A classic story gets new life in this thoughtful continuation.
Fahey offers an engaging sequel to Mark Twain’s 1882 novel, The Prince and the Pauper.
This follow-up extends Twain’s classic tale by envisioning protagonist Tom Canty as an adult,as he reminisces about his pivotal youthful experience more than 20 years before. What he recalls occurs after the events of the previous novel and follows Tom’s and Prince Edward’s lives during the Tudor era. The memoir-style narrative combines court politics with moral teachings to create an exciting coming-of-age story. Tom maintains his close bond with Edward, who becomes King Edward VI and faces royal responsibilities, although he yearns to experience childhood pleasures. Tom, in his role as the king’s ward and confidant, receives periodic invitations to visit the palace. In his everyday life, he works as an apprentice metalworker while enduring cruel treatment from his father, and he copes with the challenges of meager finances, along with social pressures. The very different worlds of royalty and poverty influence Tom as he develops his identity and perspective on life. The novel stands out for its outstanding character development and emotional depth, revealing how Tom evolves from a streetwise, unserious young man into a person of integrity. The struggles of the protagonist address the importance of staying true to oneself while also embracing forgiveness; meanwhile, his violent father’s influence is set against the importance of empathy. At the same time, young King Edward’s royal position isolates him from others, even as it provides him with great authority. The story integrates real-life historical figures, including Lady Jane Grey and the noble Seymour brothers, as well as returning fictional characters, such as Miles Hendon, to effectively establish its setting. Throughout, the work promotes kindness over cruelty and humility over ambition. Overall, Fahey’s novel is not only a loving tribute to Twain, but also a creative, independent narrative in its own right.
A classic story gets new life in this thoughtful continuation.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781597132763
Page Count: 238
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.
A struggling writer finds an unexpected muse when a mysterious man shows up at her cabin.
Petra Rose used to pump out a bestselling book every six months, but then the adaptation happened—that is, the disastrous film adaptation of her most famous book. The movie changed the book’s storyline so egregiously that fans couldn’t forgive her, and the ensuing harassment sent Petra into hiding and gave her a serious case of writer’s block. Petra’s one hope is her solo writing retreat at a remote cabin, where she can escape the distractions of real life and focus on her next book, a story about a woman having an affair with a cop. When officer Nathaniel Saint shows up at her cabin door, inspiration comes flooding back. Much like the character from Petra’s book, Saint is married, and he’s willing to be Petra’s muse, helping her get into her characters’ heads. Petra’s book is practically writing itself, but is the game she’s playing a little too dangerous? Does she know when to stop—and, more importantly, is Saint willing to stop? Hoover is no stranger to controversial movie adaptations and internet backlash, but she clarifies in a note to readers that she’s “just a writer writing about a writer” and that no further connections to her own life are contained in these pages—which is a good thing, because the book takes some horrifying twists and turns. Petra finds herself inexplicably attracted to Saint, even as she describes him as “such an asshole,” and her feelings for him veer between love and hate. The novel serves as a meta commentary on the dark romance genre—as Petra puts it, “Even though, as readers, we wouldn’t want to live out some of the fantasies we read about, it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy reading those things.”
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781662539374
Page Count: -
Publisher: Montlake
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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