LARK AND THE WILD HUNT

A young hero is unexpectedly called to help defeat a wicked, usurping king.

Twelve-year-old Lark is the last one to see her older brother, Galin, riding to the rescue of the Harvest King during the semiannual Wild Hunt, before he disappears. Lark’s home is close to the border separating the realms of humans and the immortal Fae. During the hunt, skilled riders, both human and Fae, clear the borderlands of rogue magical creatures known as wildkin. Long-held Accords between the realms offer time—something mortals possess and that offers the possibility of change—in exchange for magically enhanced tools from the Fae. Lark’s Ma breeds the part-Fae shadowbred horses ridden in the hunt; her Da is a tailor and dressmaker. Lark, who enjoys fixing things, begins to secretly reassemble the moonclock, a mysterious artifact that may have the power to help Galin return from the Fae realm. Ultimately, Lark’s courage and problem-solving skills help her to triumph in a final confrontation with the Briar King. Adam’s fantasy world is deftly constructed, and her use of language—which includes lots of compound nouns—convincingly suggests another time and place. The measured pace keeps pages turning yet offers readers time to understand Lark’s world and the way that magic operates within it. The explanations of magical mischief, charms, and rules for interacting with the Fae are marvelous. Human characters read as White.

Immersive, splendid, delightful.