Sure to appeal to teens raised on the Hunger Games and Divergent series.
The vanquished princess Carys, thought to have been killed in a mortal struggle with her twin brother, Andreus, in the first volume in the series, continues her arduous journey.
With a handful of loyal followers, Carys returns to the Palace of the Winds to reclaim the Throne of Light. Weakened by the severe punishment she received in the Trials of Virtuous Succession and addicted to a powerful painkiller, the Tears of Midnight, administered by her nefarious mother, Carys nevertheless begins to be aware of the hitherto subconscious influence of the magical wind on her actions. Meanwhile back at the castle, Andreus, now king, is adept at repairing and maintaining the wind-powered, steampunk-style electrical lights which keep the Xhelozi monsters at bay. However, he remains vulnerable to the Machiavellian plotting of the Elders and his delusional but still powerful mother. Carys realizes that the enemy is becoming stronger as chaos in the castle causes the virtues to become unbalanced in the kingdom. She feels compelled to return to help her brother, if only she can follow Seeress Kiara’s advice to safely wield the wind by retaining control over her anger. The ending indicates that a sequel will surely follow this fast-moving, intricately plotted thriller with a powerful, charismatic heroine, skilled in armed combat and learning to control her impulses.
Sure to appeal to teens raised on the Hunger Games and Divergent series. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: June 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-245387-7
Page Count: 320
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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