Prophecy

January 1, 2025
A young woman unwillingly becomes entangled in a prophecy. Persephone, who only knows a life of enslavement and scarcity, is confronted with a chicken thief who changes her life. Azriel plays on her sympathies, persuading her to hand over a chicken before purchasing Persephone from her owner. Handsome, blue-eyed Azriel believes Persephone can save his people, the nomadic Methusians, and fulfill a prophecy that would put one of them on the throne to "unite the five clans of Glyndoria and set things to right for all people." However, dark-haired, violet-eyed Persephone doesn't believe in the prophecy and dreams of escaping to freedom along with her devoted animal friends, a dog, a horse, and a hawk. Meanwhile, the Regent Mordesius, a clever and power-hungry adviser in the royal court, will stop at nothing, manipulating young King Finnius of Erok and torturing the innocent as part of his quest for Erok to rule over all of Glyndoria. He also hopes to heal his deformities (sustained in childhood when the rest of his family was burned alive) through the fabled Pool of Genezing. Romance and comedic dialogue and situations balance the bloodthirsty villainy, and the surprise twists will keep readers guessing. The third-person omniscient voice moves the engaging plot along. Unfortunately, Mordesius' character arc and the brutal language used to describe his physical differences evoke ableist tropes. The main characters are cued white. A fast-paced trilogy opener full of intrigue and surprises.(Fantasy romance. 14-18)

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February 14, 2025

Gr 9 Up-High melodrama and absurdity abound in the search for a lost heir. Persephone is our paint-by-numbers heroine: violet-eyed, enslaved, armed, with a penchant for delivering useful exposition via soliloquy to her animal friends. Persephone is sprung from captivity by a glamorous thief, Azriel, who is part of the hunted-and magical-Methusian clan. While on the run from the evil Regent Mordesius, Persephone and Azriel enjoy lots of banter and a classic caught-bathing-in-nature scene to make sure readers know they are attracted to each other. In Azriel's secret Methusian community, Persephone learns that she might be the prophesied future ruler of a united Glyndoria. Meanwhile, Regent Mordesius is a nicely creepy baddie of the Richard III sort, with a taste for hunting down his political rivals. Mordesius's storyline gives greater scope to the tale. Mordesius has united Glyndoria under Erok rule, subjugating the other clans: the long-lived, itinerant Methusians, mining Gorgishmen, Parthanian mountaineers, and Marinese traders. His power depends on controlling King Finnius-who is mysteriously exactly the same age as Persephone! Also, there is plague! The plot is brisk, dramatic, and silly. The setting feels vague. Persephone's enslavement feels queasily like antebellum America, while the four clans of Glyndoria are sprinkled with names of random etymological origin. In reality, cultures overlap or intersect, so what is the logic of the intersections in this fantasyland, where ethnic identity is crucial? VERDICT A chaotic adventure that will entertain those who like fantasy clich�s taken to the extremes.-Katherine Magyarody

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