A satisfying stand-alone with classic appeal.
A young warrior seeks revenge after suffering terrible loss.
As a child, Katyani was saved by Queen Hemlata of the Chandela kingdom, who used soulbinding magic that grants her control over Katyani’s actions. But Katyani, now 18, loves the queen, who raised her alongside the Crown Prince Ayan and his royal cousins, Bhairav and Revaa. She willingly obeys Hemlata’s commands, even if it means accompanying Ayan and Bhairav to be taught by the Acharya Mahavir, a reclusive spiritual warrior known for his monster-fighting abilities. Though Katyani dislikes the gurukul’s strict rules, she finds enjoyment in honing her combat skills and in teasing 19-year-old Daksh, Acharya Mahavir’s younger son, who is as handsome as he is uptight. When war threatens to break out between Chandela and the kingdom of Paramara, Katyani and the two princes are summoned back home only for disaster to strike the royal palace, revealing a long-hidden secret about Katyani’s identity. Betrayal and false accusations set Katyani on the path of vengeance, but in the process, she must face her fear of losing the few remaining people she loves. The book is set in the country of Bharat, an India-inspired world, where fearsome creatures from Hindu folklore lurk in forests and shadows. Mehrotra smoothly incorporates worldbuilding into the atmospheric narrative, highlighting themes of family and justice with a timeless blend of adventure, mystery, and romance.
A satisfying stand-alone with classic appeal. (glossary, tree descriptions) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-82368-7
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
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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