An atmospheric series opener well suited for a cold winter’s night but marred by careless tropes.
An orphaned thief finds herself on an unexpected journey to meet her destiny.
Seventeen-year-old Valeria has worked as an operative for the Thieves Guild since she lost her family in the Freeze of Ludminka. The freeze cut off access to lovite, the country’s most precious mineral resource, and left everyone in the mining village frozen in place except for her. When a guild mission goes awry, Valeria is intercepted by a man named Ivan who claims to be harboring her best friend, Alik, whom she had presumed to be dead following a mission a year before. Ivan promises her a safe reunion with Alik if she will join his party on a quest back to Ludminka to penetrate the mountain containing unharvested lovite deposits. Little does Valeria know that she is the key to entering the frozen environs of the mountain and that she will have a pivotal role to play in the war of the Brother Gods, the Bright and the Pale, who have awakened from their slumber to prepare for battle with one another. The icy atmosphere of this Russian-inflected debut novel is vividly rendered, and the briskly paced plot moves the story along through multiple twists, turns, and betrayals. There is some queer representation among White Valeria’s compatriots; unfortunately, the representation of the brown-skinned Adamanian people, adept with explosives and ruled by a khan who takes concubines for his harem, evokes Islamophobic stereotypes.
An atmospheric series opener well suited for a cold winter’s night but marred by careless tropes. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-287150-3
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
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
After a slow start, an action-packed adventure about embracing vulnerability and trusting yourself.
In this debut by YouTuber Impicciche, a young siren princess is faced with a mission she cannot refuse.
Celeste’s mother, Queen Halia, has always considered her to be too emotional—like the irrational humans. In order to prove herself, Celeste has spent several cycles, the sirens’ unit of time, training to become a member of the Chorus, a militarized unit that patrols the seas. Before her final test, Celeste comes across an attractive human prince, Raiden, whose father is King Leonidas—her mother’s sworn enemy. She ends up saving Raiden’s life, but when her mother learns of her transgression, she offers Celeste the chance to go on a mission that requires her to become human and avoid being executed for treason. The narrative, which initially is strongly reminiscent of “The Little Mermaid,” has some slower moments and repetitive elements that are offset by witty commentary that helps engage readers. The opening drags, but the pace picks up as the story unfolds. Impicciche does a good job of creating a detailed world of siren customs and traditions. Her characters exhibit emotional depth, conveying what it feels like to be lost and betrayed. Sirens have skin of varying colors, including blue, purple, and green; Celeste’s skin is “soft peach.” Raiden presents white, and there’s racial diversity among other humans.
After a slow start, an action-packed adventure about embracing vulnerability and trusting yourself. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 22, 2025
ISBN: 9798212980906
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Blackstone
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
