October 1, 2018
Generations after Kingdom of Ash and Briars (2016), a new elicromancer threat jeopardizes Nissera.Unlike most of the Calgoran royals and despite attending the elicromancer academy (founded after Bristal's time, when people once again braved the Water to gain power), Valory shows no signs of magical talent. A tragedy results in Valory touching the Water without the approval of the bureaucratic governing body, the Conclave, and the subsequent ripples shake the foundations of her society--and leave her looking very guilty. Meanwhile, a secretive, mask-wearing sect called the Summoners are on the move with the goal of resurrecting the Lord of Elicromancers, a terror long forgotten by the time of the Elicrin War. Although returning evil overlords and the young hero destined to oppose are by no means rare in fantasy, West keeps things fresh through both the thematic justifications (the consequences of forgetting history, especially upholding traditions without understanding why) and complex characterization for good and evil characters alike in the tangled plots, cat-and-mouse games, deceptions, and betrayals. Tangential storylines reference "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid," and, while the climax resolves the central crisis, signs point to future fairy-tale-inspired friction. While Valory and most characters are white, a couple of characters from faraway Erdem are described as having russet skin and are possibly coded Asian Indian.Impressive intrigues and cleverly exploited character flaws make for an exciting read. (map, family tree) (Fantasy. 12-adult)
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October 15, 2018
Grades 7-10 Valory, a descendant of Bristal, one of the first immortal elicromancers, finds herself in a similar predicament to the one her ancestor faced 100 years ago. Given power she can't really control, guarded by the magical Conclave's Neutralizer bodyguard, and with only her weird extended family as her companions, Valory must fight to survive a world she never expected to fit into. Things get worse when her uncontrollable power mixes with an ancient resurrection spell to turn her cousin into a great beast, and more mysterious magic surfaces across the world. Valory must traipse between the realms of light and darkness, politics and magic, and neither she nor her world will ever be the same. This second book in the world of Nissera (Kingdom of Ash and Briars, 2016) reads like a classic fairy tale. While it does take a few chapters to really get going, West's return to the swirling, fantastical world filled with magic and terror is a welcome addition to collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2019
Valory, a Calgoran royal family member, seemingly has no elicromancer abilities until a tragic accident on her seventeenth birthday unlocks them. She becomes entangled in the fight against a dangerous resurrected eliocromancer to save herself, her friends, and the realm. Fans of Kingdom of Ash and Briars--about Valory's elicromancer ancestor Bristal a century earlier--should enjoy following Valory's journey and her discovery of magic.
(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)