An exciting story full of magic and action-packed scenes.
The sequel to Royal Bastards (2017) starts off with Princess Lyriana, her cousin, Ellarion, Zell, and Tilla in the glow of Lightspire—but where there is light, there is also shadow.
Lyriana is no longer allowed to practice magic under pain of death, Zell joins the City Watch, and Tilla becomes a ward of the Volaris and studies at the University alongside Lightspire nobles and Lyriana. Things are going reasonably well considering that they are all pretending, acting their parts to some extent. But everything changes when Tilla’s roommate, a wealthy Baron’s daughter, Markiska, is murdered in their dorm room and Tilla catches sight of a strange mage lurking and watching her. The rise of a cult called the Ragged Disciples also raises questions. In trying to solve Markiska’s murder, the quartet uncover a horrendous plot to destabilize the seat of the kingdom. Like the first book, this one takes its time to get going, but once it does, it is nonstop action and plot twists. The author comments on societal norms, sexist BS, the tragedy of history written only by the winner, and the hypocrisy embedded in class warfare. The cast has a number of diverse characters in terms of race, culture, and sexuality.
An exciting story full of magic and action-packed scenes. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: June 5, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4847-6763-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Fan-service? Yes—and fans will rejoice in every dark, luscious moment.
Once upon a time....
In Faerie, a cruel prince met his match in Jude, a human raised in his world. An entire trilogy tells their tale from her perspective; now the prince gets center stage. This lavishly illustrated tome, more a series of vignettes than a complete novel, shows critical moments in Cardan’s life, including moments previously seen through Jude’s perspective. The entirety is framed within a moment that takes place after the end of The Queen of Nothing (2019), providing a glimpse into the maturing relationships between Jude and Cardan and between Cardan and his responsibilities as High King of Elfhame, a land whose multihued, multiformed denizens cannot lie. Woven throughout are three iterations of a story, initially told to a young Cardan, each version different in specifics and moral but all centered on a boy with a heart of stone and a monstrous, cursed bride. Readers familiar with Cardan and Jude’s tumultuous and sometimes troubling love will recognize notes within this repeated tale, but each telling also stands alone as a complete tale, one that feels both inevitable and fresh. Black continues to build an ever expanding mythos with her Faerie stories, and while this volume requires prior knowledge of The Folk of the Air trilogy, it offers new delights along with familiar moments retold.
Fan-service? Yes—and fans will rejoice in every dark, luscious moment. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 24, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-316-54088-9
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
A coming-out story featuring diverse characters and a richly rendered international setting.
Bangladeshi-American Rukhsana Ali must choose between her family’s wishes and following her heart.
Although her Muslim immigrant parents approve of her professional dreams of becoming a physicist at NASA, Rukhsana is sure that they won’t be as enthusiastic about her personal dream of spending her life with her secret girlfriend, Ariana, who is white. After winning a prestigious scholarship to Caltech, her professional ambitions seem within reach—until her mother catches her kissing Ariana and she is whisked away to Bangladesh with plans to arrange her marriage. As she battles her parents’ homophobia, Rukhsana simultaneously struggles to help Ariana and her friends back home in Seattle understand the weight of the cultural and social stigmas that she has to fight. Along the way, Rukhsana finds unexpected allies, including her grandmother, who encourages her to fight for what she wants. This witty coming-out story is populated by colorful, nuanced personalities who never lapse into stereotypes. Unfortunately, the fast pace leaves readers little time to digest the most intense moments, including some physical and sexual violence. Likewise, the sheer amount of action leaves certain characters, like Rukhsana’s spoiled but loving brother, insufficient time to fully develop. However, the story is told tenderly and unflinchingly, balancing the horrors of homophobia against the South Asian men and women who risk their lives to fight it each and every day.
A coming-out story featuring diverse characters and a richly rendered international setting. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-22701-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2019
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