Rise of the Vicious Princess

April 15, 2022
A princess weighs her heart against her duty. Charis Willowthorn (17 and implied White) was raised to be queen. At her mother's side she has learned the ins and outs of Calera's politics and what it means to govern during a seemingly endless war against a ruthless foe. Charis can fight, dance, hide her true feelings behind a smile, and play power games, but she retains the capacity for kindness and compassion. When a near-successful assassination attempt leaves Charis with lingering trauma, the resulting executions of several of her staff leave her isolated. Enter bodyguard Tal, also cued as White, assigned by Charis' kindly father, and the start of a friendship that gradually becomes a slow-burn, forbidden romance, blossoming even as Charis sacrifices her future happiness for Calera's good. The first in a duology, this entry in many ways serves as an extended setup for what promises to be an action-packed second volume but manages to maintain a brisk pace while establishing the players, geography, and concerns of a political fantasy. Calera is multiracial, and women and men serve on equal footing, with female characters depicted as a guard and an admiral as well as political leaders. With a promising opening--featuring a protagonist reminiscent of those in Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse--plus a zinger of an ending, this should have no trouble finding an audience. An engaging introduction to a female-forward fantasy world. (map) (Fantasy. 12-adult)

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Starred review from July 4, 2022
Seventeen-year-old Princess Charis Willowthorn of Calera assumes the throne when an assassin injures her mother, Queen Letha, in Redwine’s (The Blood Spell) scintillating duology opener. Calera, a coastal matriarchal society, is at war with the landlocked kingdom of Montevallo, which wants control of Calera’s northern ports. Though guards kill both Letha’s assailant and a spy hiding in Charis’s chambers before they can be interrogated, Charis and those closest to her assume both were sent by Montevallo’s King Alaric Penbyrn, particularly after his soldiers advance toward Calera’s capital. Believing it’s the only way to protect her people, Charis launches a brutal attack that decimates Montevallo’s army, but when a seemingly separate entity begins sinking supply ships bound for Calera, Charis fears that Montevallo isn’t the only nation determined to conquer hers. Redwine skillfully crafts well-rounded characters and an action-packed plot, resulting in a nuanced political fantasy that’s rife with court intrigue. Charis—fierce and formidable, yet altruistic—is exquisitely drawn, and her tender, developing relationship with bodyguard Tal adds emotional complexity to the breathlessly paced tale. Main characters cue as white; varying skin tones suggest racial diversity throughout. Ages 13–up. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.