Chloe Saunders is a fifteen year old necromancer on the run. This book is fast paced, with good details and great characterization. To my pleasure, Armstrong complicates the classic "magic teenagers on the run from a secret organization" with touches of realism. They run into problems like being ten dollars too poor to get to their next quest point, or not having ID. They bicker and don't always make courageous choices. The werewolf has anger issues--and it's not portrayed as being a sign of what a sexy Alpha Male he is, but rather, a serious problem he needs to work on. Chloe's power is indistinguishable from mental illness to most people, and instead of it making her seem interesting and tragic, the book points out the stigma and mockery often attached to appearing non-neurotypical. And the relationships between the characters feel real, built by believable conversations about their interests and experiences. I look forward to the next book!
