Resolution still looks far off, but sparks fly as hooves and hearts pound.
In this second episode, Adams’ horsey epic gallops through a whirlwind of betrayals and rescues to a climactic assault on a rebel stronghold and several fateful developments.
Picking up the action from the opener, Of Fire and Ash (2021), characters meet, part, and meet again as the three storylines continue to intertwine. But also again, it’s the horses that steal the show: fire-blasting Mindar, ridden by willful queen Ceridwen; coltish sea-demon Ghost, bonded to secretive princeling Rafi; and an unnamed and possibly legendary dawnling, reputedly able to heal wounds and the object of a relentless search by new Scroll Jakim’s captors. The four-legged cast includes numerous other rides who are able to bond and share powers with humans—notably stone-eye tigers, whose glance numbs the minds of prey—and they add considerable color and vim to the lengthy series of battles, journeys, chases, and flights that bring profound changes to Jakim’s life while leaving Ceridwen far from her realm but personally closer to Rafi and his cause. Still, prospects look dim for the leads in this multiracial world, pitted against foes who consistently outmaneuver them, being plainly smarter as well as more powerful and ruthless. Will one more volume be enough for good hearts and worthy steeds to win out? Only time will tell, as the author hasn’t, yet.
Resolution still looks far off, but sparks fly as hooves and hearts pound. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 21, 2023
ISBN: 9798886050783
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Enclave Escape
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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