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
A dark and intriguing fairy-tale adaptation.
A red-cloaked girl encounters (were)wolves.
Born and raised in Oakvale, a small town surrounded by a beast-riddled and ever encroaching dark wood, 16-year-old Adele Duval enjoys her provincial life. She hopes to wed and raise children with Grainger Colbert, spend time with her sister and mother, and overcome rumors of the Duval family curse. However, on a trip to see her Gran in the wood, Adele unexpectedly transforms into a redwulf and learns she is now a lycanthropic guardian like her mother and grandmother. To her dismay, Adele also learns that she’s long been betrothed to Maxime Bernard, a handsome carpenter from Ashborne who is privy to her secret superpowers. Tasked with protecting villagers and travelers against the other monsters of the dark wood, Adele relishes her new powers but struggles with her new responsibilities and romantic prospects. The beasts in the woods—often heard rather than seen, per the best horror conventions—may eat people, but faced with hard decisions and hard-line villagers, Adele discovers that humans can be equally dangerous, particularly to independent and unconventional women. Pivoting from her contemporary thrillers, Vincent offers a richly detailed, old-fashioned fantasy with a dash of horror set in a pre-industrial Francophone European countryside populated by White characters. Vincent’s contemplation and dissection of monstrosity elevates this retelling above a crowded field but dilutes its insights with regrettably generic tropes.
A dark and intriguing fairy-tale adaptation. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: July 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-241162-4
Page Count: 368
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner.
A young woman pursues a dangerous quest in late-1800s Egypt in this sequel to What the River Knows (2023).
After Inez Olivera was nearly murdered while assisting with her uncle’s archaeological expedition in Egypt, Tío Ricardo is eager to ship her home to safety in Argentina. But Inez burns with the need to stay and make sure that those who committed crimes against her family are held responsible. Unfortunately, the law precludes Inez, as a young unmarried woman, from accessing her inheritance (needed to fund her quest for justice) without her guardian uncle’s permission. Whitford Hayes, a former British soldier and her tío’s aide-de-camp, proposes marriage, which could solve her problems. But can Inez trust the secretive Whit? More danger and intrigue lurk at every turn in this exciting duology closer, which fully addresses the first entry’s jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The well-paced plot encompasses many fresh, new adventures and betrayals in this reimagined historical setting in which ancient magic abounds and not everyone or everything is what it seems. Even more captivating, however, is the complicated, nuanced love story between Whit and Inez. Their chemistry sizzles, but their relationship is achingly layered with both profound loyalty and deep deception. As their journey unearths new enemies and priceless archaeological finds, the duo must try to trust each other enough to survive.
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner. (cast of characters, map, timeline) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822994
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
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