Publishers Weekly
09/30/2019
In a land that values perfumes and poisons, a young woman with a knack for scents and a royal bodyguard with a dark secret join forces to heal a poisoned prince. Rakel’s plan to become a master perfumer in order to support her ailing father is derailed when she’s betrayed and pressed into indentured servitude. Bodyguard Ash will do anything to help his friend, Prince Nisai. After Nisai is struck down by an ancient poison, and Rakel and Ash are blamed for the attack, the two set forth to find the necessary components for an antidote, a search that takes them to every corner of their land. Remaining just one step ahead of the authorities, they must solve an intricate riddle in order to succeed—and learn to trust each other along the way. This intrigue-laden fantasy debut gets off to a slow start, and the alternating perspectives aren’t equally developed: Rakel’s struggle and voice are more engaging than those of Ash, who remains something of a cipher until late in the tale, save for his infrequent panic attacks and mysterious affliction. Still, Freestone vividly evokes the feel and sensory details of an imagined desert kingdom, and the narrative’s engaging quest plot sets things up nicely for a sequel. Ages 12–up. Agent: Caroline Walsh, David Higham Assoc. (Nov.)
School Library Journal
10/01/2019
Gr 7 Up—Rakel, a poor but talented villager with a gift for distilling scents and fragrances, yearns to cure her father of "the rot" as well as to be chosen as a perfumer. Ash serves as the First Prince's Shield, friend, and confidant. When Rakel's attempt to pass the test for a place in the class of future perfumers results in failure, her arrest, and a meeting with the most powerful scent keeper in the kingdom, she becomes embroiled in a plot to kill the First Prince Nisai and is accused of poisoning him. Ash tries to protect her and thus also is accused of participating in the plot to poison his friend. The two embark on a seemingly fruitless journey through the provinces of the kingdom to find the Library of the Lost and a legendary secret formula that could save Nisai, encountering danger after danger in their quest to locate each ingredient. This first book in a series ties up this episode of the overall plot nicely. The world-building is rather slow but the main characters have strong development and synergy that enhances the plot as they must learn to trust each other in their quest. The gradual reveal of secrets keeps the action tense. VERDICT The combination of fantasy, adventure, and a bit of romance makes this an appealing read.—Janet Hilbun, University of North Texas, Denton
Kirkus Reviews
2019-08-13
A girl who gets mixed up in politics and the crown prince's bodyguard must work together to save the prince—and themselves.
Rakel has an affinity for scents: She can understand what's in them and how to re-create them. In a world that runs on fragrances and magic, she should be able to care for herself and her ailing father. But when she goes to the city of Aphorai to find work as a perfumer, she learns that things are not so simple. Despite her best intentions, she is accused of a plot to assassinate the First Prince. Her only hope of survival lies in unraveling the components of the poison and concocting an antidote. Joined by the prince's Shield, Ash, Rakel sets out on a quest through each of the kingdom's regions, uncovering secrets about each of their pasts along the way. Following standard plot beats, Rakel and Ash confront corruption and conspiracy within their kingdom while exploring relationships, with each other and with others in their lives, both present and absent. While overdramatic at times, with characters painted in broad strokes, the romance and tension will appeal to readers hungry for adventures set against an intriguing, if underexplored magical world. Few physical descriptions make ethnicity difficult to determine in this desert kingdom; homosexuality is briefly mentioned and not stigmatized.
A standard fantasy romp built on lush descriptions of fragrances. (Fantasy. 12-16)
