Valshara Sh’a is a criminal goblin. Her crime was joining up with the wrong faction. Now she is on the run from the law and must decide what lines she will cross to stay free. Emily Golus cleverly reimagines Victor Hugo’s masterpiece Les Misérables into Crack the Stone’s high fantasy world of goblins, elves, and humans. Crack the Stone, however, simplifies the original Hugo novel, focusing on core ideas of repentance and grace while revealing comical insights into human culture as Valshara struggles to escape a caste-based value system. Unique voices and creative characterization bring whimsical balance to deep themes of redemption.

Best for: Teens and older readers, fans of fantastical retellings of classic literature.

Discern: Prejudice from a caste system, mildly descriptive violence.