discovered this in the library as a preteen; it’s one of a very few books that’s stayed with me ever since, and was instrumental in nudging me across the border from fantasy to sci-fi. I revisit it every few years and only appreciate it more each time. Pierce’s incredible facility with language, visual imagination, and interest in women’s relationships with each other stands out tall in the field of YA. Nobody else was doing it quite like her at the time. I doubt anyone else has since.