The Ring and the Crown

March 24, 2014
De la Cruz (Frozen) launches a series set in the late 1920s of an alternate Earth where magic is real and the Franco-British Empire holds dominion over much of the world. While Princess Marie-Victoria faces imminent betrothal to Prussian Kronprinz Leopold, her childhood friend Aelwyn has returned from Avalon to take up a position as a court magician. American socialite Ronan Astor plans to use the season to land a wealthy, noble husband to revitalize her family's finances, and French noble Isabelle hopes to steal her lover Leopold away from his future wife. Romance, intrigue, betrayal, and magic are interwoven in this complex and somewhat overwrought drama, which also plays out in secret love affairs, hidden identities, and desperate conniving. The magic-dominated society de la Cruz creates has a certain faded charmâpart Gatsby, part Downton Abbeyâbut the ending suffers from pacing problems, with several developments and resolutions taking place offstage or in exposition. Likewise, the use of sex as a tool and a weapon lends an unsettling undercurrent to the story. Ages 14âup. Agent: Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment.

April 1, 2014
The lives of five teens intersect in turn-of-the-20th-century London, the capital of the Franco-British Empire. Aelwyn Myrddin, daughter of the Merlin, the magical power behind the throne, has just returned from exile in Avalon. Princess Marie-Victoria, sickly daughter of the 150-year-old Queen Eleanor, reluctantly awaits her marriage to Leopold, Kronprinz of Prussia and wielder of the magical weapon that brought the mighty empire to its knees. Wolf--short for Wolfgang--Leopold's rapscallion younger brother, has just boarded the Saturnia, on his way to London from New York. Ronan Astor, beautiful scion of the impoverished colonial family, is also on the Saturnia, hoping to snag a rich, titled lord. And Isabelle de Valois, whose family would rule France had the British not defeated the witch Jeanne of Arkk 500 years earlier, heads across the channel to salvage her engagement to Leopold. Intrigue and heartbreak ensue. De la Cruz effectively plaits real-world history together with what-ifs both magical and political to create a fizzy period soap opera. So much attention has been spent on worldbuilding, in fact, that the actual plot takes forever to start and then resolves both abruptly and all too conveniently. Moreover, incompletely explained inconsistencies with regard to the length of Aelwyn's exile will drive some readers crazy. Readers captivated by the setting may enjoy this novel-length setup; they will hope for more plot in the next installment. (Historical fantasy. 14 & up)

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April 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-In an alternate 20th century, the world is controlled by a united Franco-British Empire and backed by a Merlin. Aelwn Myrddyn, the beautiful and powerful daughter of Merlin, returns from exile to find that her childhood friend, Marie-Victoria, the sickly daughter of the Empire's Queen, will be engaged to Prussia's Prince Leopold in order to solidify a peace treaty. Isabelle of Orleans, royalty from the formerly independent France, is forced to break off her engagement to Leopold. Tragically, she had been raped by her guardian as a child and is continuously taken advantage of by Leopold. The royal engagement has made London's coming-of-age season all the more glamorous, and for Ronan Astor, a feisty New Yorker invited to attend, it means a chance to marry rich and save her family's decaying status. On her way to Europe, she meets Wolf, Leopold's younger brother. Wolf is a total flirt but, unlike his brother, has strong morals. Bestselling author de la Cruz expertly writes from five different perspectives, allowing readers to emotionally invest in the protagonists' lives. Her vivid descriptions are just enough to transport us into the world without bogging down the narrative. This character-driven novel has fabulous balls, glitzy gowns, and plenty of drama and plot twists, making it hard to put down. Unresolved issues hint at future books.-Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ

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