Ruby Chen has always played the part of the dutiful eldest daughter: excelling in school; excelling in piano lessons; excelling at keeping her younger sister, Tina, focused on extracurriculars meant to impress college admissions officers.
But when a ghost from the spirit world attacks Ruby in the middle of Vancouver's Chinatown neighborhood, her life is plunged into a darkness that no amount of duty can free her from. Overnight, Ruby's sister seems to change. There are strange noises coming from her bedroom at all hours; and the once sweet, funny Tina has been replaced by something dark and unnatural.
As Ruby races to save her sister from demonic possession, she is thrown into an ancient battle over the gateway to the underworld. On one side, a sinister traveling temple known for making dark wishes come true has returned to Chinatown after many years--intent on breaking down the gateway and unleashing the wickedness within. On the other side, the guardians determined to stop this encroaching evil
And in order to survive, Ruby must not only face the horror taking over her community, but must also confront the horror within herself.
Chinese and Taiwanese mythology get the Junji Ito treatment in this bone-chilling, propulsive story that takes the horrors of the Asian diaspora experience to a whole new level.
Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, now a hit series on Disney+.
Look for these other young adult titles from Rick Riordan Presents
"Lin (A Magic Steeped in Poison, 2022) makes her horror debut with this standout novel following Ruby Chen, a girl driven to perfection and overburdened with the duties and responsibilities of being the oldest daughter in a Taiwanese Canadian family. Ruby takes on the task of trying to keep her more laid-back sister, Tina, on an academically oriented track that won't displease their parents, but that gets more complicated when Tina is captured by a group of ghouls and returns a completely different person, seemingly under a demonic spell. What's more, Vancouver's Chinatown seems to contain a gate to the underworld, and sinister wishes made at a temple there begin to threaten the community. Alongside the scary events, readers will encounter thoughtful underlying themes exploring the complicated dynamics between siblings, within families, and among the wider community. In an adventure that explores both inner and outer demons, Lin's spine-tingling Chinese-folklore-inspired novel will appeal to readers looking for scares grounded in realistic emotions. Well-known for her stirring fantasies, Lin proves with this novel that she has true promise as a horror author." -- Aurora Dominguez, Kirkus Reviews