The Rose Throne - Hardcover

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 Cityα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.