Review: The Girl King by Mimi Yu

Lu may be the oldest of the Emperor’s children, both girls, but that in no way ensures that she will become Emperor after him. There has never been a female Emperor, and most of the land’s nobles want to keep it that way. Even though her entire life has been spent training to rule—in combat, in court etiquette, in history, in tactics—there is the very real chance that she will never get the opportunity to put them into practice.

Lu suddenly finds herself betrayed by everyone around her: tutors, generals, the man who would be her husband, and even her own parents. She must go on the run to find new supporters in her bid for the throne, with only the help of Nokhai, one of the shape-shifters whose family her own father destroyed. Meanwhile, her sister Minyi is trapped in the world that Lu leaves behind, and must struggle to discover her own identity now that she is no longer overshadowed by her older sister.

Mimi Yu presents a vivid, well-constructed fantasy world inspired by the empires of Asia. The imperial palace and courtly life are intricately detailed and portrayed—you can feel the weight of history surrounding Lu and vainly attempting to mold her into a role she does not want to accept. Yu effectively contrasts the disparity between the nobility and the common man without being blunt or overbearing.

The plot is as twisted as a nest of vipers, which leaves the pace of the book feeling a little slow at first as all of the strands are introduced. But there is nothing slow about most of the novel, and the ending is over almost too quickly, leaving you begging for more.

Released in January 2019, The Girl King is Mimi Yu’s first novel, but it is clear it won’t be her last. If you are a lover of high fantasy, imperfect characters, and shadowy intrigue that leaves you constantly guessing, The Girl King is the book for you.

C. Wombat

Review: Slayer by Kiersten White

One of my all-time favorite TV series has to be Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. I loved it when it came out, I loved it during reruns, I’ve got all of the DVDs, and I’ve watched them all several times. So, when I saw that a new novel was out set in the Buffyverse, I knew I had to read it.

The Watchers have been training and guiding slayers since time immemorial. There are definite rules and expectations set for slayers by the Watcher Council, and Buffy violated every one of them. When she divorced herself from the Council, Buffy weakened it. Then, two years ago, she broke the magic that called young women to be slayers, unleashing a thousand new slayers on the world, decimating the Watcher Council and throwing the few remaining Watchers into complete disarray. And just two months ago, she destroyed the source of magic itself, shutting off Earth from the demon dimensions, and trapping all that remained.

Needless to say, as the daughter of Watchers, Athena (better known as Nina) is far from pleased with Buffy’s actions. She lives in the tiny enclave of remaining Watchers with her twin sister, Artemis, but knows that she will never be a Watcher herself. She has always been the weaker twin, the less aggressive, and has resigned herself to a life as a medic in the service of the Watchers.

But something happened to Nina when Buffy destroyed Seed of Wonder, infusing her with something she doesn’t understand. Fearing it might be a demonic force, Nina never shared what she felt with anyone, not even her twin. When a hellhound suddenly appears and Nina is forced to kill it with her bare hands, the truth is revealed: not only is Nina now a Slayer, but with no more magic in the world, she is the very last of the Slayer line.

White has done a remarkable job of creating a new story and new beginning within the existing world of Buffy. The feel of Slayer is a bit darker than the first few seasons of the TV series, but it matches well with the later seasons and with the comic book series that followed. At the same time, White weaves in the same style of wry humor that Buffy fans expect. Despite a relatively low number of fight scenes, the book maintains a rapid pace, building a taunt and gripping story that goes beyond violent action; again, just what Buffy fans expect.

But even if you’re completely unfamiliar with everything that has come before, you won’t be lost. Slayer stands alone on its own merit, and makes an excellent read for any fan of urban fantasy.

C. Wombat