The Broken Lands - Hardcover

"This seamless blend of fantasy and historical fiction is ripe with rich, gritty detail . . . Readers will be captivated."
--Kirkus

* "A true delight to fans of history, fantasy, and the triumph of good."
--Bulletin, starred review

"This spine-tingling, action-packed, and emotionally powerful prequel to The Boneshaker (Clarion, 2010) can stand on its own and has much to offer discerning readers."
--School Library Journal

"Thrilling, gothic, gorgeous. Milford can conjure spirits as well as any of the mysterious wanderers who travel through her world."
--Adam Gidwitz, author of A Tale Dark and Grimm

"A glimpse into a past that feels frighteningly real, The Broken Lands explodes off the page with unforgettable moments of skin-crawling terror and heart-stopping bravery. It thrilled me, enchanted me, terrified me, and by the end, made me fall in love."
--Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow

"The Broken Lands weaves hobo and drifter legends, post-Civil War Americana, and Coney Island's tawdry history into a desperately romantic, can't-put-it-down scary tale of young love and ancient magic. A superb second novel, rich, complex, and beautifully written."
--Chris Moriarty, author of The Inquisitor's Apprentice

"If Milford's The Boneshaker was a combination of Ray Bradbury and American folk legends, its prequel must be what you get when fairy tales meet E.L. Doctorow."
--Elizabeth Bird, Youth Materials Collections Specialist, The New York Public Library

"This book held me hostage for the majority of time I was reading it; it was impossible to put it down. The Broken Lands was one of the best books I have ever read."
--Kyle, grade 6

A crossroads can be a place of great power. So begins this deliciously spine-tingling prequel to Kate Milford’s The Boneshaker, set in the colorful world of nineteenth-century Coney Island and New York City. Few crossroads compare to the one being formed by the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, and as the bridge’s construction progresses, forces of unimaginable evil seek to bend that power to their advantage. Only two orphans with unusual skills stand in their way. Can the teenagers Sam, a card sharp, and Jin, a fireworks expert, stop them before it’s too late? Here is a richly textured, slow-burning thriller about friendship, courage, and the age-old fight between good and evil.