in an unspecified Latine-inspired culture merges with budding romance in a tightly paced plot that races to its cliff-hanger finale and has strong parallels to tensions in our world today. ©2020 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 13 and older
Age Range:
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Ethical/Moral Choices
Friendship
Immigration and Immigrants
Lesbians
LGBTQ+ Persons
Love and Romance
Politics and Political Systems
Speculative Fiction
Spies and Intrigue
Xenophobia
Diversity subject:
Latine
LGBTQ Character/Topic
Publishers:
HarperCollins, Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Year: 2019
Pages: 364
ISBN: 9780062691316
CCBC Location: Fiction, Mejia