A thoroughly enjoyable Sapphic romp.
Two medieval teens smash the patriarchy.
Gwen only desires to prove herself as a knight. But entering the men’s-only Tournament of Dragonslayers as “Sir Gawain” is difficult for a blacksmith’s daughter. Meanwhile, blond, blue-eyed Lady Isobelle desires agency, but as the prize for this year’s tournament, she knows her future looks grim. A chance encounter between the two young women sparks a scheme: Gwen will stay with Isobelle, posing as Gawain in the tournament and as his sister when she’s not disguised by a suit of armor. In exchange for training and funding, pale-skinned Gwen, who has black hair and green eyes, will try to win the tournament and Isobelle’s hand, thus rescuing Isobelle from a future with any of the other knights, whose behaviors exhibit textbook toxic masculinity. As their plan gains momentum, the pair soon realize their desire for success is only matched by their desire for each other. But the triple life Gwen leads can last only so long under the scrutiny of the patriarchy. Will she and Isobelle get the chance to be their own heroes? Compelling subplots center their fight against misogyny and classism, and several interludes by an unnamed narrator directly address readers, adding additional depth and intrigue to the worldbuilding. The authors insert abundant intentional anachronisms that successfully inject the story with levity, and Gwen and Isobelle’s chemistry is swoonworthy. There’s some racial diversity among secondary characters.
A thoroughly enjoyable Sapphic romp. (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780062893390
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Storytide/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
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