A successful blend of Regency and paranormal romance.
This lengthy but constantly entertaining series opener set in 1814 invents a large society of witches comprising much, it seems, of the British aristocracy.
Although witches appear to be equally common in the underclasses, only witches from the nobility go to school to hone their magical skills. Danger strikes when the evil Greymalkin Sisters, long dead, come back as powerful ghosts and kill witches all over London. Emma, one of three cousins descended from the disgraced but powerful Lovegrove family, comes into her powers unexpectedly at the very beginning of the novel. Cormac, a magnificently handsome young lord who previously kissed Emma, works for the Order of the Iron Nail, an organization of male witches who control the entire witch society. The Order suspects Emma in the murders, but even though she’s always around when someone dies, Cormac believes she’s innocent. Harvey balances a large cast with an intricate plot with flair, freely drawing on Regency romance tropes. Emma and Cormac, who has the expected “chiseled features,” dance around their mutual romantic attraction, but the plot’s emphasis centers on the witchy murders. The little time Harvey spends with scrappy little Moira, an urchinlike witch girl called a Madcap, may make some readers wish the book had focused on the other end of society; perhaps they will see more of Moira in sequels.
A successful blend of Regency and paranormal romance. (Paranormal suspense. 12 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8027-3443-3
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2013
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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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