01/27/2020
In this queer fairy tale reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty, Ekaterina Avenko, 16, would rather move south and study medicine than remain in her family’s ice palace and compete with her 12 murderous siblings for Kylma Above’s throne. After much begging, she persuades her father, the Grand Duke, to let her leave; his only stipulation is that she wait until after her oldest brother, heir-elect Lyosha, chooses a consort. Eligible royals assemble, but before Lyosha can select one, every Avenko excepting Ekata falls into an unawakenable sleep. To maintain stability and forestall unwanted advances from her power-hungry foster brother, Ekata ascends as Grand Duke and picks a bride—fierce, outspoken Inkar Erlyfsson—from those assembled. She hopes to help create a cure for her family’s illness, then discovers that they’ve been cursed using magic. Bartlett (We Rule the Night) delivers a feminist fantasy fraught with tension and political intrigue. Sketchy worldbuilding occasionally confuses, and not every plot twist rings true, but escalating stakes and an adrenaline-fueled pace keep the pages turning, while sharply drawn characters illustrate that there’s more than one way to lead. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kurestin Armada, P.S. Literary. (Mar.)
01/01/2020
Gr 7 Up—Ekata is the daughter of a powerful duke, and the only one of her 13 siblings with no desire to inherit the throne. Instead, her ambition is to leave her father's magical kingdom and study science at university. Although she is fascinated by Kylma Below, the underwater kingdom that provides her family with magic, it is not enough to keep her in an ice palace full of fratricidal siblings and distant parents. But all of Ekata's plans change overnight when the rest of her family falls into a cursed sleep and she is forced to take on her father's throne, her brother's prospective bride, and a maze of intrigue she is vastly unprepared for. Unlike many fantasy heroes, Ekata shows no innate talent for ruling, for magic, or for romance. Her new role as duke does not suit her, and her failures make her a much more relatable character. Although she is smart and tenacious, she has no hidden talents to save the day and fails as often as she succeeds. Her struggles will resonate with teens who are unsure in their growing responsibilities and changing lives. At the same time, the twist-filled mystery and compelling characters will keep readers guessing and the unexpected but satisfying conclusion will delight those who long for emotional realism within a fantastical story. VERDICT Refreshing and unique story elements abound in this magic-filled political mystery. Highly recommended for any collection that serves teens.—Heather Waddell, Abbot Public Library, Marblehead, MA
2019-12-08
When a magical curse leaves Ekata's family as good as dead, she is forced to take up the mantle of Grand Duke of Kylma Above.
Ekata is days from leaving her violent, scheming family for university when disaster strikes. Someone has put the grand duke and all his heirs, except for her, into a deathlike sleep. The intrigue begins unfolding immediately and draws readers through to the last page, as they and Ekata both try to figure out who can be trusted. Ekata begins her reign as a puppet of the prime minister but shocks everyone by marrying the foreign princess Inkar instead of the arrogant king Sigis. In response, Sigis decides to take the duchy by force, adding yet another headache for Ekata as she confronts internal and external threats to the duchy. The story of the princess who would rather read books than marry a prince is standard fare by now, yet Bartlett (We Rule the Night, 2019) makes her version feel largely fresh and filled with magic and personality as Ekata learns to be a strong leader by doing what must be done. She and Inkar begin to fall in love after their abrupt marriage, yet their romance is gentle and believable. All the principal characters in this pseudo-Nordic ice kingdom are white, with one secondary character, Ekata's supportive teacher Farhod, having dark skin.
An enchanting queer fairy tale. (Fantasy. 14-adult)
Praise for The Winter Duke:
"The intrigue begins unfolding immediately and draws readers through to the last page.... Fresh and filled with magic and personality. An enchanting queer fairy tale."
—Kirkus Reviews
"The twist-filled mystery and compelling characters will keep readers guessing and the unexpected but satisfying conclusion will delight those who long for emotional realism within a fantastical story. Refreshing and unique story elements abound in this magic-filled political mystery"—SLJ
"[A] glittering portrait of a cursed kingdom and a girl searching for strength.Fans of dark, queer fairy tales will be eager for this."—Booklist
Praise for We Rule the Night:
* "The richly textured world, painted in snow and fire, filled with disparate, diverse people who all want to win the war, is background to a powerful, slow burning story that develops Linné and Revna's reluctant friendship, their growing understanding of the world, and their emerging identities as soldiers who may not entirely trust the country they are willing to die for. Undercurrents of religion, hypocrisy, betrayal, and honor roil beneath the alternating third-person perspectives.... A fierce and compelling breakout debut that should not be missed." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Bartlett's electrifying feminist fantasy debut uses keenly wrought characters, harrowing action sequences, and creative yet economical worldbuilding to explore misogynistic military culture and the human cost of war." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "Full of sharply realized characterizations, intriguing magical elements, and twisty plots." —School Library Journal, starred review
* "Rich characterizations and an enemy that, while it looms in the background, never feels quite as threatening as the country the girls are fighting for complete a story set against the bright, brutal backdrop of war. A breathless series starter from a new voice to watch." —Booklist, starred review
The frozen kingdom of Kylma Above and the dark watery realm of Kylma Below maintain a precarious alliance fueled by magic. Chloe Cannon provides an immersive performance of this fantasy. Ekata, middle child of the Grand Duke above, is thrust from her scientific studies onto her father’s throne after her autocratic family’s sudden, mysterious illness. Cannon varies tone and pacing to reveal the young woman’s combination of keen intelligence, humor, and uncertainty as she adjusts to being the new ruler. Beset by ministry demands and her overbearing foster brother, King Sigis, who is portrayed with haughty inflections, Ekata develops an improbable union and irresistible chemistry with her new bride. As the tangle of political machinations unfolds between denizens above and below, a sense of urgency emerges from Ekata, compelling listeners to find out what happens. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
The frozen kingdom of Kylma Above and the dark watery realm of Kylma Below maintain a precarious alliance fueled by magic. Chloe Cannon provides an immersive performance of this fantasy. Ekata, middle child of the Grand Duke above, is thrust from her scientific studies onto her father’s throne after her autocratic family’s sudden, mysterious illness. Cannon varies tone and pacing to reveal the young woman’s combination of keen intelligence, humor, and uncertainty as she adjusts to being the new ruler. Beset by ministry demands and her overbearing foster brother, King Sigis, who is portrayed with haughty inflections, Ekata develops an improbable union and irresistible chemistry with her new bride. As the tangle of political machinations unfolds between denizens above and below, a sense of urgency emerges from Ekata, compelling listeners to find out what happens. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
