The second volume of this fantasy adventure brings more intrigue, more sword-swinging, and more insights into the characters, particularly the nonbinary squire and disabled princess whose alternating perspectives drive the story.
The tale picks up a few months after the first volume, as Splinter continues squire training and Princess Adelisa (Ash) tries to find her place at her mother’s royal council meetings and understand the threads of political intrigue and influence running through the realm of Calinor.
That’s not an easy task. The treasonous Larks are still active, a group of unknown influencers acting against the queen. They don’t like that she has tried to limit the power of the aggrandizing noble families, nor that she seeks peace with Calinor’s enemies. When Ash and Splinter learn of a Lark plot to disrupt the Harvest Festival in the city of Kestrel’s Haven, they are determined to stop it. To do so, however, they must uncover secrets, avoid assassins, and decide whether new friends are trustworthy.
As they do so, each young protagonist is trying to figure out who she is and what type of person she wants to become. Ash worries that “Some days, the palace feels like a dress that doesn’t fit me. I want to know who I am when I don’t wear it.” (Revelations from the first book also make her question her place at court, but I won’t spoil them.)
Also, despite Splinter’s assignment to protect Ash, Ash is far from a princess in distress. Her cane, which she uses because of her disability (something like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, although it is never identified as such), is also at times a weapon. And she’s learning what it really means to lead.
Splinter, for her part, is thrilled to encounter a tavern owner who uses they/them pronouns, which makes Splinter wonder whether to adopt that usage, too. (For the moment, the answer is “maybe” so I have continued to use she/her for her, as does author Marieke Nijkamp.)
Nijkamp also gives nuance to larger themes of social justice, power, and privilege that elevate the book beyond a simple action adventure (although there’s plenty of that) into a highly recommended novel with real depth. I’m already looking forward to the next volume.
Splinter, Ash, and their families read as White; several other characters are described as having brown skin. One new character has two dads, which is positioned as unremarkable.
