Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

At the end of The Midnight Lie (rev. 5/20), Sid sailed brokenhearted back to her own kingdom to her ailing mother the queen, while her lover Nirrim ascended the throne after trading her own heart for knowledge. Now without compassion, once-timid Nirrim ruthlessly applies power, executing one in ten of the High Kith who kept the Half Kith subjugated and using her terrified former friends and those she once considered family as puppets to sway the mob. Meanwhile, Sid learns that her mother was poisoned and tries to discover the perpetrator, at the same time uncovering for herself the ways her own same-sex attraction and her familial love and duty tangle and clash. Of course Sid and Nirrim eventually reunite, though the means by which Rutkoski manages it are too deliciously sweet to give away here. The inventive fantasy framework and whip-smart dialogue should keep readers riveted; a journey by Sid to the gods' realm has echoes of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and gives the story a satisfying roundness; and the exploration of truths that LGBTQ+ youth know and live, growing up in a world whose responses to their differences can still wound them, will resonate in any compassionate heart. Anita L. Burkam

Kirkus Reviews

A new (and improved?) Nirrim settles in as queen in this follow-up to The Midnight Lie (2020).The book opens with a brief recap of events in the previous volume: Nirrim traded her heart to the God of Thieves in exchange for lost knowledge and is still distraught over parting ways with her lover, Sid. Thanks to her transaction, the Half Kith, the oppressed people of Ethin, have recovered their memories of the truth about their island and regained the magic that the High Kith rulers had been siphoning from them. Nirrim, now without a heart, even more powerful, and seeking revenge, begins a violent onslaught against the High Kith and positions herself as queen. Meanwhile, readers are gifted chapters from Sid's perspective, allowing the cocky, pressured heir of Herran a chance to relate her own struggles as her mother lies ill, possibly from poison. The sweet, hesitant heroine of the first installation is gone as Nirrim descends further into cruelty and violence, while Rutkoski exquisitely fleshes out Sid's character and the nation of Herran, gently tackling themes of colonization and its legacy all the while. The elegant prose makes this a pleasurable read that will keep readers engrossed. In this world, characters are diverse in their appearances: Nirrim has black hair, green eyes, and brown skin; pale-skinned Sid has blond hair.A heart-wrenching, deftly executed end to this duology. (Fantasy. 14-18)

School Library Journal (Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2022)

Gr 8 Up At the end of The Midnight Lie after her breakup with Sid, Nirrim traded her heart to the God of Thieves and is now settling in as queen of Ethin. While Nirrim begins a revenge campaign against the High Kith who oppressed so many, Sid has sailed back to her ailingpossibly poisonedmother in Herran and her narrative is a counterpoint Nirrim's descent. Rutkoski compassionately navigates the queer reality of living in a world that wishes you were different, while also discussing the legacy of colonialism. There is a diversity of skin tone and orientation in the main and supporting cast. VERDICT This duology has an f/f Orpheus and Eurydice vibe that will keep readers turning pages. Fans of the original "Winner's Trilogy" will see some familiar faces.