A skittering end to an ambitious series.
Feathers fly in this conclusion to the Skybound Saga trilogy.
The war between earth and sky continues as hundreds of ghost eagles terrorize the Six Villages. Pieced-together nets and caves offer some protection, but the Six Villages have become overcrowded. Enemies are trapped in the same metaphorical cage, fighting for food and territory as Uztari society verges on collapse. Though everyone seems to be a pawn or prey in the ghost eagles’ game, twins Kylee and Brysen are at the center of it all. The birds communicate with the siblings through nightmares and visions, eventually leading them to find the giant egg of a black eagle. Brysen wants to protect it. Kylee wants to destroy it. Whoever gets their hands (or talons) on it, will it really bring an end to this war? Following the battle-heavy Red Skies Falling (2019), this final entry effectively ties up many of the loose threads while maintaining a constant wingbeat of danger and intrigue. As in previous books, London’s omniscient third-person narration glides in and out of characters’ heads to keep the intricate plot moving. Readers expecting compelling character arcs may come away disappointed, as the twins start to feel like broken records. The biggest disappointment, however, is the ending. While the revealed fantasy history draws strong emotional parallels to real-life history, the conclusion ultimately nose-dives into mixed messages about justice.
A skittering end to an ambitious series. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-374-30689-2
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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
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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