A fulfilling addition to a fantastical series.
The truth behind the conspiracies Amraeya has uncovered have led to life-threatening danger in this sequel to The Theft of Sunlight (2021).
Rae has been abducted, mutilated, and imprisoned on a snatchers’ ship, at risk of being sold along with other stolen young people. Escape is seemingly impossible because of the Darkness, a curse that steals the minds of the captured if they attempt to run away. But, pulled into a botched escape plan, Rae is thrown overboard and rescued by a Fae sorceress who places life debts upon her. Nonetheless, she vows to rescue her companions and bring to justice the Circle of Mages, who protect the enslavers, and the nobles, who enrich themselves by perpetuating the enslavement of Menaiyan children. Reuniting with enigmatic thief Bren and his companions, Rae’s mind and heart are thrown into further disarray. Bren’s secrets and his thieves’ code of justice are juxtaposed against Rae’s values, and her heart breaks over their impossible romance. This latest volume in a series that improves with each entry satisfyingly and realistically portrays a fairy tale that goes beyond happily-ever-after, exploring the will and vigilance needed to achieve justice and equity. In this world, magic creates greater complexities around power rather than simply solving problems. Rae has a clubfoot and grew to self-appreciation and acceptance in the previous volume. Characters have black hair and brown skin; cultural references suggest similarities to South Asian cultures and Muslim-inspired practices.
A fulfilling addition to a fantastical series. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: July 21, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-952667-81-7
Page Count: 436
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.
A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.
In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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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