Starred Review for Publishers Weekly

Levine’s (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Ella Enchanted) original mythological tale works as romance, adventure and exploration of faith. Kezi is the only daughter of a wealthy, devout family in a vaguely ancient, vaguely Middle Eastern city, where the established religion revolves around one god, Admat. When Kezi’s mother falls deathly ill, her father vows to sacrifice the first person who congratulates him on his wife’s recovery, if only Admat will let her live. Through adroit plotting, this person turns out to be Kezi, who has 30 days before she must be delivered to the sacrificial altar. Meanwhile, Olus, the god of wind from a family of Greek-like deities, has been watching the horror unfold; out of loneliness (the brother closest to him in age is 412 years older), he has disguised himself to mix with mortals and fallen in love with Kezi. Braided throughout the well-paced action are doubts raised by Kezi’s new-found knowledge of Olus and his clan: “How can Admat be the one, the all, if Olus is a god too?” Is her sacrifice without reason? Levine conducts a riveting journey, offering passion and profound pondering along the way. Ages 10-up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(May)

ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

When Kezi's mother's life is threatened, Kezi's father bargains with Admat, god of oaths, to spare her, but he is unprepared for the consequences: he must sacrifice Kezi, instead. Kezi finds hope in Olus, the Akkan god of the wind, who loves her and determines to save her. Together, Olus and Kezi face seemingly insurmountable trials, but if both succeed, they will be deemed Champions in the Akkan world and become immortal. Levine has crafted a mythical realm where a god's pottery, thrown in frustration, causes earthquakes; Olus' winds herd goats, dictate prophecies, and carry loved ones to safety; and magical potions have the power to change the characters' fates. The story is filled with suspense, action, and challenging philosophical questions: Would one truly wish to be immortal? What is the price of following a deity's commands? An action-packed love story set in an elaborate, challenging world, this richly imagined story will engage fantasy and romance readers alike.

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Seventeen-year-old Olus, god of the winds, falls in love with Kezi, whose father pledged her life in forfeit to the god Admat. Admat gives no sign of his existence, leaving the lovers to wonder if the sacrifice is truly necessary. Levine leaves it to readers to decide if Admat is a fake or merely hidden--a quandary sure to provoke discussions about faith.

Kirkus Reviews

Kezi, the talented daughter of a palace official, is willing to sacrifice her life to save her beloved aunt from the wrath of the god Admat. Olus, the Akkan god of winds, has come to live among mortals to ease his own loneliness. Deeply in love with one another, Olus's discovery of Kezi's imminent doom causes him to urge her to consider a way out of her predicament: Why not become a goddess instead? Separately these lovers must pursue their own quests—she to the land of the warkis, he to the god of wisdom on Enshi Rock—if they wish to remain together, and soon it becomes clear to Kezi that even immortality doesn't mean knowing all the answers. Levine strikes a somber and more contemplative note with this book than in previous outings, pondering the nature of faith alongside her usual romancing. It makes for a quieter novel than her readers may be used to, but one that will suit those who stop to think about their own mortality once in a while. Strong and good. (Fiction. 12+)

School Library Journal (Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Gr 5-9 In this masterful fantasy told in two voices, Levine has created a mythology and society as rich and nuanced as the one portrayed in Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief (Greenwillow, 1996). Olus is the Akkan god of the winds, but he is hundreds of years younger than any of the other gods and, therefore, very lonely. He visits Hyte, a kingdom of humans, where he is intrigued by the beautiful and talented weaver and dancer named Kezi. Olus witnesses the events leading to her generous but reckless decision to offer up her life so that her father can keep the oath he's sworn to their god, Admat. He follows her, introduces himself in human guise, and the two fall in love. This is where the book deepens, even as the plot intensifies. Can Kezi love a god? Can she love a pantheistic god, even though she was raised to believe only in Admat? The nature of religious conviction and the tensions between different belief systems are questionedbut so deftly that readers are entertained by the arguments. With barely a month until Kezi becomes a human sacrifice, she and Olus search for a way to reconcile the need to honor her father's oath and their desire for one another. To prove themselves "champions," worthy of immortal life together, they each must endure a quest and face their deepest fears. The power of love and courage to overcome seemingly impossible odds and to bridge ostensibly untraversable differences are at the heart of this compelling, intensely satisfying fantasy. Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY

Voice of Youth Advocates

Olus is the god of the wind, powerful despite the fact that he is only seventeen years old. His relative youth-his closest brother in age is 423 years old-leaves him feeling lonely on Enshi Rock, home of the gods. Olus enters the world of mortals in search of companionship. Disguised as a goatherd, he spies on the lovely Kezi, a mortal girl. Kezi's father, a devout worshipper of the all-powerful god, Admat, has vowed that if Kezi's ill mother is saved, he will sacrifice to Admat the first person who congratulates him on his wife's recovery. Kezi, in an attempt to save a favored aunt, is the one who first offers congratulations. Thus she is to be sacrificed to Admat in thirty days. Nevertheless when Olus and Kezi meet, they fall hopelessly in love. Can they possibly find a future together when Kezi is not only mortal but also fated to an early death? This accomplished author is known for her fresh spins on familiar fairy tales, most famously in the Newbery Honor Book, Ella Enchanted (HarperCollins, 1997/VOYA August 1997). This time she invents an original story that combines many elements of traditional tales, such as tests of courage and true love. Through Kezi's worship of Admat, Levine explores the mortal need to create religion in a thought-provoking way. The story drags a bit as the lovers undergo quest after quest. Fans of the genre should be satisfied, however, and the attractive cover may bring new readers.-Diane Colson.