Kirkus Reviews

A traitor's daughter contends with her painful past and dangerous future in this series opener.Nineteen-year-old "Traitor Kate" Brighton tries to outrun her father's infamy as a Relay rider in the kingdom of Rime. Rider life is tough, especially with a new onslaught of ravenous drakes, but Kate loves horses, with whom she shares a forbidden "wilder" magical bond, risking the attention of the Inquisition. When an unexpected encounter reunites Kate with "Errant Prince" Corwin, she returns to the city of Norgard determined to protect the wilders and uncover the reason for her father's treason. Meanwhile, co-narrator Corwin renews his rivalry with his brother, Edwin, and must compete against him for the crown. Blond, blue-eyed Corwin and black-haired, golden-skinned Kate are typical tormented protagonists, but some of the secondary characters mercifully compensate for this angst-y duo. The setting is blithely anachronistic, describing revolvers as revolutionary but newspapers and pocket watches as familiar, and plot loopholes, geographic inconsistencies, and political history are all too often (and not always successfully) obscured by magic. Arnett (The Nightmare Charade, 2015, etc.) notably draws attention to economics and poverty, elements often downplayed in fantasy novels, but otherwise offers a generic tale of action and romance. There is some ethnic diversity in secondary characters.A reluctant-rebel riff on "Cinderella," with more horses. (Fantasy. 14-18)

Horn Book

Focusing on the Utah and Omaha beach landings, Hopkinson employs her signature kaleidoscopic style--synthesizing complex events into a compelling narrative arc, and sampling myriad voices to add texture and color to the story while never losing sight of the bigger picture. Short chapters are loosely organized into a series of briefings (exposition of information) and dispatches (first-person accounts), and black-and-white photographs appear throughout. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Arnett (Polaris) offers a gripping story of two people-s search for courage and answers in a chaotic world. Kate Brighton was branded a traitor after her father tried to assassinate the king. Then the man she loved let her father be executed, and the kingdom increased persecution of -wilders,- those with magic tied to the four elements and spirit. Kate is one of those beings; she possesses the ability to influence the minds of animals. Adding further challenges, nightdrakes (flightless dragons) are attacking more frequently, and Kate-s first love, Prince Corwin, returns. Corwin wants her help to figure out why the drakes are attacking in broad daylight now, and he asks Kate to return with him to Norgard, her home, where she can find answers about her father. Kate hopes the journey will bring closure and peace, even as her rekindled friendship with Corwin stirs long-buried feelings and unrealistic dreams of the future, and the threat of invasion by a conquering nation looms. Arnett builds a rich world of magic and intrigue, enhanced by side characters of substance that create momentum for subsequent books. Ages 14-up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (May)