Amari is the last of her kind and she is running critically low on borrowed time. When she commits a grave error, Amari finds herself in the crosshairs of skilled assassin, Taliya, who knows the streets as well as she does. As Amari fights for her life, the two unravel a looming threat that could reduce the magical city of Castor to ashes, proving that hiding is not an option.

From the very beginning, readers are immersed into a world brimming with errant magic, where Rooftop Kings run the streets. B. R. Michaels masterfully crafts a vibrant landscape, contrasting the dilapidated streets of the impoverished with the magically maintained suburbs of the elite. Amari guides us through a colorful realm filled with intrigue. One particularly striking moment occurs when she races past a magically volatile street, feeling the magnetic pull of the magic itself.

“[Magic] clings to the streets like an errant spark, unpredictable and often as dangerous as it is useful.”

The world-building is, for me, the most captivating aspect of the story. The most memorable scene is when Amari describes her pieced-together home and her ghastly roommate. This seemingly simple moment is so visually appealing that I found myself wishing Amari would return there just for the pleasure of revisiting it.

In this novella, we encounter a fascinating array of characters that rule, live, and thrive in this world - “bound magicals,” “Rooftop Kings,” and more. I appreciated how the story reveals details about Amari gradually, rather than overwhelming us with information upfront. Although I typically prefer a more direct approach, this technique worked well in the narrative’s favor – especially since some of the attributes are so critical to the story. My only minor complaint is the ambiguity surrounding the ages of the main characters. While this is a personal preference, I like to grasp the relative age range, especially when characters are young.

Overall, I recommend “Shatterpoint: An Amari Kato Novella” to anyone seeking an adventurous escape into a richly diverse world.