Even the most devoted fans may find themselves frustrated to the point of giving up by the end. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
A convoluted Christian fantasy offers up sadistic theology in place of comprehensible narrative.
While Koren the Starlighter wrestles with whether serving the evil dragon Taushin is worth the greater good, Elyssa masters the healing gifts that come with her Diviner powers. Meanwhile, Jason's friends keep fighting to free the slaves, and the former dragon rulers visit Darksphere to raise a human army. From the opening paragraph, readers are thrown into the middle of several over-cluttered storylines—dozens of characters from two different worlds, human and dragon and ghost and otherwise, each with back story and agenda and secrets—from constantly shifting viewpoints, all of which sound pretty much the same. Most of these plots eventually cohere, somewhat, but the tale does not so much conclude as simply stop mid-action. Although the language can be elegant and the imagery exquisite, such craft is mostly lavished upon detailed, sensuous descriptions of physical and mental tortures. Since this suffering is explicitly deemed essential to "freedom," and characters keep being resurrected from near- and actual death (although fatality seems no hindrance to continued activity), it is hard to distinguish or even take seriously the deeds and experiences of individuals presented as either "good" or "evil."
Even the most devoted fans may find themselves frustrated to the point of giving up by the end. (Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-71838-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Zondervan
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
An intoxicating, tightly plotted feast for the senses with a dramatic cliffhanger.
A vengeful Sicilian witch forges an unlikely alliance resulting in epic, supernatural consequences.
Eighteen-year-old Emilia di Carlo and her twin sister, Vittoria, have a secret: They are streghe, trained from a young age to use magic. Emilia is as introverted and romantic as her sister is bold and irreverent, but they share a love of good food and a disregard for their grandmother’s warnings about the devil and his brothers. Known as the Malvagi or Wicked, the seven princes of Hell have not been seen in years until tragedy strikes and a foray into forbidden magic accidentally summons the Prince of Wrath: Three witches—including Vittoria—are dead, and Emilia is desperate to avenge her sister and stop the killings. An uneasy truce with Wrath soon blossoms into a tantalizing, dangerous attraction with an uneven power dynamic. Rich worldbuilding constructs a post-unification Kingdom of Italy in which witches, demons, and shape-shifters live—and battle—among oblivious humans in a society strongly influenced by the Catholic brotherhood in its midst. Several significant plot points unfold in a Capuchin monastery and its eerie catacombs, and the brotherhood's conflation of witchcraft with the devil is emphasized throughout. Most characters are cued as White—Emilia and her sister have brown eyes and hair and olive skin—while the dark-haired Wicked have golden skin.
An intoxicating, tightly plotted feast for the senses with a dramatic cliffhanger. (map) (Historical fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-316-42846-0
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
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Romantic and enchanting.
After years of running, two women fight to save their kingdoms and their lives.
At the end of Beneath These Cursed Stars (2024), Jasalyn and Felicity went missing. Jasalyn was trapped by the magic of a ring connected to Mordeus that she’d believed to be her salvation. Fearing for the safety of Kendrick and her family, she used the ring’s power to leave. Meanwhile, Felicity, who’s posing as Jasalyn, is living with Misha, the king of the Wild Fae; he discovers her deception, but she’s taken by someone else, vanishing without a trace. The ring’s power puts Jasalyn to sleep for months, while Felicity lies in an Eloran dungeon in a dream state. They awaken to find they have just 11 days to ensure that Mordeus is truly dead before Jas’ 18th birthday, when the deal she made with a witch for the ring comes into effect, claiming her life. Both women struggle with feeling the weight of fate on their shoulders and loving men they aren’t sure they deserve. This duology closer explores destiny, tough decisions, and the uncertainty of the future through parallel romantic journeys—one filled with slow-burn tension and the other with fear and desire. Ryan’s writing is rich and engaging, although the story isn’t as exciting as the first novel. Each of the love stories gives readers something to cheer for even as good battles evil. Main characters largely read white, and Misha has “golden” skin.
Romantic and enchanting. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: July 22, 2025
ISBN: 9780063311954
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Storytide/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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