No Better Than Beasts

August 15, 2024
A vindictive brother, a cursed kingdom, a Rat King, and a nutcracker... With one of their mothers dead and the other in Kolzechnia, the Rat King's country of beastfolk, Drakne Zolkedna and her two brothers, Fydir and Nabik, are left to fend for themselves in Malirmatvi. As Fydir rises through the military ranks, Drakne, at the prompting of the Rat King, who knows about her dancing magic and sends her letters, finds new purpose dancing on factory floors to free the people trapped within the soul-engines of Fydir's patron's creation. This act of magical rebellion pits Drakne first against Fydir, who seeks to use her, and, soon enough, against Nabik, who hasn't been able to keep her safe. As Drakne draws closer to the Rat King, Nabik, at the side of a nutcracker with claims to the throne, wrestles with loyalty to his family and the pull of his burgeoning wizardly powers. The siblings struggle with their darker impulses and deepest desires amid peppermint and gingerbread, swirling snowflakes and blazing guns. This queer retelling ofThe Nutcracker maintains the ballet's ambience while expanding on and changing elements of the tale to include a land of beastfolk and snowfae standing on the precipice of technological advancement that in the wrong hands brings only suffering. Characters are cued white. Drakne is pansexual, and Nabik is gay. An atmospheric tale of the magic of wishes and dances--and the darkness of betrayal and pain. (content warning, map)(Fantasy. 14-18)

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Starred review from November 22, 2024

Gr 8 Up-Nabik and Drakne Zolkedna are wizards of Kolznechian descent whose mothers fled the curse that turns the country's inhabitants into beasts. Their mercenary older brother, Fydir, forces Nabik to keep his magic under wraps while simultaneously forcing Drakne to use hers for his benefit. When Drakne's dance magic awakens a prince trapped in a nutcracker, both siblings see a chance to improve their lot in life: Nabik flees with Prince Eugen over the Kolznech border, while Drakne uses her wits to take her place at Fydir's side amid plans to permanently remove herself from under Fydir's thumb. This is an extremely effective retelling of The Nutcracker, with prose that elegantly echoes the feeling of watching the ballet itself. The world constructed around these vibrant, lovable characters is so inherently magical as to require no explanation of the magic system, leaving the story accessible to fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike. The plot is well-paced and maintains balance between character development and action. Within the cast of characters there is diversity in sexuality, with Nabik and Drakne, as well as some secondary characters, identifying as queer despite the homophobia around them. VERDICT Ellor has truly found their stride in this sparkling tribute to a well-loved ballet that belongs first in line for purchase where teens crave classic, atmospheric fantasy or retellings.-Austin Ferraro

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