So, they pay the price of that extra bit of vulnerability to have that power. The shadows also serve as a sort of check on their power, because only the characters who have a very special kind of magic called propio have moving shadows. I wanted to give my characters a physical manifestation of that kind of duality and emotional vulnerability.

When I saw Peter’s shadow, it made me think about the duality of a person - the image of yourself that you project to the world versus what’s really going on inside. It was such an amazing image that has stuck with me for life. I would re-watch the scene where Wendy sews Peter’s shadow to his feet over and over again. MM: From a young age I was OBSESSED with Peter Pan. JP: What inspired you to characterize/personify the characters’ shadows? I wanted to show readers that they should never be ashamed of their heritage because their culture is powerful. So, when I wrote Nocturna I decided to bring my culture to the forefront of the story. Speaking Spanish was seen as un-American and strange, which made me want to hide my heritage. Likewise, during the day in my real life, it had been made clear to me that my culture wasn’t always welcome. Maya Motayne: Growing up, I spent my nights reading fantasy novels with a flashlight under the covers, and though I devoured book after book, I never saw myself or my culture in the stories I loved so much. Jen Pino: Why did you decide to use Spanish terminology as the spell work for magic? And with Castallan's fate in their hands, Alfie and Finn must race to vanquish what they have unleashed, even if it means facing the deepest darkness in their pasts.Maya Motayne (Photo credit: Tochi Mgbenwelu) Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.īut when Finn and Alfie's fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power-which, if not contained, will devour the world. But Alfie can't help but feel that he will never live up to his brother's legacy. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster, she's forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan's royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.Īfter the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. To Finn Voy, magic is two things: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her.and a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks.Īs a talented faceshifter, it's been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that's exactly how she likes it. Perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Leigh Bardugo, and V. The first in a sweeping and epic debut fantasy trilogy-set in a stunning Latinx-inspired world-about a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince who must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed.

Nocturna maya motayne