An energizing and magnetic whirlwind.
Facing the looming threat of a dying world, a group of magical outcasts fights to end the reign of the immortal Witch Lord in this final installment of the Metamorphosis duology.
A wound in time and space connects Earth to the City of Eyes, a land of chaotic magic ruled by the power-hungry Witch Lord. To save both worlds, Eli, a White assassin with the Heart of another world thrumming in her chest, and Tav, a Black boi with the ability to create magic doors, must work in unison to heal the rift. However, every day the Heart’s overwhelming power threatens to consume Eli and the Witch Lord, who, intent on total domination, sends an army of monsters against the rebels who dare to challenge her. The third-person point of view rotates among three characters—Eli, Tav, and the blue-skinned witch Kite—with perspective shifts that ramp up the momentum and suspense. The queer, polyamorous romance is wound with tension and longing that are not based on jealousy while remaining consent-positive. Jerreat-Poole crafts vivid imagery using wild and surprising prose. Snippets of lore tease at a vast universe beyond Earth and the City of Eyes. Amid the witchery and the untamable, sentient magical setting, the characters grapple with the intimate complexities of identity and their understanding of justice. Hopeful and satisfying, the resolution calls the characters into continued action and community engagement.
An energizing and magnetic whirlwind. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 22, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4597-4684-8
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Dundurn
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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