by K. Rose Quayle ; illustrated by K. Rose Quayle ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 20, 2019
An offbeat but underexplained fantasy-quest story.
A highly illustrated, allegorical fantasy novel about loss and isolation.
It is time for a new Guardian in the realm. Elder Rā-alta has chosen her former friend, now a recluse farmer, F’ala to keep the chosen one safe until she is able to awaken into her role of Guardian. Now it is up to F’ala, used to being scorned for her unusual freckles, to raise the pale-skinned Mi’hal’ē and to keep her safe from those that will challenge her before she’s ready—even if that means keeping her from exploring the rest of the world and from knowing what, and who, she truly is. Mi’hal’ē looks and acts differently than anyone else she knows, and she just wants to find her own place in life. But because she’s forbidden to go past the nearby fields, there’s no way she’ll ever find out where she fits in. Mi’hal’ē must travel far further than she ever thought possible to discover the secrets of her past and her destiny. Quayle, the author of Look Left, Walk Green (2017), has created her own language to fit the world of her unusual fantasy-quest story, but it’s hard to get a true sense of place when so many of the words that characters use are inadequately explained. The author’s fine pen-and-ink illustrations will give readers a clearer idea of what the doglike humanoid characters look like, which is desperately needed; she also includes a pronunciation guide and a map. It’s clear that Quayle has put a lot of work into creating her wide-ranging and highly original world, but there’s a disconnect between the author and the audience; she writes as though readers already know everything about the fantastical setting. In a closing note, she reveals that her book is meant to be an allegory for mental illness and isolation, and she does strongly and clearly stress this theme throughout the book.
An offbeat but underexplained fantasy-quest story. (maps, pronunciation guide)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-578-56598-9
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Bowker
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Rebecca Yarros ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2023
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.
A young Navarrian woman faces even greater challenges in her second year at dragon-riding school.
Violet Sorrengail did all the normal things one would do as a first-year student at Basgiath War College: made new friends, fell in love, and survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also the first rider to ever bond with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon with a distinguished battle history, and Andarna, a baby dragon too young to carry a rider. At the end of Fourth Wing (2023), Violet and her lover, Xaden Riorson, discovered that Navarre is under attack from wyvern, evil two-legged dragons, and venin, soulless monsters that harvest energy from the ground. Navarrians had always been told that these were monsters of legend and myth, not real creatures dangerously close to breaking through Navarre’s wards and attacking civilian populations. In this overly long sequel, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons are determined to find a way to protect Navarre, despite the fact that the army and government hid the truth about these creatures. Due to the machinations of several traitorous instructors at Basgiath, Xaden and Violet are separated for most of the book—he’s stationed at a distant outpost, leaving her to handle the treacherous, cutthroat world of the war college on her own. Violet is repeatedly threatened by her new vice commandant, a brutal man who wants to silence her. Although Violet and her dragons continue to model extreme bravery, the novel feels repetitive and more than a little sloppy, leaving obvious questions about the world unanswered. The book is full of action and just as full of plot holes, including scenes that are illogical or disconnected from the main narrative. Secondary characters are ignored until a scene requires them to assist Violet or to be killed in the endless violence that plagues their school.
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374172
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
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SEEN & HEARD
by Hannah Whitten ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2024
Dark magic, romance, and divinity.
What do you do when the voice in your head is real?
Lore, Bastian, and Gabe are all still alive following the events in The Foxglove King (2023), despite a ritual meant to take Lore’s life and usher in a new age for the god Apollius. But Lore, determined to live despite—or perhaps because of—her deep and unyielding connection to the magical death force Mortem, is unwilling to be used as a tool. Now that Bastian is no longer prince but Sainted King, Gabe is Priest Exalted, and Lore is the king’s deathwitch, her safety should be secure. The court, however, distrusts Lore and her uncanny powers, and even more dangerous are the gods, leaning ever closer and perhaps not so separate from the world as a thwarted ritual might imply. Bastian has been changing, able to control Spiritum, Mortem’s mirror image, in new and powerful ways, but also acting more erratic and strange. Meanwhile, the voice in Lore’s head is growing louder. To make matters worse, Gabe and Bastian can hardly look at each other, while Lore feels torn between the two of them and in need of both. In the second volume of the Nightshade Crown series, things go from bad to much worse, while a familiar gothic atmosphere looms oppressively around the characters. As Lore strives to keep as many people as safe as possible, others scheme with sinister forces and powerful magic. In a tense and atmospheric installment, Lore moves quickly between heart-pounding romantic encounters and adrenaline-filled moments facing danger and death.
Dark magic, romance, and divinity.Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780316435291
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Orbit
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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