Speculative fiction and young adult horror fiction frequently explore themes of isolation, biological threat, and survival. The young adult horror novel Wilder Girls introduced a distinct voice to contemporary speculative fiction, quickly becoming a New York Times bestseller upon its 2019 release.
Author Rory Power weaves dark, atmospheric tension with intricate character relationships across both young adult standalone horror and adult fantasy duologies.
Career & Background
Power grew up in New England, spending much of her youth in Boston, Massachusetts. She completed her undergraduate studies at Middlebury College before moving to the United Kingdom to earn a Master of Arts in prose fiction from the University of East Anglia.
In addition to writing fiction, Power works in publishing and screen media as a crime fiction editor and story consultant for television adaptations. She resides in Providence, Rhode Island.
Writing Style & Themes
Power's young adult fiction is known for visceral body horror, claustrophobic settings, and intense focus on female friendships under pressure. Her narratives examine the psychological and physical impacts of quarantine, trauma, and uncanny physical transformation.
In her adult speculative fiction, Power expands these thematic interests into broader epic fantasy contexts. Her adult works feature complex political landscapes, intricate magical power structures, and multi-layered sibling dynamics facing high-stakes moral choices.
Major Works
- Wilder Girls — Published in 2019, this debut young adult horror novel and New York Times bestseller follows students at a quarantined island boarding school afflicted by a strange contagion known as the Tox.
- Burn Our Bodies Down — Released in 2020, this standalone young adult horror novel explores unsettling small-town secrets, dark family history, and tense mother-daughter relationships.
- In a Garden Burning Gold — Published in 2022, this novel opens The Wind-Up Garden duology, an adult fantasy following twin siblings who wield elemental magic in a realm fraught with political intrigue.
- In an Orchard Grown from Ash — Released in 2024, this fantasy novel concludes The Wind-Up Garden duology as the protagonists deal with the escalation of war, betrayal, and familial collapse.
- Kill Creatures — Published in 2025, this young adult speculative fiction title continues Power's exploration of high-stakes survival and eerie, suspenseful narrative tension.
