A well-crafted fantasy laced with frustrated romance.
In this high fantasy, a powerful young priestess must lock her emotions away while defending her kingdom from savage beasts and magical attacks.
Prince Janu is 14 years old and Princess Pria is 5 when their parents are killed by grinlo—wild predators who hunt in packs at the edges of their kingdom. Pria was born with the magic of a high priestess, one of only two in all the land, and by rights, she should be sent to the far-off Lorien for training alongside priestesses. Instead, she is allowed a reprieve. Pria is 12 years old when she finally leaves, and in her subsequent 10-year absence, the grinlo hordes continue to make inroads, overrunning one stronghold after another. The creatures have learned to coordinate their attacks. They seek out magic and are commanded by a rogue priest. When High Priestess Lana is killed, Pria returns home as a high priestess in her own right. She finds Janu on the throne and their childhood friend Mian serving as his battle leader. But Janu and Mian still see Pria as the little girl they grew up with. Pria, though a potent magic user, is inexperienced. One misstep and the Lorien might well recall her from service. Can Pria reconcile herself to Janu’s overprotectiveness and Mian’s love and, in doing so, save the kingdom? Kennedy writes in the third person, largely from Pria’s point of view. The prose style is a straightforward blend of narrative, badinage-peppered dialogue, and characters’ inner thoughts. The minor players are well developed. As for the protagonists, Pria in particular is given both space and time in which to grow. Events don’t move quickly, but there is a chilling inevitability to the grinlo encroachments. The author’s worldbuilding is astute, conjuring a sense of realism to underpin the story’s magical conflicts, nobility, and heroism. The plot is engaging throughout. But given the book’s length (over 500 pages) and the interactions between Pria and Mian, readers might have hoped for more from its ending, which merely cedes meekly to the promise of a sequel. Nonetheless, fans of the genre should approve.
A well-crafted fantasy laced with frustrated romance.Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-1734089615
Page Count: 570
Publisher: Bowker
Review Posted Online: Dec. 25, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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