jacey | Booklog 47/2023: T Kingfisher: Illuminations (Reply)

Rosa Mandolini is the 10 year old daughter of a household of painters of magical illuminations, images that hold specific spells from keeping milk fresh to protecting the city. He hopes to pain magical illuminations one day but at the moment all she seems to be able to paint are radishes with fangs. Looking for a way to help her family she finds an old box in the cellar, an illumination of a crow on its lid. Opening the box, the crow illustration comes to life, but not in time to stop her from opening the box and releasing the Scarling, a vicious illumination obsessed with wiping out the Mandolini family by unmaking their magical illuminations and plunging the city into chaos. With the help of the crow and her former best friend, Rosa must stop the Scarling. T. Kingfisher is one of my favourite authors. This book borders on middle grade and the younger end of YA, but it's a perfectly fine adult read, too.