One part Arthurian legend, one part teen dramedy, all parts enjoyable.
Meet Arthur and Merlin in a whole new light.
In this gleefully ahistorical take on Arthuriana, the original Merlin’s improbably identical brother-and-sister twins, Emmett and Emry, are also wizards. Emmett prefers gambling and seducing girls to learning, while Emry uses her more powerful magic to support a theater troupe (and also occasionally seduces girls as well as boys). When indolent, entitled Emmett is summoned to become the king’s court wizard but is laid up by a spell gone wrong, Emry dons his clothes, hoping to alleviate their financial woes by temporarily attending in his place—and the traditional canon goes out the window. Castle Camelot is in London. Arthur was raised there, but he prefers books to battle; he only pulled the sword from the stone as part of a drunken night out. Lancelot is a guard, demoted from page duties after being wrongfully accused of sexual misconduct with another boy. Guinevere isn’t interested in Arthur or Lancelot. Also, coffee exists; this world is reminiscent of the 17th century. The central love story is between Emry and Arthur, while around them various political machinations, plots, and spells set up later volumes. Witty banter, engaging characters, risqué references, plus zero devotion to the source material add up to a read perfect for fans of The Lady Janies series. Most characters default to White.
One part Arthurian legend, one part teen dramedy, all parts enjoyable. (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-35102-4
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic.
An 18-year-old’s encounter with the pale, mysterious, golden-eyed Starmaker transforms her from hamlet girl to magical apprentice.
Aurora Finch discovers she possesses the rare ability to channel sunlight—magic essential to the survival of snow-covered Reverie, her mountain village, “with peaks so high the Sun [cannot] rise above them.” Now she faces a harsh choice: Leave everything behind to train at the Starmaker’s enchanted castle or die as the untapped magic destroys her from within. Griffin excels at worldbuilding; the story is filled with elements and characters that feel both whimsical and real, from Tilly, a living snow angel who’s searching for herself, to Constance, an immortal rabbit. As the antagonism between Aurora and the cold, centuries-old Starmaker melts, their love story, which forms the heart of this tale, crackles with tension. Aurora emerges as a compelling hero—stubborn and brave—who refuses to be diminished by the overwhelming responsibilities thrust upon her. The romantic storyline proves both strong and emotionally involving as the author brings fresh twists to familiar elements, exploring the power of stories and how they shape our understanding of the world. White-presenting Aurora faces a devastating truth that creates urgency and heightens the emotional stakes that drive the story to its conclusion. This satisfying, sparkling fantasy will capture hearts with its well-developed setting and captivating love story.
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781728256184
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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