An underdeveloped high fantasy that fails to deliver.
A teenage girl made high queen of the fae flails against time to save herself from the death sentenced imposed on every Mortal Queen.
Each year, ambassadors from the mysterious fae realm come to the five islands to select a human girl to serve as their queen. Bronze-skinned Althea, who’s in her final year of eligibility, is shocked when her name is drawn. Sad to leave her twin, Cal, and younger brother, Malcom, but eager for the adventures and luxuries that await, Thea arrives at the fae court unprepared for the dangers ahead. Upon discovering that her fate is to live only two more years, Thea is determined to survive by tricking the six fae kings into granting her favors. With the help of newfound fae friends Talen and Odette, Thea attempts to outmaneuver the wily fae, uncover the truth about her missing mother, and escape before her time is up. Without substantial worldbuilding, McCombs’ efforts to create drama through court intrigue and alliances fall flat, with conflicts arising and quickly being resolved without furthering the plot. The uneven and at times baffling narrative pacing results in a slow slog for readers. A lukewarm insta-romance with Bastian, a fae king who’s supposedly “incapable of love,” does little to heat up the story. Human and fae characters are diverse in appearance.
An underdeveloped high fantasy that fails to deliver. (power structure chart) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9798886050905
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Enclave Escape
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology.
This thrilling sequel to The Sunbearer Trials (2022) follows Teo and Xio, two semidioses (or demigods) and former friends, as they fight on opposite sides during a war and an apocalypse.
Following the theft of the Sol Stone by the formerly exiled and now unleashed Obsidian gods and their monstrous Celestials, the inhabitants of Reino del Sol are plunged into a dark and uncertain future. Flanked by his best friend and crush, Teo embarks on an odyssey to resurrect Sol and save the world, while Xio wrestles with their role in the Obsidians’ revenge. Teo learns that the power structures and histories he learned from the ruling dioses (including his mother, Quetzal) may hide injustices and inequities that he doesn’t want to restore. Meanwhile, Xio begins to question whether the quest for justice for which they were conscripted to fight might instead be a subterfuge that’s intended to enact an oppressive new world. While action-packed with both battles and romance, the story also deftly delves into themes of systemic violence, generational trauma, and abuse of power. Teo and Xio are complex characters who offer strong representation of and for trans and nonbinary teens, respectively. The central messages of self-discovery, social justice, and building communities of care in a hostile world will resonate with readers who are facing challenges themselves.
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822086
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
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