As harsh and unforgiving as the tundra she grew up in, Katya spends her days doing the same work that killed her mother. It's her job to hack away at the ever-forming ice bridge between her village and the territory beyond, hoping to stave off winter and the arrival of lakerunners-voracious monsters known to devour children-for as long as possible.
When a malevolent winter sprite takes Katya's baby sister back to its icy lair, Katya determines to go after the mythic creature and get her sister back.
Alone, armed with her mother's spear and determined to hunt down her sister's monstrous captor, Katya quickly discovers the icy wasteland beyond her village is full of illusions. Living nightmares walk through frosted forests, owls turn into trickster-witches, and a voice from nowhere has a message for Katya. It turns out her sister was part of a divine plan, and if Katya can't find her, she'll have to take her sister's place as a piece in a god's game.
Katya set off with the intention of battling a single monster, but she might just find herself combating a god.
From bestselling fantasy author Robyn Abbott comes a dystopian fairy tale, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden. 
