A promising retelling that misses the magical mark.
A fantasy that reimagines the fate of Anastasia Romanov and her family.
It's 1918, and Nastya and her family are in exile in Tobolsk, Russia. With no clue as to what the family’s fate will be, her Papa, the deposed Tsar Nikolai, gives Nastya the mission of finding the magical matryoshka doll created by Vasily Dochkin, “Russia’s most respected and skilled spell master,” which could save the family. The family is relocated to Ekaterinburg, and, throughout their confinement, Nastya’s Papa stresses the importance of kindness and forgiving their captors. She commits to following his example by befriending one of the Bolshevik guards watching the family, Zash, a young man from an unspecified semi-nomadic Siberian ethnic group who has his own reasons for hating the Romanovs. As the Romanov family adjusts to their new life, Nastya and Zash grow closer even though they know only pain can come of their relationship. Then the unimaginable happens—and Nastya must find a way to save her family. Brandes’ (Fawkes, 2018, etc.) accuracy in this retelling—the majority of the characters and events are true—and the bits of Russian sprinkled throughout are highlights. However, the second half of Nastya’s story is a noticeable departure from the well-paced beginning; it feels almost like a separate story with a forced romance and a focus on Nastya’s internal turmoil.
A promising retelling that misses the magical mark. (author’s notes, discussion questions) (Historical fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7852-1724-4
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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