Common Sense Media Review
By Victoria Quistgaard
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Blood, swearing in exciting elves vs. humans romantasy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE RUINS BENEATH US, Lyria quietly lives outside of the wall with her mother studying to be a Healer, but she yearns to explore and meet new people. But as an Elf, she must remain hidden, or she could be caught and killed. While her mother is off investigating rumors of a plague, she saves a young human's life, Fin. After Fin leaves completely healed, he asks for her help as a Healer and sends for her from his castle inside the walls. Lyria can't help but follow her heart in order to save as many people as possible during the Long War. But she runs into trouble with the Head Healer at the hospital, Cygnus—a stubborn, brilliant man who is always serious and rude. Will Lyria be as a good a Healer as she hopes? Will she find love in this time of turmoil?
Is It Any Good?
Captivating world building in this fantastic romantic fantasy about Elves versus humans thrills from start to finish. There's adventure, magic, and romance in this well-written first book by emerging author and #Booktok influencer Sasha E. Sloan. And if you like a little gore and elf-human love with your magic and war, then this is sure to please.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about politics and how a dictatorship doesn't allow for freedom of religion. Why do you think people are sometimes persecuted for their religion? IS ti ever justified? Why or why not?
Talk about LGBTQ+ representation in the book. How does this kind of representation in characters affect your reading experience? Is it important to have queer characters in books for teens? Why or why not?
Elves don't look or act like humans and be seen as an allegory for how we treat people who are different from some expected standard. What groups today or in your town are treated differently or discriminated against? Why? How does seeing this in a fictional world help you think about real world issue?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Activism , Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Faith , Fantasy ( Magic , Monsters ) , Friendship , History , Royalty ( Kings , Princes , Princesses , Queens ) , Travel
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date : March 3, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : March 11, 2026
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