a vow so bold and deadly brigid kemmerer

This debut novel evokes a classic to present a girl searching for something true.

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends.

Offers one satisfying twist after another. Major characters appear to be White Harper has cerebral palsy. Kemmerer blends contemporary American speech and progressive values with medieval European–inspired cultural elements to successfully construct a dynamic, boundary-pushing exploration of familiar fairy tales, although the systems of magic themselves could be more highly developed.

The political and romantic stakes are at an all-time high as the young rulers and their allies must navigate relationships, responsibilities, and existential questions about trust, legacy, and power before it’s too late. Meanwhile, the brothers’ charismatic, loyal, and headstrong partners experience their own internal conflicts: Lia Mara questions her commitment to peace, and Harper draws uncomfortable connections between her parents’ marriage and her own relationship with Rhen. The memory of the brutal physical and psychological abuse Rhen and Grey endured while under Lilith’s curse prevents Rhen from believing that any magic user, even his half brother and former confidant, can be trusted. Even as Grey learns to wield his magic for good, Rhen is cornered by the vengeful enchantress Lilith, whose magesmith family was destroyed by Rhen’s family years prior.

Prince Rhen and Princess Harper prepare for a clash with Syhl Shallow, where Lia Mara, now queen, faces criticism for her controversial alliance with Grey. Rival nations Emberfall and Syhl Shallow process the revelation that former royal guardsman Grey is not only the long-lost heir of Emberfall, but also the first known magesmith in years.

A vow so bold and deadly brigid kemmerer