Will leave readers gasping for more.
Follows Corayne’s continuing quest to save the world from the demon god who is seeking to invade.
The Companions—Corayne and her fellow ragtag band of unlikely heroes—have won the first battle, but the war is far from over. Readers may need to refresh themselves with Realm Breaker (2021), as this sequel drops readers right in the thick of the action involving numerous individuals (many of them point-of-view characters) and countries in the story’s complicated geopolitical landscape. Most of the viewpoints are those of Corayne and her present Companions, with occasional perspectives from other characters (such as Queen Erida, sympathetic in her struggles against sexism despite her evil goals, and Ridha, searching for allies and finding something more) who offer peeks at the rest of the world. The first act is slow, as the characters plan their next moves and their individual story arcs are established. The journeys of Amhara assassin Sorasa and former Gallish squire Andry, who grapple with changed loyalties, are especially notable for how they play out within the group’s dynamics. Once the action starts, however, the heroes’ breaks between facing all manner of men and monsters—notably undead Ashlander armies—become shorter and shorter, building to a nail-biting reckoning of a climax. The cast has a wide variety of skin tones, and there’s positive, casual representation and acceptance of queer and nonbinary characters.
Will leave readers gasping for more. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-287266-1
Page Count: 576
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
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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