Jane Austen meets X-Men in this thrilling Victorian adventure full of magic and mysticism, perfect for anyone who loves a confident, rebellious heroine, snappy dialogue, and a hint of romance.

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they're not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true -- and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads, These Vicious Masks is an action-packed, genre-bending novel by debut authors Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas.

Praise for These Vicious Masks:

"Striking a strong balance between romance and mystery, this novel captures society's rules just as well as it does the unbelievable powers of the main characters. Readers will easily be swept up in its fast pace and sympathetic narrator, who is filled with both self-doubt and resolve to do anything to protect those she loves. This is a perfect pick for someone who wants a little magic in their Victorian novels, and its combination of historical fiction and mysticism will remind readers of Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy." -- Booklist

"This tale has brisk pacing, plenty of action, and a heroine with more than her fair share of girl-power confidence." -- School Library Journal

"This is a great read, compelling and addictive. Well written and great character development you cannot stop reading. I was spellbound from the beginning and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey!" -- Sue Speakman, reader on Swoon Reads.com

"My favorite thing about this book is the dialogue. The authors intricately composed period-style phrasing with a modern-day wit that is incredibly nuanced and thoughtful - very well done. I was successfully transported by the characters in a way that rivaled my indulgence in Harry Potterland." -- Cayla O'Connell, reader on SwoonReads.com

"So much fun! Like a story by one of the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen, except the characters are much more self-aware and genre-savvy." -- Duncan Pflaster, reader on SwoonReads.com

• We started tracking this book on December 21, 2015.
• This book was $7.09 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 21 times in the past 3,568 days.
• The current price of this book is $8.99 last checked 6 hours ago.
• This book is at its lowest price in the past 90 days.
• This lowest price this book has been offered at in the past year is FREE.
• The lowest price to date was FREE last reached on April 29, 2024.
• This book has been FREE one time since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was $11.99 last reached on January 13, 2023.
• This book has been $11.99 2 times since we started tracking it.

• Children's eBooksScience Fiction, Fantasy & Scary StoriesFantasy & MagicParanormal, Occult & Supernatural
• Teen & Young AdultHistorical FictionEurope
• Teen & Young AdultRomanceHistorical

• Publication Date: September 23, 2025
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 322 Pages
• File Size: 22 KB