Of Fire and Stars

Starred review from September 26, 2016
At the start of Coulthurst’s spectacular debut, seven-year-old Princess Dennaleia of Havemont discovers that she has a magical “Affinity” for fire. Unfortunately, she is already betrothed to Prince Thandilimon of Mynaria, a kingdom where the practice of magic is considered heresy. Dennaleia’s mother swears that if she ignores her gift, it will fade, but the opposite proves true; when a 16-year-old Dennaleia arrives in Mynaria to start her new life, she nearly starts a conflagration. While hiding her ability, Dennaleia must also find a way to work with the prince’s prickly and rebellious older sister, Amaranthine, to dissuade Mynaria’s king from waging an unjustified war. But Dennaleia is faced with difficult choices about her future after something other than friendship unexpectedly develops between the two princesses. Dennaleia and Amaranthine’s narratives combine to create a powerful and exquisite love story that also provides incisive political commentary and cautions against zealotry, vengeance, and intolerance. The central mystery is intriguing, Coulthurst’s worldbuilding is excellent, and the book’s explosive conclusion both thrills and satisfies. Ages 13–up. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, ICM.

Murder, mayhem, magic, romance--and horses, lots of horses! Sixteen-year-old Princess Dennaleia departs for the kingdom of Mynaria, home of her betrothed, the blond, blue-eyed Thandilimon. Neither royal realizes that Denna's secret, stigmatized ability to control various elements will soon spiral out of control, as do her feelings when she meets Mare, her bold, gray-eyed future sister-in-law. The plot unfolds slowly as the green-eyed, white-skinned Denna, with her scholarly ways, is at first unsure what to make of Mare, most comfortable in the simple stable clothes that cause her to be mistaken for a boy. Only two characters seem to be of color (one described as dark-skinned and one who hides shyly behind her glossy black hair). Homophobia is a nonissue, as heterosexuality is refreshingly not assumed to be the default, yet sexism is very much present. Denna is stymied by rigid gender roles in her efforts to help investigate two royal murders blamed on reviled, magic-using rebels. Risky undercover excursions with Mare and cozy evenings a deux heighten the tension between the young women. The pace of the final chapters builds to a galloping crescendo as Denna must decide whether and how to be true both to her magical nature and her powerful feelings for Mare. The political machinations are somewhat repetitive and less compelling than the romance, but touches of humor lighten the journey. A romantic fantasy that will appeal to those who appreciate character-driven novels. (Fantasy. 14 & up) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-In this fantasy world of kings and magic, Princess Dennaleia has been groomed for her most important task: to marry Prince Thandilimon in order to solidify the relationship between their kingdoms. It is a future that she fully embraces, hindered only by her secret magical affinity for handling and creating fire, which she has kept hidden and cannot control. Upon her arrival in the kingdom of Mynaria, Denna is paired with Princess Amaranthine (Mare), who is to give her riding lessons in preparation for the wedding day. Mare's standing in her own kingdom is somewhat tenuous, as she has very little interest in her duties as a princess and prefers to spend her time riding and training horses. The two strike up a friendship amid a series of royal murders and terrorist acts supposedly orchestrated by renegade magic users and separatists. The real focus is on the attraction and love that soon develop between Denna and Mare. As they work to solve the murders and mysteries, the teens fall in love and begin to question their predestined roles. Same-sex love is neither forbidden nor controversial in Mynaria, so the novel's theme does not center on LGBTQ issues. It is simply a love story that just happens to be about two women, and the setting and plot are tangential. Some mild sexual scenes make this appropriate for older readers. VERDICT Those looking for a complex sci-fi/fantasy may be a little unsatisfied with the narrative. However, the gentle LGBTQ romance will win over many teens.-Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016
Grades 8-11 Princess Dennaleia has always been destined to marry the prince of nearby Mynaria. She knows that it will mean hiding some parts of herself: Denna has a magical Affinity for fire, and in Mynaria, magic is feared and forbidden. But she doesn't count on being taught to ride the formidable Mynarian warhorses by Princess Amaranthine (aka Mare), the barbed, very unprincesslike sister of Denna's betrothed. Mare wants nothing to do with Denna, preferring to train horses instead of princesses, but when a sudden assassination throws the kingdom into chaos and fingers are pointed at a rebel group of the magically gifted, the two are thrown together as they search for the truth, and their antipathy turns to friendship and then something more. High-fantasy novels with LGBT love stories at their center are few and far between, and this is done in a lovely fashion; Mare and Denna's relationship blossoms naturally against a high-stakes backdrop and a fully realized world. A worthy debut that succeeds as both an adventure and a romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

August 15, 2016
Murder, mayhem, magic, romanceand horses, lots of horses! Sixteen-year-old Princess Dennaleia departs for the kingdom of Mynaria, home of her betrothed, the blond, blue-eyed Thandilimon. Neither royal realizes that Dennas secret, stigmatized ability to control various elements will soon spiral out of control, as do her feelings when she meets Mare, her bold, gray-eyed future sister-in-law. The plot unfolds slowly as the green-eyed, white-skinned Denna, with her scholarly ways, is at first unsure what to make of Mare, most comfortable in the simple stable clothes that cause her to be mistaken for a boy. Only two characters seem to be of color (one described as dark-skinned and one who hides shyly behind her glossy black hair). Homophobia is a nonissue, as heterosexuality is refreshingly not assumed to be the default, yet sexism is very much present. Denna is stymied by rigid gender roles in her efforts to help investigate two royal murders blamed on reviled, magic-using rebels. Risky undercover excursions with Mare and cozy evenings deux heighten the tension between the young women. The pace of the final chapters builds to a galloping crescendo as Denna must decide whether and how to be true both to her magical nature and her powerful feelings for Mare. The political machinations are somewhat repetitive and less compelling than the romance, but touches of humor lighten the journey. A romantic fantasy that will appeal to those who appreciate character-driven novels. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2017
Princess Dennaleia arrives in the kingdom of Mynaria for her arranged marriage to the prince, but she finds herself drawn to his wayward sister, Mare, her riding instructor. Denna also must navigate murderous plots afoot and the necessary suppression of her forbidden magic. Coulthurst alternates narration between the two strongly written female characters in this hopeful same-sex romance set in an intricate fantasy world.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)