A gruesome, penetrating exploration of colonialism, resilience, and humanity.
“Nothing lives or dies without the will of Lady Death.”
Matiu Frankel is half Lyssian, but his Songi ancestry is what the people of the Empire see and revile. His father, former Archduke of Martinel (a Songi city overtaken by the Lyssian Empire), and his mother, the last Chanter of the Songi, created the revenants from reanimated Songi corpses and animals. Matiu must outrun his past to prove himself a worthy heir to his uncle, the new Archduke; no one can know that Lady Death, the omnipotent Songi goddess, whispers to him and already allowed him to escape death once. Calyx and her siblings are revenants abandoned on the Isle of Teeth, near the Lady’s sacred mountain, which humans dread. Lyssians call them monsters; the Songi call them instruments of the Lady’s will. Without a cure, the revenants’ minds will succumb to the fungus used to preserve their bodies. When Calyx’s sister Sepal begins showing signs of madness, escaping the island and embarking on a killing spree, Calyx must stop her and save their family from the same fate. In a moving display of raw strength, camaraderie, and connection in the face of persecution, Matiu’s and Calyx’s destinies become intertwined. Barbosa’s racially diverse world draws inspiration from the Philippine-American War, demonstrating how a different perspective can reveal who the real monsters are. This dark, succulent tale balances horror with smart commentary that’s relevant to real human history.
A gruesome, penetrating exploration of colonialism, resilience, and humanity. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9781668217184
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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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