A successful expansion on a magical series.
A supplementary collection of ephemera for fans of Reid’s A Study in Drowning duology.
This companion volume invites fans to immerse themselves in Effy and Preston’s Welsh-influenced fantasy world. Among its contents are pages from Effy’s annotated copy of Angharad, excerpts from Preston’s diary, architectural sketches of Hiraeth Manor, newspaper clippings, a literature class handout, and other carefully curated pieces that expand upon the original stories. Preston’s diary is a particular highlight, deepening the first book by presenting his perspective and tracing how his feelings for Effy developed during their time at Hiraeth Manor. This work also explores Effy’s and Preston’s research on Myrddin and includes extended passages from Angharad, the text that so profoundly shaped the events of the series opener. The collection concludes with an extended epilogue to the duology, offering a thoughtful resolution to both Effy and Preston’s romance and their shared academic work. While some of the font choices lack cohesion or feel out of sync with the careful worldbuilding in the novels, the work as a whole succeeds in presenting itself as an authentic archive. Series fans will appreciate it as a supplement that expands on the world while remaining faithful to Reid’s lyrical style. William Morris patterns, ink drawings and pencil sketches, photos of botanical specimens, and images of yellowed paper and leather-bound volumes add to the atmosphere and visual appeal. The main characters are cued white.
A successful expansion on a magical series. (illustration credits) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780063462229
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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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