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OLDER FICTION
Bishara, Cristin

Vial of Tears

320 pp. | Holiday | October, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-8234-4641-4 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-8234-5034-3 $11.99
(2) YA Sam and her younger sister Rima live in a rundown trailer in Michigan with an unreliable yet loving mother who is trying to make ends meet after the girls' father doesn't return from a military mission. As the eldest daughter, Sam takes responsibility for her mom and sister, assuming household duties while simultaneously trying to finish high school. When Sam receives a mysterious package containing a jug and several coins from her great-grandfather who lives in Lebanon, her life changes forever. One coin is an obol, a burial token with the power to open a portal between worlds, and it belongs to Eshmun, a demigod who's been searching for it for centuries. When Rima moves the coin, the portal activates and Eshmun drags Rima and her sister from their hometown to the underworld, where monsters, shapeshifters, and gods roam free. There, Sam must face several trials to save her sister, protect herself, and find their way back home--including learning to trust herself enough to face the very devil. Bishara's narrative blends Lebanese history and Phoenician mythology to reflect the complications of familial love and the boundaries of life, death, fate, and choice. Through intricate world-building and storytelling, she brings forth a tale from an underexplored mythical foundation; perfect for fans of Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes.
Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

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