NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile
This YA fantasy filled with political intrigue and deception. It follows the perspectives of three young women who are forced to vie for the throne, each represented by her own narrator. Lisa Flanagan, Bahni Turpin, and Soneela Nankani all have rich, soothing voices, which infuse the characters with the level of maturity needed to match the harsher themes of the story. The three heroines are from different regions of this fantasy world, and the narrators incorporate individual accents and mannerisms into their performances to differentiate them. Better suited to older teens, this audiobook is a slow-burn listening experience with shrewd characters and strong performers who are guaranteed to capture attention. N.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
06/25/2018
In this debut YA fantasy, Goodlett treats readers to juicy gossip, court intrigue, and danger. Told in alternating, third-person chapters, with the threat of betrayal on all sides, the novel centers on a friendship forged among half-sisters. Three girls—Zofi, Ren, and Akeylah—are plucked from obscurity and far-flung locales, and then thrown into the spotlight at court after it is revealed that they are daughters of the king. Each is plagued by an enormous secret, a crime against the crown: Akeylah cursed the king with lethal intent, Zofi murdered the crown prince, and Ren gave information that resulted in the death of thousands. Soon, the young women discover that someone at the palace knows of their betrayals and is threatening to expose them unless they forsake their birthright. Goodlett’s worldbuilding is detailed and politically astute; she hands each of the girls their own agendas and dilemmas, creating real players rather than mere pawns. She also skillfully pits the three against one another initially, then gradually draws them together to route out their tormentor, providing a satisfying build toward a cliffhanger ending. Ages 14–up. Agents: Joelle Hobeika and Hayley Wagreich, Alloy Entertainment. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Rule delivers dazzling magic, suspenseful court intrigue, and pulse-pounding surprises. A treat for fans of richly layered fantasy!"—Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Frostblood Saga
"Goodlett treats readers to juicy gossip, court intrigue, and danger. [Her] worldbuilding is detailed and politically astute...providing a satisfying build toward a cliffhanger ending."—Publishers Weekly
"Goodlett weaves an absorbing narrative of political intrigue, friendship, and romance...the cliffhanger conclusion will leave readers desperate for the next volume."—BCCB
"An epic fantasy adventure...[with] death threats, political intrigue, and just the right amount of romance. A great purchase for libraries with strong readers and fantasy lovers."—SLJ
"At its heart this is a mystery story, one that keeps doling out clues that steadily ratchets up the tension...a good choice for teens who enjoy stories about royal mystery and intrigue."—SLC
"Rule is an exhilarating, fresh fantasy full of complicated and authentic female characters navigating court politics, blackmail, forbidden romance, and their own dark pasts. With breakneck pacing and a toe-curlingly good queer romance, Rule is sure to satisfy."—Lindsay Smith, author of Sekret and Web of Frost
"Rule is a such a propulsive, richly imagined, and sexy debut that you'll be reading 'just one more page' way past your bedtime."—Corrie Wang, author of The Takedown
"The fast-paced plot makes for an engaging read... Refreshing."—Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
07/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—An epic fantasy adventure told from the alternating perspectives of three young women of very different backgrounds. Zofi, Akeylah, and Ren are summoned by the king to the central city of Kolonya and told that they are actually his "bastard" daughters. After the murder of the king's only heir, they are now suddenly legitimized. With his health failing, he wants to evaluate their worthiness for the throne before choosing a successor, but all three have deadly secrets being leveraged by a shadowy blackmailer. They must decide if they can trust one another enough to pool their unique strengths, uncover their blackmailer, and ensure the safety of their kingdom. The book ends with a devastating cliff-hanger, leaving readers with more questions than answers. In many ways the Reaches, of which Kolonya is the capital, represent a progressive society with male and female warriors and an LGBTQ-affirming society. However, the kingdom suffers from the same racial tensions, class wars, and poverty issues of our own world. These problems are presented in an empathetic way that bring clarity. Characters utilize "blood tithes" to heighten their abilities in a way that adds a fun superherolike quality to an already rich world. Likable main and secondary characters will draw teens. However, the dense world-building and backstories make the pages turn a bit more slowly, despite death threats, political intrigue, and just the right amount of romance. VERDICT A great purchase for libraries with strong readers and fantasy lovers.—Sunnie Scarpa, Wallingford Public Library, CT
NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile
This YA fantasy filled with political intrigue and deception. It follows the perspectives of three young women who are forced to vie for the throne, each represented by her own narrator. Lisa Flanagan, Bahni Turpin, and Soneela Nankani all have rich, soothing voices, which infuse the characters with the level of maturity needed to match the harsher themes of the story. The three heroines are from different regions of this fantasy world, and the narrators incorporate individual accents and mannerisms into their performances to differentiate them. Better suited to older teens, this audiobook is a slow-burn listening experience with shrewd characters and strong performers who are guaranteed to capture attention. N.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2018-05-28
Set in a fantastical world in which almost all humans have the power to harness extraordinary physical prowess by tithing their blood (referred to as the Blood Arts), Rule traces the adventures of three sisters in their quest for the crown.The three young women could not be more different: Zofi is a Traveler; not only is her tribe of wandering nomads shunned by mainstream society, but Zofi is on the run from the King's guards. Florencia, or Ren, is a lady's maid at the Keep, catering to the whims and fancies of noblewomen. Akeylah, from the Eastern Reach, suffers under the tyranny of her abusive adoptive father and is unsure whether she will survive from one day to the next. United by their paternity, the girls are invited by their father, King Andros, to compete for the crown. Yet each girl's claim to the throne is complicated by a secret she harbors: Each has committed an act of treason against the royal family. The fast-paced plot makes for an engaging read; however, the underdeveloped side characters weaken the story. Readers may be troubled by the equation of cutting and/or pain with a marked increase in power. Limited physical descriptions other than hair color make ethnicity difficult to determine.Goodlett's debut is a refreshing break from fantasy novels in which the plot hinges on a seemingly inevitable heterosexual romance. (Fantasy. 14-18)
