Briarheart

Starred review from August 1, 2021

Gr 7 Up-Miriam narrates this fae-retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" that gloriously features an adventure of a lifetime. The prolific Lackey challenges her readers with rich prose and sophisticated word choice in a wild ride, replete with royalty, knights, trolls, and a reluctant dragon. Miri, stepdaughter of King Karlson, finds out that she has magical powers at her baby sister Princess Aurora's christening. She is responsible for protecting her sister from the Dark Fae who aims to harm the little one for political gain. Immediately, Miri and selected peers form "Aurora's Companions" and train to use traditional chivalric tactics plus advantageous magic from Light Fae mentors to guard the baby. Readers will be spellbound by Miri's misadventures and her relatable coming-of-age. Lackey weaves sensitive character interaction among humans, part-humans, and talking animals into a tapestry of rich vocabulary and death-defying scenarios. Even the minor characters are unforgettable, including Miri's befuddled governess Belinda, who can't bear the changes in Miri's demeanor as she becomes more "knight" than "lady." The sophistication of prose makes this title appropriate for upper middle grades, providing a bridge to authors such as Tamora Pierce and Anne McCaffrey. The author leaves readers wanting future quests and deepening relationships for Miri and her friends. VERDICT Strongly recommended for upper middle grade/YA fans of the genre who prefer magical solutions over weapons and violence.-Jane Miller, Nashville P.L.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2021
A gentle "Sleeping Beauty"-inspired tale of teens training to defend a baby princess. Fifteen-year-old Miri, beloved stepdaughter of the king, is freshly in love--with her baby sister. As the novel opens, Aurora's christening looms, and any Disney fan will know what's coming. However, this is Miri's story, and pages of first-person description and exposition come before those events. Tirendell, like all kingdoms, has Light and Dark Fae. Dark Fae feed off human misery and sadness, but their desire to cause harm for self-benefit is tempered by the Rules. The Rules state that they can only act against humans under certain conditions, one being that those who have crossed them, for example, by failing to invite them to a royal christening, are fair game. Miri steps up instinctively at the moment of crisis and both deflects the curse and destroys the Dark Fae, which leads to the bulk of the novel: an extended and detailed day-to-day journey with Miri and her five largely indistinguishable new friends as they train in combat and magic to protect Aurora from future threats. With limited action and a minimal plot, this story lacks wide appeal but is notable for the portrait of deep familial love and respect, while the brief, episodic adventures (including talking animals) offer small pleasures. All characters are implied to be White. Sweet, if unremarkable. (Fantasy. 12-14)

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September 20, 2021
When one of the Dark Fae crashes her baby half sister Aurora’s christening, 15-year-old Princess Miriam of Tirendell instinctively moves to block the curse, in the process discovering her own innate magical talents in this leisurely paced “Sleeping Beauty” reimagining. Finding that she’s Fae-blooded by way of her deceased birth father, Miriam vows to use her powers to protect Aurora from future attacks, and, along with five other teens collectively known as Aurora’s Companions, hones her martial and magical skills. The newly minted, default white squires immerse themselves in intensive training, seeking to discover whether Miriam’s power stems from the Light Fae or the Dark, and to thwart other attempts on the infant princess’s life, but their real trial arrives sooner than expected. Lackey (the Valdemar series) immerses her epic fantasy in medieval verisimilitude, balancing fantastical elements such as talking animals and feuding fairies with the everyday details of baking and architecture. At times the attention to minutiae bogs down the plot, but it also adds depth to this imaginative exploration of, and deviation from, a classic tale. Ages 12–up.