Pong was born in prison, and he escapes with a tattoo that marks him as a criminal. A kindly monk takes him and covers the mark with bracelets. Each bracelet represents a blessing. Pong hides in plain sight, joining the monks in their prayers and charitable deeds.
Nok, the daughter of the prison warden, is determined to prove herself by tracking down the escaped prisoner and bringing him to justice. However, she begins to realize that justice and the law might not always agree.
The Governor of the city has a magical power that provides light for the whole city, but that light is costly and only the wealthy can afford it. The poor sit in squalor and darkness in the slums of the city, and both Nok and Pong start to wonder what kind of justice allows innocent people to suffer.

I loved this beautiful retelling of Les Mis! The plot does have several elements and characters that mirror Les Mis, but most of the book takes its own direction with many surprise twists. This world has a soft magic system, and although some characters are able to intuitively tap into magical power, magic is very rare.

The best part of this book is the character development for both Pong and Nok. They are on opposite sides of the law at the beginning, but their experiences change them and eventually they recognize the true nature of right and wrong. Pong only cares about having freedom. He thinks if he can just run far enough, he will be able to outrun the darkness. Nok wants to be the perfect daughter. She thinks if she can just be perfect enough, she will never be afraid or feel like she doesn't belong. Through their internal struggles, they learn that the Governor's laws do not divide the world into dark and light, and they have to decide for themselves what is truly right and good.

The writing is fabulous! It really pulls you into the enchantment of this world and the adventures of the characters.