Stokes blends the epic and magic-school genres of fantasy with a chilling dash of the dystopian, capturing the early days of a “new society,” the jolting realization that the institutions one believes in have rotted, and the bold young women who recognize what’s coming and take steps to face it. The thoughtful but quick-paced story that follows will find Audra assuming an urgent leadership role, besting men in combat, experimenting in romance with a War Duke she at first takes for a fool, and eventually uncovering and facing an antagonist who’s willing to murder and torture in the name of power.
Adding to the novel’s resonance is the choice to set it in a continent that’s not fully settled by the prevailing powers, with mysterious “raiders” from the wild attacking civilization—and creating a pretext for the plotters’ limiting of freedoms. The dialogue tends toward the formal, action sometimes is wordy, and readers may wonder at some quite-earthly proper nouns: Merlin Arthur, Princess Cathy. For all the political and theological wrangling, though, Stokes pens a lively story of adventure, visions, surprises, and a young woman’s maturation, all building to a satisfying ending.
Takeaway: This inventive epic fantasy blends a coming-of-age with the dystopian.
Great for fans of: Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, Pierce Brown.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B
