Nameless Queen

November 1, 2019
A teen from the lowest social class is selected as the new queen. Seriden's population consists of Royals, Legals, and the Nameless, deprived of basic rights--even wearing clothing belonging to another caste is a potentially execution-worthy offense. Seriden's ruled by a sovereign who, on their deathbed, names an heir, transferring the royal magic and a crown tattoo. A Nameless grifter who calls herself Coin panics when the king dies and the crown tattoo shows up on her arm, putting her in mortal danger from Royals wishing to usurp her. First seeking simple survival, Coin, by trial and error, figures out what power she has to improve things while also trying to determine how a Nameless could be named heir and why Nameless have been disappearing. Some world mechanics are eventually explained, but the worldbuilding tends toward flimsy. Racial descriptors are largely absent; the focus is on class divisions. The lack of a romantic storyline strengthens the platonic relationships the themes depend on; as outcast Coin weaves a new interpersonal network and explores her ability to belong to society and her obligation to improve it, the result is an empowerment narrative and an appealing family-of-choice focus. While the plot carries a few surprises, it's marred by a too-obvious villain and too-easy solutions. The strength lies in the characters' emotional inner lives that help ground the themes which have strong ties to our reality. Despite underbaked elements, a socially conscious fantasy with appealing themes and tensions. (Fantasy. 12-adult)

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December 1, 2019

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Coin lives in Seriden, a place segregated into three social classes: Royals, Legals, and Nameless. Coin is Nameless, the lowest of the low in society. They scrounge for food and steal whatever they need to survive. Seriden's ruler King Fallow dies, leaving the opportunity for a new heir to the throne. Heirs are chosen based on the specific name the King declares. This transfer of power is signified by the royal magic, which stamps the heir with the royal symbol. Coin finds herself with the symbol, which leads her to discover her true lineage, navigate the responsibility of being Queen, and attempt to bring the divided social classes together. Coin cares not just about who she is and why the crown was bestowed upon her; she also cares about the Nameless and what the future holds for them, especially since many Nameless are mysteriously disappearing. This story is evenly paced and Coin's growth relies heavily on how she can help a social class that has been oppressed for so long. VERDICT A fantasy with relevant themes that will entice readers who love books like Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen.-Kharissa Kenner, Bank Street School for Children, New York

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2019
Grades 8-11 Seridan custom dictates that the person whose name is whispered by the current ruler just before his death follows him on the throne and is notified by a crown tattoo that magically appears on his or her arm. When the tell-tale sign appears on Coin's arm, she's mystified and alarmed. How can a queen come from the nameless, a class so low that they aren't even allowed names other than the ones they give themselves? The complacent Royal Council wonders the same thing, and Coin has six weeks to learn to be a queen to her people?if she lives that long. Etiquette, fighting skills, and learning whom to trust top the survival list for this feisty heroine. Most of the action occurs within the palace walls as the plot is propelled by her need to unravel the paradox of being named queen while being nameless. Some humor helps leaven this identity crisis, which also reflects how someone else's reality can dictate your own. A solid debut with an ending twist sure to please fantasy readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)