Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan/Henry Holt and Co, and NetGalley for this advanced e-copy!
5,000/5 stars. This book absolutely blew me out of the water. Definitely now in my all-time top 5 and will be a staple re-read!
I am absolutely in love with Vanja and her inner dialogue. The 4th wall breaks were one of my favorite parts of the writing as a whole, and there were so many one-liners throughout the book. The storyline and plot were very original compared to many other YA fantasy books that I’ve read over the last couple of years, and I’m so glad to see that Margaret is going to write more books in the world!
I loved the structure of the book being broken down into parts, and then “stories” within those parts along with the illustrations. And then to find out that the whole time Vanja is telling the story she tells the Council at the end? It was so immaculately done. I also really enjoyed the normativity of differing sexual orientations and preferences within the kingdoms, and addressing how individuals want to be referred to depending on their chosen pronouns.
The pacing was just right, and the use of Vanja’s inner dialogue and wit during “slower” parts of the novel really made the entire story flow seamlessly. The descriptions were also delightfully vivid, without being overly “wordy”. The progression of the friendships/relationships was also a favorite of mine. Vanja and Emeric’s gradual progression from enemy/hatred to friends/love was so perfect and not as predictable as most books. The recurring theme of Emeric and his hatred of horses/horses as a symbol being central to the plot was hilarious! I also really enjoyed the interactions of Vanja with her “mothers” Death and Fortune, and how they would care for her and watch over her. But hands down, my two favorite side characters of the novel were Ragne and Poldi! Ragne’s aloof and non-human interpretation of human behavior kept me smiling throughout the story, and Poldi’s protectiveness over his “Lady of the Castle” was heartwarming