Snow Like Ashes

September 8, 2014
In Raasch’s debut, an epic fantasy, the realm of Primoria is divided into eight countries sustained by magic governed by human political and social arrangements, accessible only by physical talismans. While this structure doesn’t promise much subtlety, Raasch builds an enjoyable adventure-romance around it. Meira is one of eight free Winterians—inhabitants of the Winter realm who survived the sacking of their capital by neighboring Spring. Other survivors are interned in work camps, while Meira’s group lives as a rebel band, seeking the two halves of their magical talisman, which will enable Winterians to tap their rightful powers and regain their kingdom. Diplomacy is as crucial to this quest as spycraft and battles. Though Meira loves Mather, heir to the Winterian throne, he offers her in alliance to the crown prince of Cordell, for whom Meira also feels a reluctant warmth. But it is her own place in this endlessly shifting world that is most important to Meira, and it’s through her slow realizations and lightning insights that Raasch’s emerging talent makes its greatest appeal. Ages 14–up. Agent: Mackenzie Brady, New Leaf Literary +
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July 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up- In classic fantasy style, Meira is a feisty orphan girl with aspirations of being a soldier for her icy province, Winter, which has been enslaved by a neighboring territory. Her weapon of choice: the chakram, or throwing circle. Meira partners with her childhood playmate, an heir to the throne, in a quest to locate the broken locket that holds the magic for their province. Meira has romantic feelings for this young man, so she is startled when it becomes apparent that she will be used as a pawn to forge a marriage alliance with another territory. As the story unfolds, the history of the provinces is revealed, magic explained, and all is not as it seems. Although the story is derivative of many before it, the plot and writing are superlative, and fans of Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone (Holt, 2012) and the like will not be disappointed.-Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2014
A carefully crafted fantasy grapples with intense issues. In Primoria, the world protagonist Meira inhabits, there are eight kingdoms: four Seasons, in a perpetual state of the season they're named for, and four Rhythms that cycle through all four. Meira is one of the remaining eight free Winterians: Sixteen years prior to the opening of the book, King Angra of Spring attacked Winter, slaying its queen, destroying its Royal Conduit (a locket used by a female ruler to magically aid her country) and enslaving the surviving Winterians. Attempting to reclaim half the locket, Meira is captured but almost instantly escapes due to quick thinking and her military training-a feat that Raasch makes surprisingly believable. Her complicated relationship with Mather, heir to the Winterian throne, is put on hold when Spring scouts follow her to camp and the refugees must flee to the Rhythm of Cordell-where Meira meets the instantly likable Prince Theron and discovers she's very much a pawn in a bigger game. The dramatic twist toward the end is impressive both in its believability and its unpredictability. Unfortunately, Raasch's world is racialized, and the heroic Winterians are pale and beautiful. While the villain is also fair-skinned, the choice to valorize whiteness is perhaps ill-considered given the fraught history of racial stereotyping in high fantasy.This heavy high fantasy manages moments of humor and beauty for a satisfying read. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

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October 15, 2014
Grades 9-12 Meira, an orphan in the Kingdom of Winter, lives without magic or a monarch as she trains to become a warrior. When the kingdom was conquered years ago, no one knew what would become of them, save that they would be slaves to the other kingdoms. Meira, however, is determined to triumph over her situation, even as she is falling head over heels for her best friend (and the future king) Mather. In an effort to bring magic and freedom back to her people, she starts off on a journey to find eight survivors of the takeover and an ancient locket that could be the key to everything. She must be careful around the Spring city master and slave owners, who treat the Winterians as second-class scum. Raasch's first novel is quite an undertaking: a new society, a grand adventure, and a first romance, all rolled into one big fantasy epic. The characters are compelling, even the villains, and the brave journey from Meira's point of view makes for an exciting story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)