The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse

February 1, 2016
Jeniah is only 12, but the impending death of her mother, Queen Sula, means that she faces a daunting task in ruling the Monarchy fairly and keeping its citizens happy. To do this, Jeniah attempts to obey her mother’s command—“You must never set foot in Dreadwillow Carse”—but her curiosity and fascination with magic overcome her. She enlists 12-year-old Aon Greenlaw, who is searching for her father and the Crimson Hoods who took him, to uncover the bog’s mysteries. In letters, Aon tells of her findings in the carse, and the girls learn that while others can easily forget their sadness and lost ones, they cannot. With only her tutor’s bewildering lessons as a guide, Jeniah enters the carse herself and risks her kingdom’s happiness when Aon goes missing. Farrey (the Vengekeep Prophecies series) blends subtle references to racial and sexual diversity with inventive fairy tale worldbuilding and enticing clues to the carse’s mystery. The labyrinth of characters and dilemmas expands as the novel progresses, culminating in a rewarding ending that highlights the importance of embracing emotions, curiosity, and measured choices. Ages 8–12. Agent: Robert Guinsler, Sterling Lord Literistic.

Starred review from March 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-In this read-alike to Lois Lowry's The Giver, Shannon Hale's Princess Academy (Bloomsbury, 2005), and the Pixar film Inside Out, Princess Jeniah has just been named Queen Ascendant in a land where everyone is always happy. Her dying mother tells her of an ancient warning: if any royal enters the foreboding Dreadwillow Carse, the Monarchy will fall. Meanwhile, Aon, a local villager, visits the Carse regularly, finding it a balm for the sadness and brokenness that she alone can feel. The girls form a partnership that becomes a powerful friendship: Jeniah seeks knowledge of the Carse, and Aon pines for the return of her father, recently spirited away by the mysterious Crimson Hoods. The Carse, they gradually learn, has a nefarious secret. Jeniah is eventually faced with a morally complicated decision that will test her loyalties and affect the future happiness of her kingdom. Chapters alternate among points of view, creating suspenseful cliff-hangers. Descriptive language abounds ("viscous ponds the color of tar burbled"), and an enigmatic tutor provides a venue for reflections on magic, power, and choice. The inclusion of diverse characters enhances the story: Jeniah and her mother are described as dark-skinned, and a royal petitioner casually seeks relationship advice for his same-sex romance. VERDICT A thoughtful, atmospheric fairy tale that tackles the subtleties of ethics and emotions.-Jill Ratzan, Congregation Kol Emet, Yardley, PA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2016
The queen is dying, a strange menace lures townspeople to places unknown, and Princess Jeniah's only hope for saving her monarchy lies in the one place prophesied to bring about its destruction. In Emberfell, where perpetual happiness reigns, Jeniah and Aon, a commoner, feel like outsiders because they alone seem to know sorrow and fear. Bound together by the grief of parental loss, the two protagonists vow to uncover the secret behind Aon's mother's strange disappearance and how it relates to the foreshadowed downfall of the monarchy's seemingly blissful 1,000-year rule. The mysterious Dreadwillow Carse, the only place in the kingdom plagued by sadness, appears to hold the answers to both. In his latest fantasy novel, Farrey (The Grimjinx Rebellion, 2015, etc.) weaves a captivating and suspenseful tale of the power of female friendship and the pain of growing up. His masterful crafting of Jeniah's character pierces the pampered-princess stereotype, gifting readers with an intricate portrayal of a frightened yet tenacious dark-skinned girl for whom impending responsibility for an entire kingdom hardly feels like a fairy tale. True leadership, like responsible adulthood, means living with the pressure to do what is right tinged with the constant fear of failure. As they uncover the horrifying secrets of the Carse, Jeniah and Aon learn that a life well-lived includes sorrow as well as joy. Heart-rending and genuine, this magical coming-of-age story is not to be missed. (Fantasy 10-14)

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March 15, 2016
Grades 4-7 Where Aon lives, everyone is happy. Always. Aon must be broken, though, because she often feels sad and is drawn to Dreadwillow Carse, a forest full of shadow and despair that everyone else avoids. When her father leaves to serve the queen, only Aon seems to remember him or grieve. Meanwhile, Princess Jeniah does not feel happy either. Her mother is dying, leaving young Jeniah ill-equipped to take over the kingdom. The queen's warning to avoid Dreadwillow Carse drives Jeniah to uncover the forest's secret. A chance meeting pairs the two, and Aon volunteers to explore the carse instead, in exchange for her father's return. What she discovers forces Jeniah to decide whether the happiness of many outweighs the suffering of a few. Perspective alternates between the two girls, and the magical land is thoroughly formed by the rich language and emotional resonance. Part fairy tale, part seemingly utopian society with a dark underbelly, this is a gripping, compelling story that will leave readers mulling over the ethical questions raised.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)