The Edge of In Between

Starred review from May 2, 2022
Savaryn’s (The Circus of Stolen Dreams) detail-rich, fantastical retelling of The Secret Garden traverses the intricate, winding path of grief. Twelve-year-old artist Lottie lives in the Land of the Living’s capital, Vivelle, a magical and vibrant city. She and her parents are some of the lucky few who’ve maintained their magic, existing in technicolor alongside the Living Gray, whose magic and color have faded. Lottie was certain her color would never atrophy, since “it couldn’t be that hard to keep it, if a person wanted it badly enough,” until Lottie becomes a Living Gray herself following her parents’ sudden deaths. She’s taken in by her uncle and her Living Gray cousin Clement, and upon uncovering a mysterious garden on their property, the pair realize it’s possible to get their magic, and their color, back. With vivid prose, Savaryn delicately captures the achingly real toll of loss through the lens of art while expertly navigating faith and grief’s impact on mental health. Readers will relish the lush, eerie atmosphere and Lottie and Clement’s heartwarming friendship. Most characters cue as white; Clement has brown skin. Ages 8–12. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Literary.