Dark Breaks the Dawn

Starred review from March 27, 2017
Larson (the Defy trilogy) deftly weaves fantasy with the best parts of the Swan Lake ballet in this gripping first book of a duology. The kingdoms of the Éadrolan and the Dorjhalon have been engaged in a bitter war for 10 years, costing thousands of lives. Queen Ilaria now leads the forces of the Light, much to the dismay of her daughter, Evelayn. After Evelayn ascends to Éadrolan’s throne unexpectedly early, following her mother’s death, Evelayn grapples with learning how to control her newfound powers and how to be an effective wartime ruler. One of the powers inherent to royals is the ability to assume animal form, something Evelayn struggles with throughout, and her attempts to balance her personal and professional lives is mirrored in the give and take between the Éadrolan and Dorjhalon. Larson is especially effective in her portrait of Evelayn’s need to summon maturity before she thought she would have to, a sweetly innocent romance underscores the bite of betrayal, and the cliffhanger ending will easily build anticipation for the second book. Ages 12–up. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary.

March 15, 2017
The tragedy of Swan Lake gets a fantasy reimagining in this fast-paced book for teens.Evelayn, a white teenager, is the crown princess of Eadrolan, a kingdom of light that is locked in an ancient battle with King Bain, who commands the dark powers of the rival kingdom Dorjhalon. Citizens of both realms possess supernatural powers, and Evelayn comes into her full strength while the queen is fighting in the war, though the ability to shape-shift into swan form eludes her. Evelayn must foil a plot to deprive her people of their gifts by murdering the queen who is the conduit of all the light's power. When the worst happens, Evelayn undertakes a perilous journey to seek aid from an ancient power in an effort to prevent Bain from extinguishing the power of light permanently. Larson's (Endure, 2016, etc.) latest novel contains many of the tropes found in modern fantasy adaptations: a feisty princess, dastardly villains, epic fights, and a love triangle. The worldbuilding is intriguing and the matrilineal conveyance of power is a neat twist, but the novel's fascinating premise is undermined by its too-fast pacing. Readers are not given enough time to really invest in Evelayn's struggles or the supporting characters' before the main adventure gets underway, resulting in Evelayn's lapse into caricature. An appealing if imperfect girl-power fantasy that ably sets the stage for its sequel. (Fantasy. 13-17)

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August 1, 2017

Gr 7-10-Much shorter and with less painstaking world-building than most high fantasy, this tale is a bit light on substance but full of the drama and expected tropes craved by many young readers more interested in light romance and adventure. While specific terms like elves or fairies don't appear, the glossed-over history of Princess Evelayn's land is one of royalty channeling the magical power of the kingdoms of light and darkness. Having lost her father to the light kingdom's decade-long war with dastardly King Bain of the dark land, Evelayn must face down the stereotypically malevolent and sadistic ruler when her mother's strength is also fed to the flame of battle. The day she turns 18, the young queen is allowed full access to her powers. Weaponized balls of light and her ability to channel the sun's rays complement the years of mental and physical training she has completed. A handsome young soldier visiting from the front lines soon becomes more to her than a sparring companion. Tarvin comforts the princess and accompanies her on an expedited but dangerous quest to obtain a magical boon that could catch their enemy at a disadvantage and restore the balance of Lachalonia. Plot and character development suffer from too much telling rather than showing. VERDICT Purchase where readers clamor for fantasy-light and enjoy slavering at cliffhangers.-Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
Grades 7-10 Evelayn has always known she will be queen, but she hopes it's a long way off; after all, she has only just come into her full power. As princess of the Light Kingdom, the magical abilities she inherits at age 18 are even stronger than those of her subjects. Evelayn's mother, the queen, fights on the front lines of a recently ignited war with the Dark Kingdom, led by a mad king who hungers for violence, and Evelayn worries every day that she will lose her only remaining parent to the war. As the dark king schemes, Evelayn struggles to master her powersespecially the ability to shape-shift into a swan, which eludes herand finds herself reluctantly drawn to the mysterious Lord Tanvir. Despite a slow start and some incomplete world building, this reimagination of Swan Lake features a plucky heroine, a sinister, surprise villain in the wings, and plenty of battle action. As for that plot? It certainly picks upa clever cliff-hanger ending will have readers demanding the sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
In a land divided by war, young Queen Evelayn struggles to master her own magic, military strategy, and an unexpected romance. Just as peace and love seem to be within her grasp, disaster strikes--setting up the sequel in this projected duology, a fantasy loosely based on Swan Lake. Evelayn's strength and passion help her stand out amid a cast of otherwise two-dimensional characters.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)