Offers vicious and thrilling intrigue.
One by one, Riadne Lysterne, Seelie Queen of Summer, rejuvenates the seven Sins, claiming their power to break the seals on Ruin, a formidable and devastating titan.
At the Solstice party, Arlo Jarsdel and Celadon, her cousin, watch helplessly as Riadne murders their family and seizes the Bone Crown from UnSeelie Spring. Weighed down by guilt for her misplaced trust in Riadne, Arlo swears she will never use her powers to manipulate fate again. The immortals have not forgotten Arlo’s mysterious powers, however, nor given up on winning her allegiance. Celadon carries a heavy burden of his own—a surge of new magic, the truth of his parentage, and rulership over a court that believes he conspired to kill his family. Amid the emotional and political strife, a treacherous ally with a blood-soaked history of and a vendetta against Fate emerges from the shadows. This third installment of the Hollow Star Saga begins in the middle of the turmoil where the last book left off, maintaining momentum and suspense by switching between the perspectives of an ensemble cast of queer, primarily white characters. Shuttleworth’s use of foreshadowing through poignant details, flashbacks, and allusions to mythology sets up satisfying plot twists. Unfortunately, the attempts to examine colonization and racism through plot and worldbuilding miss the mark, as they don’t fully explore the weighty topics they broach.
Offers vicious and thrilling intrigue. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781665918770
Page Count: 640
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
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
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
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