Melina Marchetta is the author of Looking for Alibrandi, Saving Francesca, On the Jellicoe Road and The Piper's Son.
In a spellbinding companion to Finnikin of the Rock, set three years after the events of that book, Marchetta shifts attention from Lumatere to its neighboring enemy kingdom of Charyn, no stranger to violence and curses itself-in this case, one that has left its citizens barren for 18 years. Froi, a former street thief who has started a new life in Lumatere, is sent to Charyn in disguise to assassinate its king, but his worldview is shaken by revelations about his own unknown past. Tensions between the two kingdoms ratchet up, and Froi's loyalties are tested as he becomes entrenched in the chaotic political situation in Charyn and is drawn to its unpredictable princess, Quintana, who has been horribly abused in an attempt to break Charyn's curse. Marchetta again demonstrates her fearlessness in exposing humanity at its ugliest (rape, massacre, and prejudice are rampant), but also at its noblest, as her damaged characters struggle to rebuild their lives. The precipice on which Marchetta leaves readers will have them aching-but also terrified-to discover what comes next. Ages 14-up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Gr 9 Up-In this engrossing continuation of the series, Froi, a former thief, has earned his place in the Queen of Lumatere's guard. He's a fierce warrior with an aptitude for languages. This makes him the perfect person to infiltrate the kingdom of Charyn to assassinate the brutal and corrupt king. Charyn is under a curse-no children have been born there in 18 years. The king's daughter, Quintana, the last female born in that time, is prophesied to be the one to break the curse and bear the newborn king. It's said that only the last-born son of one of Charyn's provinces can impregnate her but none have succeeded. Froi's mission is only to kill the king, but as he impersonates a last-born son, he falls for Quintana, reputed to be insane due to the sexual abuse she's experienced. Froi is drawn into the lives of those in the Charyn palace, including the king's wife, imprisoned for years in the palace for attempted murder, and a priestling said to be gods' touched and his crippled, brilliant twin brother. This book is complex, with rich and flawed characters and a plot that is completely addictive because it's so unpredictable and multilayered. It can stand alone, although plot details from Finnikin of the Rock (Candlewick, 2010) are mentioned, making it more rewarding to read the two in order. Fans of the intricate fantasies of Megan Whalen Turner or George R. R. Martin will love this powerful book and wait impatiently for the next installment.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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