Stain

Gr 9 Up-Lyra's story begins once upon a nightmare in this version of "The Princess and the Pea" where instead of being too delicate to sleep on a pea under a tower of mattresses, Lyra must prove herself equal to the violence and brutality that the prince of night routinely faces. In the wake of a war that separated night from day, Lyra is born in the kingdom of Eldoria where it is perpetually day, filled with beauty, warmth, and light. Night still reigns in Nerezeth, an underground kingdom filled with darkness, cold, and creatures drawn to both. Painfully pale and too sensitive to light to ever step outside, Lyra is able to soothe or entrance with her voice although she is unable to form words. When her aunt, who is as ruthless as she is ambitious, moves to steal the throne, a witch saves Lyra and secretly raises her disguised as a boy called Stain. To save her kingdom and the prince of night, Lyra will have to reclaim her identity and make herself known without her voice. Within the framework of "The Princess and the Pea" Howard adds myriad fairy tale elements, including the wicked aunt, evil cousins, a stolen voice and impersonation plot reminiscent of "The Little Mermaid," and more, making for a unique if crowded cast of characters and a sometimes convoluted plot. VERDICT Howard's latest stand-alone fantasy is a sensuous reimagining set in a distinctly Gothic world; perfect for fans of the author and readers seeking darker retellings.-Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library

December 1, 2018
A prophecy tells of a prince and princess who can save the world by joining their warring kingdoms."Once upon a nightmare, a princess was born in the kingdom of perpetual daylight." So begins this dizzying mashup of fairy tales with a kaleidoscopic cast of characters. Princess Lyra and Prince Vesper hail from the dichotomous kingdoms of a world shorn in half by blood magic. Pale Lyra, a royal outsider with "iridescent eyes" and "hair, eyebrows, and lashes so silvery-white and glistening," is the only person in Eldoria, the kingdom of endless sunlight, whose skin burns when exposed to sunshine. Vesper, "dark-haired, copper-skinned," and "raven-eyed," the defiant prince of a dark underworld, is "the only Nerezethite prince who'd been born night-blind in centuries." When Lyra's evil aunt Griselda conspires to kill the king, the worlds are further threatened by war and chaos. The greatest hope is a prophecy that tells of a prince and princess who "will be complete and embrace their oddities to bring the sun and moon together again." In this sublimely detailed fantasy with elaborately drawn characters and breathtaking plot twists, fantasy is unrestrained and oftentimes wordy. Story arcs stop and sputter as they quest their way through magical thorns and honeysuckle brambles, but the patient reader will blow well past bedtime to stay up with this riveting tale.A decadent fantasy anchored in childhood delights with vibrantly detailed writing and brilliantly theatrical subplots. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)

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