If the bleak world Lozen’s people and their allies have inherited is deeply scarred, this gripping saga suggests that where...
In the series’ third volume, Lozen—now healed of her deadly sickness—vows not to take another human life even as dangerous enemies stalk the residents and refugees of Valley Where First Light Paints the Cliffs, who depend on her to keep them safe.
As she turns from killing, Lozen discovers she can gather great power in her hands and direct it as needed when, through her growing ability to communicate mind to mind, she perceives deadly enemies bent on her community’s destruction. One of Haven’s four overlords is dead and the Dreamer has become an ally, but the Jester and Lady Time retain formidable powers and an implacable hatred for their former servants, Lozen especially. And Luther Little Wound—a cruel, solitary killer—survives, a fearsome enemy. Lozen draws strength from her life partner, Hussein; from the bibliophilic Dreamer; from the strange creature Hally; and from the land itself, home of her Chiricahua ancestors, including the first Lozen. Their stories, her birthright, ground and sustain her, imparting valuable life lessons. Lozen’s one of literature’s rare female superheroes: a down-to-earth leader whose crushing burden of responsibility is leavened by humility, humor, and a willingness to ask for help and accept advice. Her multidimensional journey has evolved with the series.
If the bleak world Lozen’s people and their allies have inherited is deeply scarred, this gripping saga suggests that where change is possible, hope for the future remains. (Science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: June 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62014-330-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Tu Books
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play.
Garber returns to the world of bestseller Caraval (2017), this time with the focus on younger, more daring sister Donatella.
Valenda, capital of the empire, is host to the second of Legend’s magical games in a single year, and while Scarlett doesn’t want to play again, blonde Tella is eager for a chance to prove herself. She is haunted by the memory of her death in the last game and by the cursed Deck of Destiny she used as a child which foretold her loveless future. Garber has changed many of the rules of her expanding world, which now appears to be infused with magic and evil Fates. Despite a weak plot and ultraviolet prose (“He tasted like exquisite nightmares and stolen dreams, like the wings of fallen angels, and bottles of fresh moonlight.”), this is a tour de force of imagination. Themes of love, betrayal, and the price of magic (and desire) swirl like Caraval’s enchantments, and Dante’s sensuous kisses will thrill readers as much as they do Tella. The convoluted machinations of the Prince of Hearts (one of the Fates), Legend, and even the empress serve as the impetus for Tella’s story and set up future volumes which promise to go bigger. With descriptions focusing primarily on clothing, characters’ ethnicities are often indeterminate.
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play. (glossary) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-09531-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
