For readers who can’t get enough of strong female protagonists in unusual settings.
In a dark maritime fantasy, the first of a projected duology, a young woman finds home and family on a ship full of secrets.
Four years ago, 14-year-old Fable was marooned on a notorious island of thieves. Now the auburn-haired diver has managed to get onboard the Marigoldto search for Saint, the father who abandoned her. But Saint is a powerful, sinister figure among the sea traders; and in the Narrows, the most important rule is to trust no one. The narrative excels in the immersive world conjured by Fable’s first-person voice, crammed with nautical lore and rich in sensory details. The cramped geography creates a grim, violent, and cruel society, and it’s no surprise that Fable is equally wary and hard. Nonetheless, her seafaring competence and touch of magic earn her a place among the Marigold’s crew. Even more compelling is her fraught, complicated relationship with Saint and the memory of her fey, charismatic mother, although the frequent flashbacks can be disorienting. More unfortunate is the uneven pacing, for the most part glacially slow—despite the frequent action-packed set pieces, nothing actually seems to happen for over 200 pages—until a rushed climax and a romance that comes from nowhere lead to a forced-feeling cliffhanger. Fable is white, and secondary characters have a range of skin tones
For readers who can’t get enough of strong female protagonists in unusual settings. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-25436-8
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
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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