An uneven coming-of-age tale with an engaging heroine.
In this YA fantasy novel, the first in a planned series, an impulsive, spoiled young princess begins maturing into a wise, responsible ruler.
It’s Princess Melania Abigail Alice Grace’s 13th birthday, which should be a happy occasion, but Maagy (as she’s called) pouts and throws tantrums so much that she’s sent to her room. With Maagy’s mother long dead, King Henry—who loves his daughter and appreciates her good qualities—realizes he must do something to help her grow up and earn her throne someday. He sends her to Whitmore Castle for the summer, where she enjoys exploring the enormous edifice, with its many amenities and mysterious locked doors. At first she’s dismayed by having to perform chores—milking cows, mucking out stables, mending clothes—but soon she’s cheerfully rising early, feeling proud of her new skills. In town for the League of Kingdoms summit, the handsome Prince Rudolpho of Estadore, called Rudy, 17, makes Maagy feel giddy. Luckily, he’s kind, sweet, and likes her flares of temper: “You’re all spit and vinegar. I like people who speak up for themselves.” At the summit, Maagy learns much about geopolitics, diplomacy, negotiation, and queenly duties, and also discovers some interesting features of Whitmore Castle, like an appearing/disappearing toy shop. Finally, she attends school incognito, where she develops leadership. Perhaps the strongest fantasy element in this debut novel by Stringer (Can You Hear Them Crying?, 1994) is how quickly the spoiled princess takes to executing chores, appreciating others, and being ordinary. At times, this seems more like wish fulfillment for parents than for adolescents. Still, Maagy’s curiosity and willingness to learn from mistakes make her an appealing heroine, and the castle remains intriguing. But the plot is imperfectly paced; the novel continues well after the seemingly climactic summit, then ends rather abruptly. Stringer makes some odd choices: why give fantasy names to countries (for example, Franciné, Adriaca) but real ones for languages (Hebrew, Latin, Greek)? The author’s ellipses-heavy style is irritating (“people touching her…showing her affection…or running toward her and laughing…or speaking”), as are the many intrusive asterisks for unfamiliar words (a glossary is included).
An uneven coming-of-age tale with an engaging heroine.Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4808-1119-5
Page Count: 342
Publisher: ArchwayPublishing
Review Posted Online: July 22, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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
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