***STARRED REVIEW***
“Williams weaves an intricate, historically rich tapestry. Fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas will love this start of a new series.”
— School Library Journal
"The theater nerd in me suspected I'd love this story of a gifted young woman who fashions weapons for Shakespeare's players, and I was not let down. Perfect for anyone looking for a fresh take on faerie magic."
— Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Full of nimble prose and wit as sharp as the blades on its pages, this book is nothing short of a spectacular debut . . . I know that this is going to be a groundbreaking addition to the fantasy genre.”
— Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author Beasts of Prey
“Every sentence of That Self-Same Metal will thunder through your bones. Rich in place and time, with a steely protagonist at its center, I felt like I'd been spirited to another land and time.”
— Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves and the Aru Shah series
"Wildly imaginative and refreshingly diverse, Williams weaves a twisty Shakespearean-inspired fantasy taut with intrigue."
— J. Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony
"Williams’ debut is an absolute feast of imagination. Complex, brooding, impossible to put down."
— Scott Reintgen, bestselling author of A Door in the Dark
"Seamlessly weaves together history, fantasy, culture, magic, and love . . . I couldn't stop reading it, and when I finished all I wanted was more. Joan Sands may be a hero in another era, but also she's the one we urgently need in books right now."
— Daniel José Older, New York Times bestselling author of Shadowshaper and Ballad & Dagger
“The fighting, on stage and off, between Joan and the real-life counterparts of the Fae characters from Shakespeare’s plays is exciting. There’s been diligent research about the time period, politics, and faery folklore. Interesting characters offering brilliant representations of queerness and set in a glorious foundation will pull readers in. Promising and original.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“In her debut, Williams has crafted an addicting, original story that isn’t afraid to take risks. While the world is rooted in history and even boasts famous historical figures, the prominent Black and brown characters and exploration of queer love are a refreshing addition. With charming characters and surprising twists, this historical fantasy will delight readers of all ages.”
— Booklist
"Glorious . . . starring a heroine you instantly root for and admire.”
— The New York Times
"Fast-paced and full of enthusiastic little winks to real-life people and events, That Self-Same Metal offers a fresh take on inclusive historical fantasy.”— NPR
2023-01-25
Joan Sands is a 16-year-old Black girl blessed by Ogun, the Orisha of iron, with the ability to manipulate metal.
Not only can Joan shape metal, but it also speaks to her, sharing its true name and giving her powers and strength that could cause her to hang as a witch in King James’ Protestant England. The year is 1605, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is the mainstage for Joan’s tragic first encounter with powerful Fae, faeries who are wreaking havoc in the mortal realm after almost two millennia of being bound by a pact created by Ogun. With her godfather—the only other living person blessed by Ogun—arrested, it may be up to Joan to find a way to stop the Fae from completely taking over the world. Although the fighting, on stage and off, between Joan and the real-life counterparts of the Fae characters from Shakespeare’s plays is exciting, much of the action jumps around, introducing periphery situations that are hard to connect to the main plot. While it’s clear there’s been diligent research about the time period, politics, and faery folklore, other elements—like compelling love triangles and partnerships and magical tampering with historic events—aren’t fully fleshed out, while other important threads are confusingly dropped midway through the novel. However, interesting characters offering brilliant representations of queerness and set in a glorious foundation will pull readers in.
A promising and original, if uneven, series opener. (map, historical notes) (Fantasy. 13-18)
