Starred review from August 1, 2019
Princess Esmae started a war--but will she finish it? Esmae always dreamed of reuniting with the family who abandoned her when she was a child. She originally wanted to return her brothers to their homeland after they were usurped by their Uncle Elvar. But when her twin, Alexi, tries to kill her--and instead kills her best friend--her trust is shaken. Esmae reluctantly plots to maintain the status quo in hopes that Elvar will allow her to inherit the throne. But when she learns the truth about the duel that was meant to end her life, her sense of self is completely shattered. Driven by ambition, jealousy, and a lifetime of powerlessness, Esmae grows increasingly bloodthirsty and power hungry, abandoning her former quest for peace and her family's love. The plot is fast-paced and full of surprises, its intricate world carefully rendered. Where it really shines, however, is in its characters, particularly Esmae, who, throughout the story, is forced to confront painful truths. Mandanna (A Spark of White Fire, 2018) is an astute observer of human nature and a master of suspense, deftly unraveling Esmae's defenses until her complex feelings about her family turn her from peacenik to warmonger while simultaneously making her villain of a brother more sympathetic. After substantial intermarrying, race does not exist in this fantasy world. Extraordinarily drawn characters and plot twists will keep readers' hearts racing. (Fantasy. 14-adult)
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Starred review from October 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Mandanna's heart-stopping sequel to A Spark of White Fire (2018) follows a determined Esmae, still reeling from the murder of her best friend at the hands of her once-beloved brother Alexi. The galaxy prepares for battle as mortals and gods take sides in an impending civil war that they all know will tear their worlds apart. Esmae needs to be certain that the odds are in her favor; political maneuvering can get bloody, but she is willing to blur the lines of morality to secure allies and stay one step ahead of Alexi, who threatens to unleash a beast far more terrifying than her indestructible warship Titania. Plot twists abound as Esmae realizes she only scratched the surface of the secrets that plague the House of Rey. She must push the limits of how far she'll go to shatter the golden image of her brother, before making the ultimate decision between clinging to the elusive hope of family or waging a catastrophic war. Told through the perspectives of Esmae and the sentient Titania, Mandanna's narrative delivers on her captivating start to the trilogy inspired by ancient Indian epics. The high-stakes, lofty narrative reads like a mythology story of its own, as the lives of gods, mortals, and spaceships are intricately connected, setting up for what's sure to be a breathtaking conclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)