The Last Bloodcarver

By Vanessa Le

Book Overview

A pulse-pounding YA fantasy in which "you'll gasp, you'll scream, you'll cry, and you'll be begging for the next book." (Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of These Violent Delights)

Nhika is a bloodcarver. A coldhearted, ruthless being who can alter human biology with just a touch.

In the industrial city of Theumas, Nhika is seen not as a healer, but a monster that kills for pleasure. And in the city's criminal underbelly, the rarest of monsters are traded for gold. When Nhika is finally caught by the infamous Butchers, she's forced to heal the last witness to a high-profile murder.

As Nhika delves into the investigation, all signs point to Ven Kochin, an alluring yet entitled physician's aide. Despite his relentless attempts to push her out of his opulent world, something inexplicable draws Nhika to him. But when she discovers Kochin is not who he claims to be, Nhika will be faced with a greater, more terrifying evil lurking in the city's center...

Her only chance to survive lies in a terrible choice--become the dreaded monster the city fears, or risk jeopardizing the future of her kind.

Cinder meets Divine Rivals in Vanessa Le's The Last Bloodcarver, the first in a two-book debut - with a riveting medical magic system and lush Vietnam-inspired fantasy world.

"Smart, lush, and utterly compelling." -- Marie Lu, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Legend

More Praise for The Last Bloodcarver:

Four Starred Reviews
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

★ "An entrancingly well-written debut." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Visceral and exquisitely rendered prose, intertwining a murder investigation with themes of unresolved grief, medical ethics, and lost heritage." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Deeply romantic, and darkly biological." -- Booklist, starred review

★ "All collections will benefit from this unequivocal first purchase." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"The perfect blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance." -- Axie Oh, New York Times-bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

"Obsession-worthy characters." -- Joan He, New York Times-bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find

"Absolutely captivating. This is one to be savored." -- Grace D. Li, New York Times-bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250881528
• ISBN13: 9781250881526
• Release Date: March 2024
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.5" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 12 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 7 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

A unique and fascinating magic system

The Last Bloodcarver, the first in a new Vietnamese inspired fantasy duology, follows Nhika, who possesses a rare, blood-based magic which allows its practitioners to change the human body, to heal or to harm. Nhika is an orphan; her family were refugees who fled a colonized land. She lives in Theumas where she was born, struggling on the edge of society, fighting to survive and hide her power. After she is betrayed by someone she helps, she ends up being sold to a wealthy family on the black market for the purpose of healing their friend. A mystery ensues with twists, turns, a romance and a cliffhanger ending The magic system is unique and fascinating, incorporating science, anatomy and physiology. The world building was unique, a combination of magic and modern technology with steampunk elements. Nhika is a strong character who has had to focus on survival. She grows throughout the story moving from anger and fear to learning to trust others and value her power. The Last Bloodcarver was well written and compulsively readable. It explored themes of isolation, colonization, class, prejudice, grief and the limits and ethics of medicine.