JULY 2016 - AudioFile
Narrator Steve West tells this fantasy tale with great emotion. Two Russian teens, Vika and Nikolai, must fight to the death by using magic against one another in the Crown’s Game. West captures the fear in their voices as well as the affection that grows between them as they fall in love despite the brutal situation. West creates a Russian-accented voice for each character, which enhances the setting and builds a fantastical world that is still grounded in Russia. Yet each character maintains a voice that reflects his or her unique qualities. Listeners will be engaged in this adventure, which encompasses love, family, and friendship in the most dire circumstances. M.D. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Angela Mann
The Night Circus meets Cinderella in an alternate Russia. This extraordinary world has everything from insanely creative acts of magic, political intrigue, hope against all odds, romance, and oh-such-high-stakes-non-stop action. It is hands-down honest-to-goodness brilliant. Bravo.
Hafsah Faizal
It was beautiful. It was terrible. I loved it.
Sara Grochowski
Gorgeous and richly imagined, The Crown’s Game is a dazzling exploration of the choices we make when faced with impossible situations and our darker selves. Readers will fall unabashedly in love with this novel.
Sara Raasch
Utterly enchanting. The true wizardry is in the atmosphere—Skye crafts a Russia of magic and elegance, depicting St. Petersburg in such a breath-taking way that you’ll swear you’re standing on the banks of the Neva and dancing through the halls of the Winter Palace.
Sabaa Tahir
The Crown’s Game is a captivating tale that deftly transports readers to a mysterious and fascinating fantasy world, one teeming with hidden magic and fiery romance.
Booklist Online
Skye skillfully incorporates Russian history, detailed and intriguing backstories for all protagonists, and inventive feats of magic by the two young enchanters…[in this] delightfully engaging romance.
School Library Journal
03/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—In an alternate 19th-century Russia, the tsar can call upon the abilities of an enchanter. Normally, only one exists at a time. In the rare case that two are born, they must compete, because Russia's inherent magic will allow only one to remain alive. Vika is an expert at controlling the elements and has been training her whole life to serve her country, unaware that another enchanter exists. Nikolai, best friend to the tsar's son, Pasha, who does not know of Nikolai's ability, has been training with his mentor explicitly for the Crown's Game. When the game begins, Vika and Nikolai take turns showing off their magical prowess for the tsar, creating wonders that get more powerful with each turn. Friendships, budding romances, and betrayal among Nikolai, Vika, and Pasha make the stakes even higher in a Game that will cost Nikolai or Vika their life. The forefront of this speculative fiction title, the action-packed, magical duel, is set against the backdrop of a richly detailed world. It is not surprising that Pasha and Nikolai fall for Vika, though Vika's pragmatism stops anything from developing. The book ends with one winner remaining, but the final sentence hints that the loser has not disappeared forever. Readers will eagerly await the next installment. VERDICT A blend of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus (Doubleday, 2011) and Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone (Holt, 2012), this work will make a solid addition to young adult collections.—Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ
JULY 2016 - AudioFile
Narrator Steve West tells this fantasy tale with great emotion. Two Russian teens, Vika and Nikolai, must fight to the death by using magic against one another in the Crown’s Game. West captures the fear in their voices as well as the affection that grows between them as they fall in love despite the brutal situation. West creates a Russian-accented voice for each character, which enhances the setting and builds a fantastical world that is still grounded in Russia. Yet each character maintains a voice that reflects his or her unique qualities. Listeners will be engaged in this adventure, which encompasses love, family, and friendship in the most dire circumstances. M.D. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-02-17
A star-crossed pair is magically compelled to duel to the death in this sumptuous, Tolstoy-flavored fantasy debut. In 1825 the tsar of an alternate Russia desperately needs an Imperial Enchanter, and there are two possible candidates: bold (almost feral) Vika Andreyevna, of aristocratic lineage but raised in humble isolation; and fiercely ambitious Nikolai Karimov, born a poor Kazakh orphan but groomed for elegant St. Petersburg society. Despite their instant attraction, they are doomed to obey ancient tradition and compete in the Crown's Game. The winner will attain "unimaginable power"—but for the loser, instant death. Fiery Vika, who specializes in nature enchantments, is well-balanced by the calculating Nikolai, skilled in mechanics and artifice; their escalating magical displays cleverly showcase their opposing talents and personalities and how they complement rather than clash. Multiple points of view highlight the vivid secondary characters who play pivotal roles—as does a gorgeous, fairy-tale version of St. Petersburg, almost a character in itself. The plot is not so much dramatic as operatic, with masked balls, thwarted passions, fantastical feats, tortured love quadrangles, heartbreaking sacrifices, and vengeful secrets from beyond the grave. And, like many an opera, the climax is beautifully tragic, leading to a poignant, bittersweet epilogue with just enough bread crumbs to leave open the possibility of a sequel. Wildly romantic, wholly immersive, and gloriously over-the-top. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
