A strong beginning for a promising fantasy series.
A teenage girl faces an awakening ancient god in Dawson’s YA fantasy novel.
Once upon a time, evil god Evercry and its magic corrupted the world until it was defeated by the Fair Lady, a goddesslike guardian figure. For a thousand years since, the warrior sisters of the Fair Lady’s order in the medieval-like city of Lathore have protected the world from the lingering tendrils of the Evercry’s essence by slaying those who fall under its spell. Larissa is about to be tested by the Fair Lady, and once she passes her trial, she will one day—like her mother and countless women in their family before her—hear the call to slay her enemy. But when Larissa fails her Empirical (a sort of final graduation test), she is placed within the secretive caste of the darkkins, the only ones within their order who are allowed to study and even wield magic to face the Evercry (“They studied magic, the tool of the Evercry, to better understand and defend against their foe. Sisters warned all acolytes to steer clear of them; they bore taint for their meddling with magic”). When she is called to go on an unexpected mission, she and her friends Jyan and Valare, who are knights, embark on a dangerous journey that may change everything. The story brilliantly juxtaposes Larissa’s friends’ prowess in fighting in exciting action sequences with Larissa’s more scholarly nature. Her studies as a darkkin unveil the truth about her heritage, the history of her world, and her role in it, as she learns, “The world is not a stagnant history book. It changes all the time, with every passing day, and many of us are never aware.” Satisfying character arcs, a deeply felt sense of sisterhood between Larissa and her friends, and a bit of romance are the cherries on top.
A strong beginning for a promising fantasy series.Pub Date: July 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781956615159
Page Count: 328
Publisher: Literary Wanderlust
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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