The Loss of the Burying Ground - by J Anderson Coats

Book Synopsis

"Swashbuckling fantasy. . . . Readers will be rewarded with shocking reveals and conniving court intrigue." --Publishers Weekly

When the Burying Ground goes down in neutral waters, it sends the delegations from two warring nations--and the peace treaty they were about to sign--to the bottom of the ocean. The only survivors are a pair of teen girls: Cora, daughter of a Duran newspaperman, and Vivienne, lady's maid to an Ariminthian princess. Neither has known a time when war between their two countries did not rage, but now they must learn to trust each other if they are to find sustenance, avoid dangerous pirates, and have any hope of rescue from the remote island they washed up on. However, in the midst of a conflict steeped in fierce national identity, propaganda, disinformation, and radicalization, finding a common path forward seems nearly impossible, for both Cora and Vivienne and their respective countries. But when the teens' politically charged rescue seems likely to extend the war, Cora and Vivienne realize they do have a shared purpose: peace. If only it isn't too late.

Review Quotes

Told in alternating first-person perspectives, the story moves quickly and paints a convincing portrait of the lives of ordinary citizens caught in the political games of their governments. . . . An intriguing fantastical take on contemporary political themes.
--Kirkus Reviews

Swashbuckling fantasy. . . . Readers will be rewarded with shocking reveals and conniving court intrigue.
--Publishers Weekly

The characters are drawn with great emotional appeal, and readers will find it easy to become invested in their fates.
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Coats has written an agreeable story of action and adventure that will hold readers' attention.
--Booklist

About the Author

J. Anderson Coats is the author of fantasy and historical fiction for children and young adults, including Spindle and Dagger. J. Anderson Coats lives and works as a librarian near Seattle.