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story identification - Trying to remember a book that had people (I think they turned white?) segregated into a compound


I think the main character was a prince or high born person, who one day wakes up and looks in the mirror and his hair is turning white, I think his skin bleaches out too... His servants notice and try to sneak him out, but he ends up being put into a compound with others with the same affliction. Are they dead? There were lots of chases in the novel; running and hiding; learning to survive in the compound... I remember being disappointed with the ending (or maybe just hungry for more) and thinking that there must be another book coming. But I forgot the book title and don't know the author so I can't track down any sequels ;) Read it at least ten years ago. Any help is appreciated!




Answer



This sounds an awful lot like Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson



Raoden, the prince of Arelon, is transformed into an Elantrian at the beginning of the book. After the Reod, Elantrians got dark splotches on their skin and their hair falls out, and cannot die or be killed (except by drastic measures, such as burning or beheading) Their bodies do not repair themselves, so they continue to feel pain as minor injuries accumulate, those who suffer too much pain, known as the "Hoed", are unable to move and can only repeat one sentence, whatever it was that they said right before turning into a Hoed, over and over. Elantrians do not need to eat, but they feel hunger pains when they don't. Raoden is immediately sent to Elantris - once the wonder of the world, now a cursed ruin. Persons transformed into Elantrians are treated as dead by those outside Elantris. Raoden's storyline centers on his efforts to improve the Elantrian way of life beyond the anarchy to which it succumbed when Elantris fell. He does this by getting the Elantrians to focus on work, rather than their pains, and by getting rid of the gangs which were beating up new Elantrians upon their arrival.



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