Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never by Rebecca King

"Sometimes what's on the card surprises us. But that doesn't mean it's not right ... It's not always easy to accept our fate, but it's our duty. Think about all the jobs in the village. 

Everyone plays their part and, together, we're a community."

Do you like this cover?  I am sorry to say I do not especially now that I have read this book and discovered it contains quite a gripping and inventive story. I'm not the demographic for this book so perhaps this cover will appeal to the intended audience of readers aged 10+.

The premise of this book links with the three Fates of Greek mythology. 

• Clotho spun the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle. 
• Lachesis measured the thread of life allotted to each person with her measuring rod. 
• Atropos was the cutter of the thread of life. She chose the manner of each person's death; and when their time was come, she cut their life-thread with shears.

In this book, spoiler alert, all of these roles, we discover near the end of the book, are held by one woman and a machine but at this point I need to back track a little to the beginning of the book where we read that before the age of twelve each child in this village receives a small card with their destiny. The card, called a Fate Card, spells out their future occupation and one more very shocking thing. The card has a number which equates to the length of the recipient's life. Ember's birthday is in a few days and her card has arrived but it is blank. Ember tries to destroy her card in the hope she might be sent another one but the card is indestructible. Then something even more dreadful happens. Ember's seven year old sister receives her card and it contains the number eight which means young Juniper could die any day. It is only eight months until Juniper turns eight. 

Ember is a problem solver. She knows these cards are connected with the mountain that overshadows their village with the ominous name Mount Never. She sets off to climb the mountain to save her sister and we know, as the reader, she will also solve the mystery of the fate cards. Who sends them and why. The pace of the story heats up when Ember finds a place on the mountain filled with clocks.  One of these has her sister's name. Ember tries to alter the time on the clock hoping to extend her sister's life but instead she breaks the clock and now Ember has just three hours to save her precious sister. Time is ticking! Luckily she does have Hans (he is a clock hand) to help her. 

I read this book in one sitting and I did enjoy the premise of the fate cards but I was hoping for a political thread because early on we learn that these cards are used to maintain order in society (see quote above) and I did wonder about the role of the town mayor. I also hoped the idea of school lessons, which change after the fate cards arrive, would be developed but perhaps that will happen in book two. The bad omens associated with the origami birds that keep following Ember is another story thread I hope Rebecca King will develop. 

I haven't been able to find much information about the author Rebecca King but I'm going to suggest The Phantom Tollbooth may have been one of her favourite books as a child because her book about Ember Shadows contains so many similar elements such as a journey through strange and sometimes dangerous worlds with a quirky companion (in this case one hand from a clock).  Ember Shadows and the fates of Mount Never is book one in a planned series. 

This book will be published in August 2022. Thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy.