THE HANDMAIDS TALE meets THE SELECTION in this YA debut, the first in a trilogy. Violet is at the heart of the most opulent city, but has been trapped there in the most dire circumstances.
New York Times bestselling author Amy Ewing delivers a dark and riveting tale that "will have fans of Oliver’s Delirium, Cass’s The Selection, and DeStefano’s Wither breathless.”*
The Jewel has many meanings: wealth, beauty, royalty. But for Violet, the Jewel has always meant servitude.
Born and raised in the Marsh, Violet is destined for the Jewel. She is trained as a surrogate for the elite and is bought by the Duchess of the Lake at auction. And she quickly learns that beneath the Jewel’s glittering façade lies the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her life...all while fighting for her survival. But before she can accept her fate, Violet meets a handsome boy who is also under the Duchess’s control. A forbidden love sparks.
But their illicit affair has consequences, which will cost them both more than they bargained for. And toeing the line between being calculating and rebellious, Violet must decide what, and who, she is willing to risk for her own freedom.
*BCCB
In a city where love is the ultimate crime, what is the price of freedom?
- Forbidden Love: Violet wasn’t looking for romance, especially not with a handsome boy controlled by the same duchess who owns her. But their illicit affair could cost them everything.
- Dystopian World-Building: From the impoverished Marsh to the glittering Jewel, discover a society built on a brutal class divide where the elite purchase young women at auction.
- High-Stakes Survival: Beneath the palace’s beautiful façade, Violet must navigate a world of cruelty and backstabbing where one wrong move means death.
- Servitude and Rebellion: Trained her whole life for servitude, Violet discovers a spark of rebellion within her, forcing her to decide who and what she’s willing to risk for freedom.
