A thoroughly enjoyable Sapphic romp.
Two medieval teens smash the patriarchy.
Gwen only desires to prove herself as a knight. But entering the men’s-only Tournament of Dragonslayers as “Sir Gawain” is difficult for a blacksmith’s daughter. Meanwhile, blond, blue-eyed Lady Isobelle desires agency, but as the prize for this year’s tournament, she knows her future looks grim. A chance encounter between the two young women sparks a scheme: Gwen will stay with Isobelle, posing as Gawain in the tournament and as his sister when she’s not disguised by a suit of armor. In exchange for training and funding, pale-skinned Gwen, who has black hair and green eyes, will try to win the tournament and Isobelle’s hand, thus rescuing Isobelle from a future with any of the other knights, whose behaviors exhibit textbook toxic masculinity. As their plan gains momentum, the pair soon realize their desire for success is only matched by their desire for each other. But the triple life Gwen leads can last only so long under the scrutiny of the patriarchy. Will she and Isobelle get the chance to be their own heroes? Compelling subplots center their fight against misogyny and classism, and several interludes by an unnamed narrator directly address readers, adding additional depth and intrigue to the worldbuilding. The authors insert abundant intentional anachronisms that successfully inject the story with levity, and Gwen and Isobelle’s chemistry is swoonworthy. There’s some racial diversity among secondary characters.
A thoroughly enjoyable Sapphic romp. (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780062893390
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Storytide/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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