About the Book
Book: Crack the Stone
Author: Emily Golus
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: September 22, 2023
I am Valshara, the black stone born of fire. Break me, and my edges turn into knives.
Condemned to a slave camp for her crimes, goblin convict Valshara Sh’a makes a death-defying escape to freedom. But navigating Vindor’s treacherous cavern system is only the beginning of her troubles. An encounter with a rogue king turns her world upside down, and a bargain with fairy tricksters leaves her with a human child she doesn’t know how to care for.
As she tries to smuggle the boy through the walls of a barricaded city, Valshara can’t let down her guard. Because somewhere in the darkness behind her, a bounty hunter rises—relentless as nightfall and merciless as death itself.
Emily Golus re-imagines Victor Hugo’s beloved Les Misérables as an epic fantasy adventure about suffering, redemption, and the extraordinary power of love.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions given are my own and not an endorsement of all author’s opinions.
Author Interview
What was the most enjoyable part of writing your book?
Crack the Stone is a retelling of Les Misérables, which is a simply enormous novel. I knew how I wanted to adapt the core of the story (the redemption of Jean Valjean and the adoption of Cosette), but one of the most fun parts for me was finding ways to “remix” other elements of the original into this main plotline. The innkeepers, Éponine, the ABC, the barricade, the Elephant of the Bastille, Cosette’s doll—they’re all re-spun into something new and different.
You don’t have to be familiar with Hugo’s novel or the musical adaptation to enjoy Crack the Stone, but if you are I hope you enjoy the Les Mis Easter eggs!
How do you weave Biblical truths into your writing?
When I write, I often try to illustrate biblical concepts in new ways. For example, what would it look like if a society adopted the New Testament’s principle of radical hospitality to strangers? What might distract them from that?
For Crack the Stone, I had a rich resource to work with in Les Misérables, which very beautifully illustrates the mercy of God. I wrote the character of Valshara (my version of Jean Valjean) trying to show the deep, transforming power of forgiveness and love on a hardened heart. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the mysterious Faceless (Javert), a bounty hunter who’s very scrupulous about following rules and pursuing “righteousness” to advance his own status, but at his core he’s selfish and spiritually dead.
Are any of your characters based off of yourself or those close to you?
Yes! Five-year-old Makozi is based on my son, David. Ever since David started speaking, I’ve been writing down the funny or unique things he says. When I went to write Valshara’s young ward, I realized I had a trove of realistic childish dialogue to pullfrom.
Makozi’s high energy level and some of his quirks (such as the chaotic way he hikes through the woods) are drawn from David as well.
Do you have a favorite time of day you are most productive in your writing?
Before I had kids, I did my best work in the wee hours of the morning. I often got up at five a.m. and got a few hours of writing in before I headed into my marketing job. Now I work whenever I have the chance—typically in the evenings or when my kids are in preschool. I’ve learned to be a lot more flexible and can write anywhere I can fit my laptop!
What is your next big goal as an author?
I’m turning my attention from the underground world of goblins to the undersea world of Vindor’s merfolk. I have a short story coming out in The Realm Beneath anthology in October, which is a prequel to a full-length mermaid novel (still in the drafting stages).
You can keep up with news about these projects on my website, EmilyGolusBooks.com, or follow me on Instagram @worldofvindor.
About the Author
Emily Golus is an award-winning fantasy author with nearly 20 years of professional writing experience. Golus aims to engage, inspire, and show how small acts of courage and love create meaningful change. Her books feature diverse cultures, authentic characters, and cinematic fantasy settings.
Her first novel, Escape to Vindor, won the 2018 Selah Award for Young Adult Fiction, and a spin-off novel, Crack the Stone, won the 2024 Kudos Award for Fiction. Golus lives in Greenville, S.C., with her husband, Mike, who is her greatest supporter. They have two active little boys and enjoy hiking, making Thai food, and exploring small towns in the Carolinas.
More from Emily
Crack the Stone is a fantasy re-spinning of Victor Hugo’s redemptive masterpiece, Les Misérables. I’ve taken the major themes and characters of the original novel and recast them within the fantastical world of Vindor. The heart of the story is the same—a stone-hearted convict on the run from the law finds unexpected redemption—but there are new twists and turns along the way.
The Jean Valjean character—now a fierce goblin warrior named Valshara Sh’a—finds herself fleeing through treacherous caverns, an ensnaring forest, and a West African-inspired city under siege. Her pursuer, an expert bounty hunter who has never failed to catch his quarry, is dead-set on returning her to slavery.
Complicating everything is the human boy Valshara rescues from a fairy ring. The precocious and chaotic child not only jeopardizes the goblin’s escape, but starts to melt her obsidian heart.
Crack the Stone focuses primarily on Hugo’s themes of scandalous redemption, legalism, and the transforming love between a mother and child. Other elements of the novel—lovesick Éponine, the red revolution flag, the barricade, the Elephant of the Bastille—have been remixed in unexpected ways to support the redemption arc.
If you’re a fan of the book (or the musical!) you’ll enjoy the fun Les Mis “Easter eggs” throughout. But even if you’re not familiar with the original, you can still get swept up in Crack the Stone’s epic story of suffering, love, and light in the darkest places.
Blog Stops
The Lofty Pages, September 21
Vicky Sluiter, September 22 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 23
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 24 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 25
For the Love of Literature, September 26 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, September 26
Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 27 (Author Interview)
Through the Fire Blogs, September 28 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, September 29
Guild Master, September 30 (Author Interview)
A Reader’s Brain, October 1 (Author Interview)
Back Porch Reads, October 2 (Author Interview)
Just Your Average reviews, October 3
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 4 (Author Interview)
Denise L. Barela, October 4
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Emily is giving away the grand prize of a paperback copy of Crack the Stone, an obsidian arrowhead pendant, two Vindor stickers, a Vindor mini-map, a Vindor bookmark, and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
This looks like a novel I will thoroughly enjoy. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for sharing!
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