The Last Bloodcarver
Vanessa Le
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The Last Bloodcarver
Vanessa Le
When Nhika is caught using her bloodcarving abilities during a sham medical appointment, she's captured by underground thugs and sold to an aristocratic family to heal the last witness of their father's murder.
But as Nhika delves deeper into their investigation amidst the glitz of Theumas' wealthiest district, she begins to notice parallels between this job and her own dark past. And when she meets an alluring yet entitled physician's aide, Ven Kochin, she's forced to question the true intent behind this murder. In a society that outcasts her, Kochin seems drawn to her...though he takes every chance he gets to push her out of his opulent world.
When Nhika discovers that Kochin is not who he claims to be, and that there is an evil dwelling in Theumas that runs much deeper than the murder of one man, she must decide where her heart, and her allegiance, truly lie. And - if she's willing to become the dreaded bloodcarver Theumas fears to save herself and the ones she's vowed to protect.
Review
Claire Atherfold
Vanessa Le is a Vietnamese-American author who recently graduated from Brown University with a focus on health and human biology. The Last Bloodcarver is her first novel in a debut duology. It is a wonderful fusion of science and fantasy, with steampunk stylings and Vietnamese cultural references throughout.
The main character, Nhika, is a heartsooth: she can alter biology – human or animal – with a simple touch to the skin. It’s a gift she inherited from her grandmother. As healers, the heartsooth were revered by the Yarongese, but that was before Nhika’s home was invaded.
Nhika, now a refugee scraping a living within the city of Theumas, must hide her gift, as this integral part of her is now feared and reviled. It is considered a dark art and is labelled ‘bloodcarving’. In Theuman society, even the latest fashions are designed to protect the populace from the bloodcarver’s touch, with high necklines and long sleeves in vogue.
When an act of mercy exposes Nhika, she ends up caged like an animal and for sale on the black market. Her surprise purchase by the aristocratic Congmi family appears to be a blessing, but it leads to a possible murder, and perhaps something even darker and more dangerous.
Le’s worldbuilding is rich and detailed, and she handles complicated subjects, such as race and cultural identity, with sympathetic intelligence. The layers within the descriptive explanations when Nhika is using her gift are wonderous. The Last Bloodcarver is a creative beginning to this intriguing tale. For ages 12+.
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