First in an enthralling trilogy set in a strange world on the high seas. “An artfully crafted adventure that's equal parts thought-provoking and thrilling.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Petrel is an outcast on the ancient ship, an icebreaker, that has been following the same course for three hundred years. In that time, the ship’s crew has forgotten its original purpose and broken into three warring tribes. Everyone has a tribe except Petrol. Nicknamed the Nothing Girl, Petrel has been ostracized ever since her parents were thrown overboard as punishment for a terrible crime.
But Petrel is a survivor. She lives in the ship's darkest corners, and trusts no one except two large gray rats—that is, until a mysterious boy is discovered barely alive on an iceberg, and brought onto the ship. He claims to have forgotten even his name. The tribes don’t trust strangers, so Petrel hides the boy, hoping he will be her friend. What she doesn’t know is that the ship guards a secret—a secret the boy has been sent to destroy.
“A carefully structured plot foreshadows the dramatic climax and reveals secrets at just the right time, keeping readers engaged throughout. Tanner's evocative prose allows readers to feel every dark, noisy crevice of the ship as well as the chill of the frozen wasteland that surrounds it. ”—School Library Journal (starred review)
“Non-stop action against a magical backdrop; this is a wonderful world to get lost in.” —Catherine Jinks, author of Panic
“Tanner offers an unusual take on the post-apocalyptic genre with this chilly tale of life board a massive ship that has been traversing the frozen seas for three centuries.” —Publishers Weekly
