This vividly realized, page-turning reimagining of a beloved tale includes enticing secrets and a central journey with heartwarming highs and heartbreaking lows. A spellbinding narrative of betrayal, redemption, and the enduring magic of maternal love.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Lovers of reimagined fairytales, rejoice: Bayron has done it again . . . This is a must for teen collections.” —School Library Journal
“Bayron brings an inventive spin to her adventure-filled 'Snow White' . . . [a] dramatic YA crusade.” —Shelf Awareness
“Full of heroism, romance and wisdom, Sleep Like Death is a wonderful coming-of-age fantasy that will delight readers searching for a robust fairy tale retelling.” —Book Page
“Bayron delivers a haunting fairy tale in this atmospheric 'Snow White' reimagining.” —Publishers Weekly
“This lively, immersive adventure pulls recognizable characters from the world of fairy tales, and a dash of flair makes this wholly unique. For anyone seeking a dark and eerily beautiful story.” —Booklist
“Kalynn Bayron's writing is alchemy itself, blending contemporary fantasy with a dose of haunting mystery and a dropper of gothic fiction. An intoxicating tale about the power of about Black motherhood and daughterhood, and family bonds that can't be broken. Like the poisonous plants Briseis tends to, This Poison Heart is mesmerizing and beautiful.” —Tracy Deonn, New York Times bestselling author, on THIS POISON HEART
“Kalynn Bayron does more than re-write a fairy-tale. . . . She breaks it apart and rebuilds it into a wholly original and captivating story where girls finally decide for themselves who lives happily ever after.” —Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY, on CINDERELLA IS DEAD
“The book centers Black characters, and its prose sings. . . . This Wicked Fate is a delightful novel about literal Black Girl Magic, found family, and queer love, with adventures and a satisfying twist on Greek mythology.” —Foreword Reviews, starred review, on THIS WICKED FATE
“Flipping the Cinderella tale on its head, Bayron's take challenges patriarchy with kick-butt heroines and a counter-story that will forever change how readers perceive fairy tales.” —Booklist, starred review, on CINDERELLA IS DEAD
08/09/2024
Gr 9 Up—Lovers of reimagined fairy tales, rejoice: Bayron has done it again. In this twist on Snow White, Princess Eve has spent her life training to slay the Knight, the mysterious dealer of wishes who reigns terror over her home of Queen's Bridge. When she finally gets her chance to face him, she fails with devastating consequences. Though she has grown up with stories of the Knight and his cursed dealings, she begins to understand that there are hidden stories within the familiar tales, clues that bring her closer to understanding the key to defeating the Knight once and for all, and ultimately, to understanding the truth about herself. On the surface, this deeply character-driven story is one of fairy tales reimagined with LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC characters taking center stage, but at its heart is a tribute to mothers and mother-figures. The love between Eve and her mothers is the undercurrent of the plot, always present and carrying it forward. There are (heavy) losses, and there are cleverly woven stories within stories—but above all, there is love in all its forms, between mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, lovers, pets, and found families. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers who enjoyed Bayron's Cinderella Is Dead, this is a must for teen collections.—Amira Walker
★ 2024-03-23
A bewitching rendition of “Snow White” with bold Black women at its heart.
Sixteen-year-old Princess Eve, who’s called “the Queen’s fury” by the people of Queen’s Bridge, was born with magic into a destiny that’s filled with foreboding. She’s been groomed to fulfill her true purpose: to slay the Knight—“a myth made real. A monster”—who haunts and terrorizes the queendom. The Knight becomes Eve’s obsession; while she trains to harness her powers to one day kill the Knight, she collects stories about him and studies them for clues. This enigmatic figure offers wishes to desperate people at a perilous cost, twisting even the most carefully crafted desires to his advantage. After all, Queen Sanaa, one of Eve’s mothers, wished to have “the loveliest voice in all the land” so she could sing to her love, Queen Regina (Eve’s other mother), and Eve, too. The Knight transformed her into a nightingale. Eve and Mekhi, the son of landowner Sir Gregory who has his own reasons for loathing the Knight, attempt to track the monster down. But a shocking revelation leads to Eve’s going into hiding and the Knight’s resurgence. Eve must decide whether to emerge from the shadows and risk everything to end his hold over Queen’s Bridge once and for all. This vividly realized, page-turning reimagining of a beloved tale includes enticing secrets and a central journey with heartwarming highs and heartbreaking lows.
A spellbinding narrative of betrayal, redemption, and the enduring magic of maternal love. (Fantasy. 13-18)
