THE WINTER HEIR

A human mage searches for a long-lost heir as part of mission to free his imprisoned faerie love in Nielsen’s fantasy sequel.

Months after the events of The Claiming (2023), Summer faerie princess Lady Dew Drop, nicknamed “Dewy,” remains a captive of the Winter Fae. They’re confining her to their Winter Court until Spense Ferrous, an apprentice mage in the human kingdom Telridge, tracks down a missing Heir—the child of exiled Princess Snow. It’s a seemingly impossible task that Spense willingly takes on, as he and Dewy have fallen for each other. His plan is straightforward: Find the faerie Oracles and ask them where the Heir is. As this involves trekking the dangerous faerie lands, Spense travels with his half-brother Crown Prince Dirk and other Telridgians to the mystical region of the Between. Meanwhile, Dewy works with the unexpectedly accommodating Winter King Lumine to develop her water magic. If she manages to uncover a link between water and powerful blood magic, it could change everything. Nielsen ably depicts the various environments; brisk cold and “winter-starved pines and fir trees” surround Dewy, while “bent and stretched” trunks and branches form archways and corridors in the Summer faeries’ palace. It’s a solid backdrop for a breezy story teeming with modern dialogue and descriptions, including a “royally pissed off” Dirk. The two lovers recall Romeo and Juliet, but the author keenly expands upon their seemingly star-crossed status. Much of the narrative, for example, is about acceptance; for example, Spense, as the son of King Ferrous and Head Cook Cait, isn’t treated as well as Dirk is. There are also profound moments that focus on understanding others’ cultures: Winter faeries struggle to learn human customs, and Winter and Summer Fae are virtual opposites in many ways, including in their attitudes toward meat-eating. The strong-willed, ever-positive Dewy is a standout in a vibrant cast, even if she pines for Spense, who comes across as incompetent at times.

Magical characters navigate curious lands in an absorbing series installment.