The Rose Throne

March 1, 2013
A tale of two princesses and a fair amount of magic. Ailsbet is a princess of Rurik, and Marlissa--Issa--is a princess of Weirland, two island kingdoms not quite at war with each other. Issa is strong in neweyr, women's magic of the Earth and growing things; Ailsbet, who thought herself unweyr, without magic, turns out to be strong in taweyr, men's magic of blood, death and war. Taweyr in a woman makes her ekhono--tainted--and thus considered worthy of burning by Ailsbet's father, King Haikor, who rules capriciously and with the power of his own taweyr. However, he betroths her to Lord Umber of Weirland, and Ailsbet's younger brother to Issa, as the king hopes to combine both kingdoms under his own iron rule. For most of the book, the two princesses circle around each other; after 400 pages, there is a stopping point but no resolution. There's a certain amount of murderous violence and a small amount of kissing, both oddly passionless. What passion there is comes in Ailsbet's love for her flute and the making of music, which is delineated beautifully and boldly, as is the overwhelming response Ailsbet has to her taweyr in a hunt in which she takes down a stag. Talk about duty and honor, about laying aside one's feelings for the good of the kingdom and about not knowing one's self or one's companions dominates, though. It ends with one princess in exile and the other separated from her true love; whether there's a sequel to wrap up the dangling plotlines is unclear. Also unclear is whether readers will want it. (Fantasy. 11-15)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2013
Magic and discrimination are tightly linked for two princesses from rival kingdoms prophesied to unite--Princess Ailsbet, who must hide her power from a vicious father, and Princess Issa, who's expected to subordinate hers to a husband's demands. The politics of this brutal fantasy world are compelling, but Harrison's style of characterization is oddly remote. The unresolved conclusion leaves room for a sequel.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 15, 2013
Grades 8-11 In a realm in which power and magic are equally potent, two princesses struggle to rule. The kingdom of Rurik survives on taweyr, magic that assists fighting and hunting, whereas the kingdom of Weirland thrives on neweyr, magic that helps with planting and harvesting. The two forms of magic rarely come together, but an ancient prophecy states that the weyrs will join in one person who combines both kingdoms. Enter from the respective kingdoms Princess Ailsbet and Princess Issa, each of whom is discovering within herself a magical power that may come in handy when trying to overcome a ruthless king. This intricately plotted fantasy is perfect for readers interested in stories of political intrigue. Told in third person, the perspective switches between the two princesses, and while the pacing can be slow and the world building lacks detail, the appeal of forbidden romance, powerful magic, and family secrets keeps the story engaging. Readers who stick with this one will be rewarded with a powerful and surprising ending.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013

Gr 7-10-Princess Ailsbet is the daughter of King Haikor, the tyrannical leader of Rurik, where the masculine taweyr magic is the law of the land. Issa is Princess of Weirland, the smaller, more peaceful neighboring island, where the feminine neweyr magic has long been allowed to flourish. In these two warring kingdoms, young men and women hope to develop the weyr of their own gender upon coming of age. But at 16, Ailsbet's masculine magic is revealed, and she must hide her true self from her father's cruel persecution of others like her. Can either Issa's neweyr, forbidden in Rurik, or Ailsbet's misplaced taweyr rescue the land from the king's oppressive rule, or will both be their undoing? Though intriguing and original in concept, the "weyrs" are unfortunately murkily illustrated. The narrative alternates between the heroines' points of view, but their voices are weakly defined, and identifying with them, or sometimes even following their stories, is challenging. This title will fall flat for fantasy fans, but the love triangle between Issa and Duke Kellin, Ailsbet's intended, might satisfy romance readers. The novel ends in a cliff-hanger, indicating intentions for a sequel, though little in this first installment will leave teens anxious for more. Fans of Gail Carson Levine's princess novels are clearly the target audience, but Ailsbet and Issa are not as likable or complex as the ladies of Ella Enchanted (1997) or Fairest (2006, both HarperCollins).-Danielle Kalan, The Abraham Joshua Heschel School, New York City

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.