This appealingly breezy novel will whet readers’ appetites for magic and adventure.
A gently magical tale about the powers of friendship and embracing one’s identity.
Forced to leave school and her magical education three years prior, 17-year-old Aurelie has forsaken her magic and works as an unpaid baker’s apprentice. Her seeking abilities are of little value in a world where people believe magic comes at a steep cost. But when finder Iliana enters the bakery with a set of seeking stones and a tempting financial offer to split a bounty, Aurelie cannot refuse. Thus begins a quest to find Elias Allred, the youngest son of the the prince's steward, that takes them into the enchanted Underwood and throughout the kingdom, accompanied by Quad, an Uncommonfolk troll, and Prince Hapless, whom they rescue from an ambush. The quartet must rekindle their relationships with magic and use their ingenuity if they hope to defeat their foe. Teens who relish light, character-driven stories will enjoy this fantasy with a setting that evokes medieval European ways of life and social structures. The dialogue is filled with dry repartee that is also highlighted in a particularly well-crafted epistolary interlude showcasing the growing feelings, despite their social class differences, between Aurelie and the prince. The theme of making one's own family runs throughout, supporting Aurelie as she learns to trust in herself and others. Characters are cued White; there is some diversity in sexual orientation among supporting characters.
This appealingly breezy novel will whet readers’ appetites for magic and adventure. (Fantasy. 12-17)Pub Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 9781665926911
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play.
Garber returns to the world of bestseller Caraval (2017), this time with the focus on younger, more daring sister Donatella.
Valenda, capital of the empire, is host to the second of Legend’s magical games in a single year, and while Scarlett doesn’t want to play again, blonde Tella is eager for a chance to prove herself. She is haunted by the memory of her death in the last game and by the cursed Deck of Destiny she used as a child which foretold her loveless future. Garber has changed many of the rules of her expanding world, which now appears to be infused with magic and evil Fates. Despite a weak plot and ultraviolet prose (“He tasted like exquisite nightmares and stolen dreams, like the wings of fallen angels, and bottles of fresh moonlight.”), this is a tour de force of imagination. Themes of love, betrayal, and the price of magic (and desire) swirl like Caraval’s enchantments, and Dante’s sensuous kisses will thrill readers as much as they do Tella. The convoluted machinations of the Prince of Hearts (one of the Fates), Legend, and even the empress serve as the impetus for Tella’s story and set up future volumes which promise to go bigger. With descriptions focusing primarily on clothing, characters’ ethnicities are often indeterminate.
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play. (glossary) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-09531-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
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