From the award-winning and bestselling author of Feed comes a raucous and slyly funny adult fiction debut, about the quest to steal the mystical bones of a long-dead saint
The year is 1087, and a pox is sweeping through the Italian port city of Bari. When a lowly monk is visited by Saint Nicholas in his dreams, he interprets the vision as a call to action. But his superiors, and the power brokers they serve, have different plans for the tender-hearted Brother Nicephorus.
Enter Tyun, a charismatic treasure hunter renowned for “liberating” holy relics from their tombs. The seven-hundred-year-old bones of Saint Nicholas rest in distant Myra, Tyun explains, and they’re rumored to weep a mysterious liquid that can heal the sick. For the humble price of a small fortune, Tyun will steal the bones and deliver them to Bari, curing the plague and restoring glory to the fallen city. And Nicephorus, the “dreamer,” will be his guide.
What follows is a heist for the ages, as Nicephorus is swept away on strange tides—and alongside even stranger bedfellows—to commit an act of sacrilege. Based on real historical accounts, Nicked is a wildly imaginative, genre-defying, and delightfully queer adventure, full of romance, intrigue, and wide-eyed wonder at the world that awaits beyond our own borders.
Topics <span style="font-family:aptos narrow,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (270</span><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">-</span><span style="font-family:aptos narrow,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">343). Religious relics. Pirates. Treasure hunters and treasure hunting. Grave robbing. LGBTQ. Italy. Plagues.</span>
Trim Size 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Fall
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2024-07-22
JLG Release Date Sep 2024
Minimum grade 11
Maximum grade 12
Reading level High
Format Print
Adult Fiction for Teens Plus (Grades 11 & Up)
Adult Fiction for Teens Plus
Adult Fiction for Teens Plus (Grades 11 & Up)
For Grades 11 & Up This collection features 14 adult fiction titles per year selected for strong appeal to older teens. Selections emphasize accessible storytelling and compelling narratives, centered on relatable characters facing challenges and themes that resonate with readers ready to move beyond traditional YA fiction. Some selections may explore identity, relationships, and real-world challenges, including LGBTQIA+ themes, strong language, social issues, and sensitive topics such as sexual abuse and suicide.
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Language: Mild Language,Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes,Social Issue: Slavery in Historical Context,Violence: General