An epic mashup that will reward readers of both contemporary and classic fantasy.
A set of triplets must save a magical realm from an evil goddess in Burgess’ YA fantasy debut.
Fourteen years ago, in the realm of Eleusia, Queen Sharra vanished from Dundarden Castle. The wizard Azmodeus helped hide her young triplets from Hera, who’s targeted the family as revenge on her husband, Zeus, who believed Sharra to be the reincarnation of a “young, mortal river nymph” he loved. Now Hera presents a challenge: If the triplets can answer six riddles, Hera will lift a curse from the land. Two of the kids, 16-year-olds Jamie and Jeremiah, return to Eleusia from the Earth dimension, where Azmodeus sent them; the third triplet is among a ragtag group of teens with unusual but untested powers who live in rural Glockamar. (Hera has charged a woman called the Spider with collecting such special children at a place called the Sanctuary.) After Azmodeus gathers his adventurers together, they learn about the riddles and the necessity of saving the Laurel Tree, which controls their troll pursuers. Should they fail, Eleusia will fall to darkness—and other dimensions, including Earth, might be next. Can the group, which includes Mikel, Tovan, Petre, Portia, and Melisande, outwit beings from Earth mythology along the way? Burgess offers YA fantasy readers an intriguing conceptual jam session. The premise that magical beings—including deities, pixies, dragons, and characters from literature, such as Ali Baba—fled Earth long ago is a particularly fertile one. The main characters’ mission doesn’t truly begin for about 100 pages, but then Burgess effectively gives each player a chance to stand out. Mikel, for example, learns he’s a wizard, and unlikable Portia solves a tough riddle and feels a sense of belonging. The oldest hero, Melisande, is 17, but the narrative has the energy of a middle-grade epic; the tale’s barrage of colorful creatures—including two different shape-changing sidekicks—and shocking revelations will keep young readers engaged. A bit more emphasis on the teens’ inner lives, however, might make the plot feel less cluttered in future installments.
An epic mashup that will reward readers of both contemporary and classic fantasy.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-03-910619-2
Page Count: -
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: July 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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