An engrossing political fantasy with myriad twists and turns.
Four lives converge in a kingdom reminiscent of ancient Egypt that’s full of magic and political intrigue.
The kingdom of Khetara stands on the brink of destruction, weakened by poverty and led by an ill, rapidly declining king. Seventeen-year-old Princess Sitamun, the only girl among triplets, dreams of love and luxury, until she discovers something treacherous at the heart of the kingdom. Nefermaat, who’s an only child, is chosen by the goddess Bast to become a priestess; she must leave distraught parents and everything she’s ever known behind to study under the tutelage of the high priest. Raetawy, enraged by the kingdom’s profound injustices, joins a rebellion to fight back after a shocking act of violence. Meanwhile, Karim, a tomb robber from a desert tribe, unwittingly unleashes an ancient and malevolent force from the grave of a dead king. As each of them follows the path fate has set, their lives become inextricably bound together by a prophecy that will determine the ultimate destiny of Khetara. Told from the perspectives of all four main characters, the story unfolds at a measured pace before gaining momentum and racing forward with gripping intensity. Each protagonist is richly developed, and the high stakes of their journeys are unflinchingly depicted. Readers will be fully immersed in the novel’s lush, vividly rendered world.
An engrossing political fantasy with myriad twists and turns. (series guide) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781464224584
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty.
In this retelling of a classic, a drama student’s obsession with beauty leads her down a dark—and possibly deadly—path.
Eighteen-year-old Penny Paxton is beginning her first year at Dorian Drama Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she hopes to follow in her starlet mother’s footsteps—and earn the love that her mother has never seemed to offer. At Dorian, Penny is mentored by Royal Shakespeare Company legend Orlagh Camran, who makes her the compelling offer of a portrait by the Masked Painter, a mysterious artist with the ability to gift his subjects everlasting youth and beauty. But shortly after Penny’s portrait is complete, several of the Masked Painter’s subjects are found murdered. Fearing that she’s made a terrible mistake and may become the next victim, Penny, who’s gay, begins to investigate the murders with the help of an unlikely ally. As she attempts to uncover the truth surrounding the Masked Painter and the murders, she’s forced to reckon with her own toxic obsession with beauty. This chilling, atmospheric novel, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, is entertaining and full of twists, though some of the reveals feel contrived and some questions are left unanswered. The plot unravels at a leisurely pace but eventually builds to an action-packed (if somewhat convoluted) conclusion. Most characters are cued white.
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty. (content note, author’s note, bonus scene) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9781250346797
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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