The gath­ering of the den. The Hidden City is the first novel in The House War, a saga Michelle West’s avid fans have been waiting to read for over a decade. The House War is the story of the battle to control the most power of the ruling Houses in the Essalieyan Empire – House Terafin. But it is also the tale of a remark­able young woman, Jewel Markess (though she prefers to be called Jay by her friends). The Hidden City intro­duces Jewel as an orphan living in the slums of the capital city, Aver­alaan. She is unex­pect­edly rescued from this exis­tence by Rath, who aban­doned his own family when his sister joined House Terafin. Now his sister is The Terafin, head of House Terafin, while Rath has become a recluse, prowling … Continue reading →