A well-developed fantasy spinoff that will transport teen readers.
War simmers in the land of Oz in this YA adventure based on the events in L. Frank Baum’s classic fantasy.
In Quadling Country, Samantha Goodwitch is the 15-year-old daughter of Glinda the Good. Eight years ago, her father, Lucius, disappeared in a green explosion; her stepsister, Elle, is the offspring of Lucius and the long-deceased Wicked Witch of the West. Messengers from Winkie Country arrive and deliver a scroll; Glinda learns of an “enchantress” who’s become Queen of the Winkies and wants to control of the City of Emeralds and the Wizard of Oz’s throne. Glinda decides to visit Rumpart, King of the Winkies, with a contingent of soldiers, including Elle. Sam wants to join them, but Glinda says she must guard the throne. With a sword she received for her 16th birthday, Sam decides to challenge the dragons said to menace nearby villages. She rehabilitates her father’s injured warhorse, researches dragons in the library, and creates a fireproof salve in preparation. She also begins having visions that tell her to “Find the Crow.” Will she, like the famous Dorothy Gale, find friends to help on her quest? Bartlett effectively builds on Baum’s series, which began with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), while also paying homage to other classic fantasy adventures, such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937). Readers new to the genre may find the first third of the story too placid, but solid worldbuilding establishes Sam as a magical character who can even fly but who still needs guidance. Overall, the book will be a treat for those who are familiar with previous Oz tales; Sam gradually assembles her own helpers, including Akasha the warrior cat, but Baum’s original heroes eventually do turn up, and warm nostalgia will greet fans as Sam sees “the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion” appear as “small specks on the hillside.” Although the protagonist learns a lesson (“everyone you love is all that matters”), it proves to be a costly one as the narrative unfurls. A grand surprise helps set up a potential sequel.
A well-developed fantasy spinoff that will transport teen readers.Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73390-862-7
Page Count: 354
Publisher: Sandhill Publishers
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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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