An appealing story for readers interested in fantasy and myth.
A fantasy set in a magical version of ancient Iceland.
Runa is an apprentice runecaster who is assigned by fate to follow her beloved sister, Sýr, in a perilous journey to refresh the powers of the magical moonstone in the sacred moonwater pool during the red moon’s eclipse. At first it seems that everything is against Runa. She has eye problems, suffers from apparent panic attacks which impede her actions, and hates runecasting. When Runa’s village is attacked and set on fire by enemy Jötnar warriors under the influence of the evil sorceress Katla, who kidnaps Sýr, Runa is forced to take on the mission to rescue her sister and recharge the moonstone. In the process, Runa combats insecurity and loneliness and discovers her own strength. She forms an unlikely alliance with Einar, who is half human/half elf, and Oski, a damaged Valkyrie who is referred to as “they.” The trio moves through space and time to conquer evil and restore life and order to Runa’s community. The ending hints at a sequel. Carter (The Unbroken Hearts Club, 2019, etc.) acknowledges her Icelandic grandmother as the inspiration for this story. Runa has white hair and pale skin; her sister has dark hair and brown skin (signaling elven heritage). This fast-paced, engaging narrative with succinct, sometimes funny dialogue will be particularly validating for girls who may have insecurities about their own strengths.
An appealing story for readers interested in fantasy and myth. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2439-3
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty.
In this retelling of a classic, a drama student’s obsession with beauty leads her down a dark—and possibly deadly—path.
Eighteen-year-old Penny Paxton is beginning her first year at Dorian Drama Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she hopes to follow in her starlet mother’s footsteps—and earn the love that her mother has never seemed to offer. At Dorian, Penny is mentored by Royal Shakespeare Company legend Orlagh Camran, who makes her the compelling offer of a portrait by the Masked Painter, a mysterious artist with the ability to gift his subjects everlasting youth and beauty. But shortly after Penny’s portrait is complete, several of the Masked Painter’s subjects are found murdered. Fearing that she’s made a terrible mistake and may become the next victim, Penny, who’s gay, begins to investigate the murders with the help of an unlikely ally. As she attempts to uncover the truth surrounding the Masked Painter and the murders, she’s forced to reckon with her own toxic obsession with beauty. This chilling, atmospheric novel, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, is entertaining and full of twists, though some of the reveals feel contrived and some questions are left unanswered. The plot unravels at a leisurely pace but eventually builds to an action-packed (if somewhat convoluted) conclusion. Most characters are cued white.
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty. (content note, author’s note, bonus scene) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9781250346797
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
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
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