The Crown of Embers

Starred review from July 30, 2012
Carson’s sequel to her debut, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, is a superb fantasy built around an exceptional heroine. Just months after leading her adopted country to victory against the sorcerers of Invierne, 17-year-old Queen Elisa has to deal with spies, a possible traitor in the palace, and pressure from her own council to marry or cede power to a regent. Additionally, the Inviernos are back, and they want her to sacrifice herself willingly to them, or they will rain destruction and death on her people. Dodging attempted assassination and kidnapping, Elisa is pulled by the mysterious Godstone embedded in her navel to find the zafira, the soul of the world and the source of its magic, embarking on a gripping journey that ramps up the tension and sets up the finale. Carson avoids the dips that often haunt bridge books: expert pacing and well-drawn characters are masterfully integrated with Elisa’s continued growth as she deals with the shifting political situation, resulting in a dramatic and gratifyingly romantic novel that smoothly follows its predecessor. Ages 13–up. Agent: Holly Root, Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.

September 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-In this sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns (HarperCollins, 2011), several months have passed since Elisa, through the power of her Godstone, destroyed the invading animagi sorcerers. Although the forces of Invierne were successfully driven back, the outer perimeter of the city still burns. Elisa is now queen of Joya d'Arena, and the crown is proving to be a heavy burden in more ways than one. The Inviernos still seek to capture her to manipulate the power of the Godstone she bears. There is massive civil unrest, and there are those at court who seek to undermine her rule. Although her husband has only been dead a few months, she is being pressured to remarry to secure an alliance with one of the noble houses in the kingdom. After several attempts are made on her life, she sets off on a perilous quest that is part of the fulfillment of her destiny as the bearer. As in the first book, Elisa's narration conveys a sense of immediacy. Carson has created vivid, palpable settings and complex multifaceted characters, and delivers a fast-paced novel that is emotionally charged, suspenseful, and filled with plot twists. The cliff-hanger ending will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment of this series, which will especially appeal to fans of Kristin Cashore and Tamora Pierce.-Francesca Burgess, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2012
Intelligent and thoughtful Elisa must negotiate diplomacy, religion and personal desire. Her Majesty Queen Lucero-Elisa became sole ruler of Joya d'Arena through luck (both good and bad), wise strategic decisions and the holy magic of the Godstone embedded in her navel (The Girl of Fire and Thorns, 2011). Keeping her kingdom, on the other hand, will require diplomacy, political acumen, mercy--and deception. Elisa must fight everything from assassination attempts to rioting mobs, all while defending her country against the terrifying foreign sorcerers with "pale peach" skin and "hair the syrupy gold of honey," who only recently brought fiery destruction on her nation's capital. Elisa, deeply pragmatic and deeply religious, is required repeatedly to make intelligent, unselfish choices for the good of her nation. The lush details of this magical world are thoroughly intertwined with the profound religious faith of both heroes and villains, where each revelation leads to a crack in Elisa's worldview. Those who find no YA fantasy complete without a steamy romance will be thrilled by Elisa's growing passion for her best friend and closest adviser--who is, of course, completely off-limits. Though this series entry moves somewhat slowly, newly discovered mysteries about this fantasyland's history--not to mention the torments of unresolved sexual tension--will have readers clamoring for volume three. (Fantasy. 13-16)

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September 1, 2012
Grades 9-12 The sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns (2011) immediately plunges the reader back into Elisa's life and thoroughly imagined world, in which she must take charge of herself and of her people as their new ruler. The magic Godstone carried in her belly continues to guide her decision-making when she is faced by questions of whom to trust and where to seek powerful aid. In this episode, love blooms between 17-year-old Elisa and her personal guard, Hector, a romance that is fraught not only by apparent differences in station but also by enemy spies and the jealous ministrations of Elisa's lifelong nurse. Caron's world building and character development do not lag in this middle part of a trilogy, and the heat of the love story makes this accessible even for those who have yet to read the first volume (although they will then race for it). Both religion and politics play roles that invite discussion, and Elisa, not only brave but brilliant, tracks her own growing awareness with a self-consciousness credible for her age.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)