Strong character development and jaw-dropping reveals make this intense, feminist fantasy a must-read.
In this duology opener co-authored by sisters, a brave young woman must challenge a tyrant to obtain her freedom.
Deina, an indentured servant from the House of Hades, can sever the body from the soul. It’s a useful skill to help the dying enter the Underworld, and performing these services subtracts years from her 40-year servitude. However, Deina dreams of buying her freedom and that of her best friend, Chryse. In this reimagined Orphic myth, Orpheus arrives in Iolkos with an offer to members of the House of Hades who passed his trials: Enter the Underworld and bring back his wife, Eurydice, in exchange for freedom and gold. Deina, who accepts the challenge, is ready to face her fate, but far from being a sweet, tortured musician, Orpheus is self-obsessed and cruel. In this brutal, patriarchal ancient Greek world, Deina survives gender-based harassment and injustices. Despite it all, she proves her resilience under pressure. In the Underworld, she encounters a mysterious man who helps her in her tasks, little suspecting that she’ll discover much more about him—and herself—while she’s there. Even with the familiar Greek mythological storytelling trappings, the worldbuilding is unique, featuring the epic qualities of a heroine’s journey and many unpredictable reveals. Misogyny and power plays permeate the storyline, contributing to themes that are both dark and empowering. The characters reflect the diversity of the regions of Greece.
Strong character development and jaw-dropping reveals make this intense, feminist fantasy a must-read. (authors’ note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781536244533
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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
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