A wholly absorbing, otherworldly tale of family, magic, and astonishing creatures.
Sisters in a world of floating islands question their respective destinies in Lorimer’s YA fantasy novel and series opener.
On the floating isle of Volturnus, violet-haired teen Effie Strait watches her big sister, Vanna, fail during the annual Ascension Ceremony. This year, none of the Gifted (who possess such abilities as Vanna’s “windshaping”) manage to tame a wild Leviathan (animals that spend their lifetimes in the sky). But Vanna is still a talented dragoon, belonging to a corps that helps protect Volturnus. All islands in the Zephyr Archipelago are under the protection of Celestials, Gifted crystalline beings who thwarted a piratical reign of terror (“Petty crews piloting kite-ships and steam-powered reavers harried the merchant fleets and trolley lines carrying goods and people to and fro across the archipelago”) 11 years earlier. The dragoons’ latest mission, however, which involves them looking into a potential rebellion, finds them debating what exactly the Celestials and the Celestial-appointed island governors have been up to. Meanwhile, Effie laments that her Gift hasn’t yet manifested. Even if her Gift never shows up, she’s determined to get an opportunity to tame a Leviathan and become one of the much sought-after Leviathan Pilots. Lorimer’s briskly-paced novel introduces readers to a fascinating world. A bevy of curious elements crop up, including the Long Drop (a fall into the “bare sky” is an infinite plummet), Leviathan (colossal beasts resembling dolphins, tortoises, and more), and glimpses at the harrowing pirate life. The contrasts between the Strait sisters make these intriguing characters even richer; reserved Vanna tends to roll with the punches while Effie rarely holds back her emotions. The younger sister can be overwhelming at times, as she blatantly resents those (including a close friend) with Gifts and seemingly believes she’s worthless without one of her own. (What she does to get what she wants provides a gleefully unpredictable turn.) Where Effie’s choices take her, along with a handful of dangling mysteries (like the Jokai, who “bless” people with Gifts), are left for sequels to resolve.
A wholly absorbing, otherworldly tale of family, magic, and astonishing creatures.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781968122010
Page Count: 192
Publisher: High Trestle Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 23, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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