The story of Dinah’s transition from girl to woman continues and reveals new, remarkable aspects of her character.
In the second installment of Oakes’ (Elly in Love, 2014, etc.) Queen of Hearts series, Dinah unravels more secrets of her past.
After the events of the first volume, also set in the world of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Dinah is no longer the pampered Princess of Hearts. Instead, she’s accused of a horrible crime and is now a fugitive. Her father, the King of Hearts, framed her for a brutal murder so that he could avoid handing over the throne to her, as Wonderland law demands. Dinah has fled to the Twisted Wood with only Morte, the monstrous Hornhoov who was her father’s chosen steed, for companionship. Dinah travels deeper into the woods to stay ahead of her father’s search parties, but she runs low on supplies and has no idea how to find more. Then she meets Sir Gorrann, one of the Spades who’s supposed to serve the King. He has reasons of his own to hate the King, however, so he helps Dinah by training her in swordsmanship and keeping her away from the King’s men. But the only place out of the King’s reach has its own perils, and Dinah finds that she needs all her wits to survive. As the story progresses, Dinah digs deep and discovers new strengths, but in the process, she becomes a harder, more ruthless person. Overall, the book works well within the framework laid out in the first volume. Oakes skillfully portrays Dinah’s inevitable toughening as she realizes that sometimes there are no right choices and the only options are bad and worse. The author’s unveiling of a certain aspect of Dinah’s past seems a bit forced, but it’s definitely unexpected. This installment engagingly shows Dinah shifting further toward becoming the infamous Queen of Hearts, but it also portrays her as a likable human being—at least, so far. Fans of the first volume will devour this book and eagerly await the finale.
The story of Dinah’s transition from girl to woman continues and reveals new, remarkable aspects of her character.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-940716-21-3
Page Count: 186
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: Sept. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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