A mostly tidy ending to a bold, fast-paced, page-turning trilogy.
One week after fleeing London, Joan Sands is ready to return and lay her life on the line once more to defeat the murderous Fae queen, Titanea, in this sequel to 2024’s Saint-Seducing Gold.
Joan, her family, and all the other humans blessed by the Orisha barely escape the carnage Titanea unleashes on King James’ palace after she releases the Fae, who are hungry for human flesh and fully restored to power. Joan, who’s Black, tries to regroup in William Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon home, but she’s burdened by the knowledge that everyone’s safety hangs on her abilities as a child of Ogun. As a result, she feels compelled to take risks that lead to deaths and betrayals. She’s also being haunted by her ancestor who created the initial Pact that separated the Fae from humans and whose connection to their current conflict helps to drive the tension throughout most of the story. Williams does a wonderful job showing the possibilities of loving polyamorous and queer relationships. The assorted Fae creatures summoned to terrorize the mortals of London are fantastically gruesome in their quests for revenge, and Joan’s growing mastery of her gifts from Ogun and top-tier combat skills in fight scenes will engage readers. Still, while the saga’s main storylines are completed, some plot points and characters’ arcs are disappointingly dropped without full resolutions.
A mostly tidy ending to a bold, fast-paced, page-turning trilogy. (map, dramatis personae, historical notes, cultural note) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: April 22, 2025
ISBN: 9781419758683
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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
Frustratingly slow and lacking in magical wonder.
Despite living her happily-ever-after, Evangeline can’t help but strive to recover her lost memories in this trilogy closer.
Evangeline Fox awakens in the strong arms of Prince Apollo, her apparent husband, who swears to protect her from the evil Lord Jacks, who stole her memories. Unfortunately, Evangeline remembers nothing of her long and complex journey in the Magnificent North or her past romances; only the pain in her heart lets her know something is missing. At Wolf Hall, Evangeline seeks ways to unlock her missing memories, including enlisting the help of a mysterious guard named Archer, even as Apollo’s behavior becomes more and more controlling. The pacing and plot feel stagnant at first, with Evangeline remembering things in flashes and moments of brief feelings, but things finally pick up once her memories return. With the point of view rotating among Evangeline, Apollo, and Jacks, there are few narrative surprises, but it’s intriguing to delve into the minds of an antagonist and a Fate. The story’s inclusion of the legendary Valors and the fantastical fairy-tale setting are unfortunately overshadowed by the love triangle’s dramatic tug-of-war romance. Likewise, the book’s various themes—power, hope, stories, and the nature of humanity—are of interest but handled in an unfocused way. The conclusion, at least, is satisfying, and it hints at future tales set in this world. Evangeline, Jacks, and Archer read white; Apollo has dark hair and olive skin.
Frustratingly slow and lacking in magical wonder. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781250851208
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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