Fates are revealed on a child’s tenth birthday when magic ink mixes with their blood to reveal their destiny in a tattoo on their hand. Metty’s biggest worry is that her fate might be boring, until the ink reveals a skull in the palm of a glove. Metty is fated to become a murderer. Her father hides her away in the Welsh countryside and she avoids magic in the hope of avoiding her fate, until he goes missing and her aunt takes her to the sky city of New London. Surrounded by mysteries about her family history, the secretive boy who lives with her aunt, the shadowy Black Moths, and the whereabouts of her missing father, she begins to suspect they are all linked to her own dark fate.

This gorgeous fantasy has definite Nevermoor and Wednesday vibes and will appeal to confident fantasy fans who enjoy a magical blend of darkness and whimsy. Metty is a compelling main character, the worldbuilding will draw you in and the mystery and adventure will keep you turning those pages.