Nightspell

Starred review from May 1, 2011

The distinctions between life and death are dissolved with sinister consequences in this dark companion to Mistwood (2010).

In the night-shrouded court of Ghostland, the dead do not rest quietly; they mingle freely with the living, dominating their amusements, intrigues and politics, centuries after their bodies have rotted away. Despite their disgust, the nomadic Raellians sent Callie, their youngest princess, as a prospective royal bride. Now her siblings have come at last: Prince Varis, ambitious for alliance (or conquest), and Princess Darri, determined to rescue Callie from her ghastly fate. Callie is not ready to leave, however, and the living and the dead each have their own agenda for their "barbarian" guests. While only a secondary character links this to the earlier title, fans will recognize the poetic style and rich characterization. The three protagonists stand out in their blunt vitality, but every character is portrayed with complexity and clear-eyed sympathy; none is unambiguously hero or villain. Elegant, allusive prose conveys both the claustrophobic horror and overripe allure of the decadent court, where the dead exude macabre charm, disarming sorrow and a dreadful "otherness." Some may be disappointed in the lack of dramatic resolutions; the more thoughtful will appreciate the fluid navigation between good and evil, freedom and duty, life and death, with only love reigning supreme.

Morbid and moving, transcendent and triumphant. (Horror. 14 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

August 1, 2011

Gr 6-9-Princess Darrianka and her brother, Varis, travel far from their barbaric home in the Raellian countryside to Ghostland for different reasons-Darri is hoping to save her sister from a political marriage to the prince of Ghostland. Varis is following their father's orders and plans to trade Darri for Callie and then to conquer Ghostland for territorial domination. Things are never that cut-and-dried, however, and there are definite problems with both of their plans. Will Darri save Callie? Does Callie even want to be saved? Will Darri and Varis find a common purpose and actually get along? The family drama here is pretty thick. Nightspell is a great entry into fantasy as it reads more like European royal historical fiction. Even students who do not typically like fantasy will enjoy this title, and the connections to the alliance-building betrothals and hostile takeovers could be linked to the social-studies curriculum. The book would make a good read-aloud, as it is packed with impressive grotesque imagery and action.-Kristina Weber, Bernotas Middle School, Crystal Lake, IL

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2011
Grades 6-9 This companion book to Mistwood (2010) is set in a different country and introduces new characters. Raellian royal siblings Varis and Darri ride on a diplomatic mission to Ghostland, where vengeance-seeking ghosts are indistinguishable from the living. Darri has been sent as an arranged bride to the Ghostlands heir, but her plans falter when she discovers that Prince Kestin was recently murdered and is now a ghost. As in the previous book, multiple schemes, nefarious plots, and secrets are gradually revealed. Swordfights, blood, and double-dealing pack the pages as this action-filled story races to a surprising conclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2011
This tale of courtly intrigue stars both living and dead players, each with his or her own schemes, driven by love, guilt, and power-lust. In Ghostland, murder victims linger to avenge their own deaths. Darri's sister was trapped there--but she may not want to be saved. This solid companion to Mistwood fills its intriguing and eerie world with tightly woven relationships.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)