Captivating.
With all jinnkind advancing toward Tulan, Alizeh must hasten to secure both crown and land to protect her people in this follow-up to These Infinite Threads (2023).
Alizeh knows that accepting King Cyrus’ proposal of marriage will bring her the power to protect her people and seek her destiny, but she’s unprepared to deliver the death that will release him from the Devil’s torment. Cyrus guards the terms of his deal with Iblees closely, but his passionate feelings for Alizeh, first implanted in sensuous dreams by the fallen jinn, are their own kind of torture. He refuses to believe that Alizeh’s feelings of contempt have evolved into real tenderness and desire for him. For her part, Alizeh cannot completely trust Cyrus, bound as he is to Iblees, even if she desperately wants to. Further complicating matters are the arrival of Prince Kamran and Alizeh’s Ardunian friends—the prince wants revenge against the Tulanian king for the death of his grandfather and demands an explanation of Alizeh’s perceived betrayal. Stunned by the accusation, Alizeh realizes that her feelings for Kamran have dissipated and is further shocked by his belief that the prophecy foretells their union. But the truth of the prophecy may not be yet known, and the devil, ever the master of deceit, has never lost a wager. Mafi continues her stunning, spellbinding epic narrative of secrets, confusion, and burning desire in a volume that’s more about characterization than action but is still a fast, gripping read.
Captivating. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780062972507
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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