The first in a magical realist series set in Shakespearean London and written with the kind of lyrical dexterity and power that one would expect from Akala, The Dark Lady references the Bard’s sonnets as well as crafting an uncompromising picture of street life in Renaissance England.
A natural storyteller with a vision of his own, The Dark Lady, Akala's debut novel for teens will enthuse and entertain teenagers and young adults, showing that reading is a true super-power.
A pickpocket with an exceptional gift.
A prisoner of extraordinary value
An orphan haunted by dreams of the mysterious Dark Lady
Henry is an orphan, an outsider, a thief. He is also a fifteen-year-old invested with magical powers ...
This brilliant, at times brutal, first novel from the amazing imagination that is Akala, will glue you to your seat as you are hurled into a time when London stank and boys like Henry were forced to find their own route through the tangled streets and out the other side.
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
ISBN: 9781444942972
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 224 g
Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 28 mm
An exhilarating, magic-laced adventure - The Observer
A pulsating read - S Magazine (Sunday Express)
Authentic - The Financial Times
One of the most highly anticipated books...the acclaimed rapper/poet takes aim at the historical novel with this inventive page-turner set in a vividly realised Elizabethan London - i newspaper
Akala's debut novel for teenagers and young adults is going to be a bestseller - remember where you read that first! - The Voice
The brilliant, at times brutal, first novel from the amazing imagination that is Akala, will glue you to your seat - BellaNaija
This brilliant and at times brutal debut from the award-winning rapper Akala will have you glued to your seat - Bishop Stortford Independent
Brilliantly atmospheric debut YA novel...The Dark Lady is a compelling rollercoaster of a journey. It's incredibly atmospheric, you feel transported to the sights, sounds and smells of Shakespearean London, all thanks to the incredibly engaging storytelling of Akala. It's full of guilt, revenge and a little bit of magic, the perfect combination for this sophisticated YA historical novel. You simply won't be able to put this one down. Cue the sequel! - ReadingZone
I devoured the book in literally a day...You can tell just how much Akala is passionate about language, Shakespeare and poetry as it exudes on every page. - Elf Councillor Blog
It's a supernatural adventure story...It's beautifully researched, rich with historical detail and real events...Mostly, I enjoyed the sense of Elizabethan London as it rises, redolent, from the pages, and the story, which has plenty of twists and turns and enough magic to draw in every reader. - BookBag
Written with the kind of lyrical dexterity and power that one would expect from Akala, The Dark Lady references the Bard's sonnets as well as crafting an uncompromising of street life in Renaissance England - All About Ipswich
The kind of lyrical dexterity and power that one would expect from Akala, painting an uncompromising picture of street life in Renaissance England. The Dark Lady will enthuse and entertain teenagers and young adults, showing that reading is a true super-power. - The British Blacklist
This debut novel is a fantastic read... find yourself gripped with the characters...This is a book you won't be able to put down! - Young Writers
A refreshingly unique blend of fantasy and history. It has a slower pace than other current YA fantasy works, which is no bad thing. The more detailed focus on the characters and world rather than action should pay... More
I first came across Akala two years ago when I read his fabulous and thought-provoking book on race and class in modern Britain. The folk at the Bradford Literature Festival that year agreed with me and it was our... More
The Dark Lady is a Dickensesque escapade following the lives of three street pickpockets as they navigate the backstreets of London. Henry is many things; a thief; an orphan; literate and distinguished by his race.... More
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