We chat with author Marie Lu about Mortal Things, which is set in a world of insatiable immortals, their eternal rivalries, and the humans trapped between them.
Hi, Marie! When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
In kindergarten, my mom would give me a little assignment to write down one new word a day and then put it into a sentence. So in a way, I guess homework was my entry into reading and writing? Soon I realized that I just enjoyed the process of putting together little stories, so that’s what I would do for fun—I’d staple booklets together and pretend they were real books. I especially loved books about horses and animals, which then led to fantasy novels like The Rats of Nimh and the Redwall series, which ultimately led to all of SFF as a genre.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Where the Red Fern Grows. Traumatizing!
- The one that made you want to become an author: Mattimeo (Redwall series), by Brian Jacques. I wrote my first fanfiction based on that book!
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Every now and then, I’m gobsmacked all over again by her genius and originality. What a brilliant story.
Your latest novel, Mortal Things, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Gods Versus Mortals Love Story
What can readers expect?
I wanted to write something magical, wintry, and thrilling for readers to cozy up with, so I hope that’s what they’ll get here—a love story wrapped around a mystery that is set in London, and a battle between modern gods and mortals.
Where did the inspiration for Mortal Things come from?
Several years ago, I took a trip to London. London is a city so layered in history that it feels magical—I’d turn a corner and find myself in some 18th century cemetery, or I’d walk along the Thames and find a spot where medieval ferrymen used to rest, or I’d pass a busy street and stumble straight into an old palace. Everything had a story, and every doorway felt like it could lead to another world. So I asked myself: what if I made that literal? What if there really is a layer of magic under this city? And immediately, I had a mental image of a young woman standing before some mysterious estate, watching a man materialize out of the fog. That was the genesis for the story.
Can you share some insight into your worldbuilding process for Mortal Things?
Because Mortal Things is urban fantasy, much of the world was built by layering on top of our reality and then asking myself, “But what if I made this magic?” I would research real locations in London, then design over them—a pub with roses that bloom even in winter, for instance, or an estate that looks abandoned but is actually a beautiful structure that only immortals can enter. Much of worldbuilding for me is stacking questions on top of questions. What kind of god would live in this abandoned estate? What would they need from the mortal world in order to survive? What kind of mortal would serve them?
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Étienne Beauchard, the main love interest, was so fun for me to write. I adore a scoundrel with a heart of gold, and he is exactly that—a boy who works for the god of Lies. He’s charming and cheeky and beautiful, but he’s also a liar, so you have to take what he says with a grain of salt. There’s a scene where he and Rose are pitted against each other in New York City’s Met Museum that was really delightful for me to write, because Étienne can create illusions with his power of Lies. Rose has to keep her wits about her around him, and not just because she finds herself drawn to him.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Oh, all the time, with every single book! Urban fantasy in particular is difficult because your scaffolding is real places, so it involves a certain amount of research and a commitment to making the magic feel like it can realistically exist in our world. I was constantly making sure that I was keeping the real set pieces as accurate as possible.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on edits for the Mortal Things sequel, as well as gearing up for the spring 2027 release of Silver Dawn, the sequel to my adult fantasy, Red City. After that, I’ve got a few things in the works that I can’t talk about yet, but I hope to soon!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I absolutely loved Serra Swift’s fantasy debut, Kill the Beast, as well as her upcoming fantasy, The Last Queen of Faerie. Sabaa Tahir’s Empire—as well as all of her books—is out now and so incredible. It truly cements her as one of the best SFF writers of our generation. I’m also loving Leigh Bardugo’s Dead Beat and Tahereh Mafi’s Escape Me, which I’m reading right now. And currently on my nightstand is Min Jin Lee’s American Hagwon, which is already shaping up to be just as much of a masterpiece as her previous works.
