A Kirkus Best of 2025 Young Adult BookA NYPL Best Book of the YearIn this medieval fantasy steeped in mystery, Italian duo Irene Marchesini and Carlotta Dicataldo deliver a breathtakingly beautiful tale of trauma, transformation, and sisterhood. Born with paper-white skin, Martino is an outcast. To the villagers, albinism is more than a curiosity--it's a curse. Shunned and bullied, Martino finds refuge in the forest...even though some say a witch lives there. In a tiny cottage deep in the forest, Viviana survives on what nature provides. It's a simple, contented life...as long as she doesn't think of the past. When fate brings these lost souls together, they form a family of two. Martino finally knows what it means to be loved and accepted, and drawing on the power of the forest, experiences a magical rebirth.
