A chilling, feminist debut in which friendship, love, and truth become weapons against the darkness.
“Keep to the light. Avoid the shadows.”
The Delphi School for Girls hides its darkest secrets behind towering bookshelves. When Gwen Donovan’s sister, Izzy, returns from the finishing school as a hollowed-out version of herself, Gwen arranges to leave New York City for Delphi, which is located on a remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia, to discover what happened. The headmistress informs her that they have a regimen that works to “pull the evil” out of “troubled girls.” The walls are lined with books, each bearing a girl’s name, there are few windows, and the dimly lit halls teem with shadows that seem to move on their own. Girls who break the rules are sent to the ominous Writing Room, returning weak and unable to remember what transpired. Guided by Izzy’s hidden letters, Gwen bands together with classmates to investigate. Armed with lanterns and candlesticks, they navigate the halls by night, dodging the shadows that whisper and reach for them. What they uncover is a chilling conspiracy, one far more sinister than they ever imagined. Astute readers may unravel the mystery early on, but the gothic atmosphere and slow-building romance between Gwen and another student sustain the tension. This is a tale of girls’ power, exploited by those who seek to control it, and of the resistance that rises in response. Main characters are cued white.
A chilling, feminist debut in which friendship, love, and truth become weapons against the darkness. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780593900475
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 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
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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