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Traitors' Nest
Not yet published
Expected 27 Aug 26Castles traded places sometimes. Everyone knew that. It was always something that might happen, except that it never had. It was one of those unlikelihoods, like finding treasure, or being eaten by a wolf, or having a handsome, powerful stranger turn up to right all your wrongs. It could happen, except it didn’t.
Until all of a sudden it did.
Far above the valleys and villages of the Kingdom of Thaletal, a Great Game is played. Players move castles around the realm like chess pieces - and the ordinary villagers are mere pawns at the whim of their tactics.
When 16-year-old Burr's peaceful village is disrupted by the arrival of an ominous new castle, he decides he's had enough. But what starts as a plucky coup soon escalates - and soon the castle is wrenched away to a far-flung corner of the kingdom, where whispers mount of a mysterious ancient maiden whose magpies collect her debts at dangerous prices.
Here, the stakes are higher than the tallest turrets, and every move counts. Burr must work with his sisters and friends - and rely on the unexpected help of a strange and intriguing heiress - to unravel the secrets of the Magpie Maiden and the origins of the Great Game before he becomes just another casualty of the Players' deadly contest.
Until all of a sudden it did.
Far above the valleys and villages of the Kingdom of Thaletal, a Great Game is played. Players move castles around the realm like chess pieces - and the ordinary villagers are mere pawns at the whim of their tactics.
When 16-year-old Burr's peaceful village is disrupted by the arrival of an ominous new castle, he decides he's had enough. But what starts as a plucky coup soon escalates - and soon the castle is wrenched away to a far-flung corner of the kingdom, where whispers mount of a mysterious ancient maiden whose magpies collect her debts at dangerous prices.
Here, the stakes are higher than the tallest turrets, and every move counts. Burr must work with his sisters and friends - and rely on the unexpected help of a strange and intriguing heiress - to unravel the secrets of the Magpie Maiden and the origins of the Great Game before he becomes just another casualty of the Players' deadly contest.
448 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 27, 2026
About the author
Frances Hardinge
44 books2,800 followersFrances Hardinge spent her childhood in a huge, isolated old house in a small, strange village, and the two things inspired her to write strange, magical stories from an early age. She studied English at Oxford University and now lives in Oxford, England.
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Want to Read
April 20, 2026every new frances hardinge book adds a few years to my lifespan. it’s so reassuring that there are still authors out there putting out wildly original ideas and managing to execute them well. in a world of toxic booktok, ai slop, and publishing companies that buy up whatever trendy garbage that the mainstream will pay for these days - hardinge is one of those rare uncompromising authors that writes for those of us who craved adventure as children and never stopped dreaming of it
Want to Read
April 20, 2026Castles traded places sometimes. Everyone knew that. It was always something that might happen, except that it never had. It was one of those unlikelihoods, like finding treasure, or being eaten by a wolf, or having a handsome, powerful stranger turn up to right all your wrongs. It could happen, except it didn’t.
Until all of a sudden it did.
Far above the valleys and villages of the Kingdom of Thaletal, a Great Game is played. Players move castles around the realm like chess pieces - and the ordinary villagers are mere pawns at the whim of their tactics.
When 16-year-old Burr's peaceful village is disrupted by the arrival of an ominous new castle, he decides he's had enough. But what starts as a plucky coup soon escalates - and soon the castle is wrenched away to a far-flung corner of the kingdom, where whispers mount of a mysterious ancient maiden whose magpies collect her debts at dangerous prices.
Here, the stakes are higher than the tallest turrets, and every move counts. Burr must work with his sisters and friends - and rely on the unexpected help of a strange and intriguing heiress - to unravel the secrets of the Magpie Maiden and the origins of the Great Game before he becomes just another casualty of the Players' deadly contest.
https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/...
So excited for a new Frances Hardinge book!
Until all of a sudden it did.
Far above the valleys and villages of the Kingdom of Thaletal, a Great Game is played. Players move castles around the realm like chess pieces - and the ordinary villagers are mere pawns at the whim of their tactics.
When 16-year-old Burr's peaceful village is disrupted by the arrival of an ominous new castle, he decides he's had enough. But what starts as a plucky coup soon escalates - and soon the castle is wrenched away to a far-flung corner of the kingdom, where whispers mount of a mysterious ancient maiden whose magpies collect her debts at dangerous prices.
Here, the stakes are higher than the tallest turrets, and every move counts. Burr must work with his sisters and friends - and rely on the unexpected help of a strange and intriguing heiress - to unravel the secrets of the Magpie Maiden and the origins of the Great Game before he becomes just another casualty of the Players' deadly contest.
https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/...
So excited for a new Frances Hardinge book!
Want to Read
May 3, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Actual Rating: 3.75
As soon as I saw the premise for Traitors' Nest' I was intrigued with mentions of castles being moved by mysterious players, a Magpie Maiden who collects debts, an intriguing heiress and the peaceful village caught up in it all, it's the kind of book that you can't help but find yourself longing to discover more about, needing to know just how everything will click together. Overall this one ended up being a little different than I'd anticipated, but I truly can see it taking its target YA audience by storm.
One of the things that Traitors' Nest' does wonderfully is offer readers a lot of multi genre appeal. It's a fantasy title but one with a historical setting that has an almost dystopian feel to it at times. The way that Burr and his fellow villagers are forced to face a harsh, unfair society feels very reminiscent of those kind of stories; yet the mysterious encasings of the 'game' gives everything an almost sci fi edge. Much of the novel takes place within castle walls but given the manner in which they move readers still get to experience an intriguing array of settings, several of which I was particularly enamoured by.
Most of the novel is told in Burr's perspective although you do get the occasional scene from other individuals too including that of the heiress, a knight and even some of the players on occasion. I found myself especially fascinated by the latter of these, with the slightly surreal feel of the surroundings and the mysteries of exactly what the game entailed.
Whilst I'm on that subject I feel that I should stress that you won't come to know everything about the game. It keeps an edge of mystery about itself throughout and not all answers are spelt out for the reader on the page. As much as I'd have liked to know more about it, the story that's told doesn't particularly require it. This is the story of Burr and his village gradually coming to stand against a corrupt system; its a coming of age story for the boy in question and his siblings. And you don't need to know all of the ins and outs of the game's rules for that.
As I said earlier Traitors' Nest' was different than I expected and that's mostly in two ways. Firstly I was expecting more of an atmospheric edge to the story at times. I haven't read anything by the author before but I have several of her previous novels on my TBR and they tend to sound rather haunting, so I was expecting a bit more of an atmospheric edge to proceedings. Secondly it read a little younger than I'd expected around a quarter of the way in. Before and after one particular chunk - the coop that Burr finds himself involved with - I wouldn't say that it's particularly noticeable. As an adult reader I did find some of the younger casts' antics a little hard to accept in this particular segment. Yet I think that's probably more of a me problem than one of the book itself; it's actual young adult audience are more likely to get caught up in the action of it all. After all I'm sure if I reread some of my teenage favourites I'd question the believability of actions by their teenage casts myself now too despite loving them at the time.
Besides that section throwing me out of the narrative a little I generally enjoyed my time spent reading Traitors' Nest'. It had fascinating ideas and kept me turning pages wanting to know more about its mysterious game. It had strange 'lions' whose truths I longed to uncover and a very unsettling take on unicorns - although you don't actually get to see those firsthand. I did find one other inclusion that grated on me however; and that was the abundance of exclamation points throughout. It may not be something that will irritate every reader but for me personally they did leave me gritting my teeth at times as it felt like almost every spoken sentence was said in a shout.
Overall though I recommend Traitor's Nest', particularly to it's target young adult audience. It has a lot of very unique and compelling ideas that I'm sure will reel many a reader in and it can work as a stepping stone for readers wanting to dip their toes into historical or dystopian titles. The things I struggled with may well pass younger readers by as they get caught up in the action; something that there's plenty of throughout. Its game usage is unlike anything that I've seen before and definitely adds to the intrigue throughout.
As soon as I saw the premise for Traitors' Nest' I was intrigued with mentions of castles being moved by mysterious players, a Magpie Maiden who collects debts, an intriguing heiress and the peaceful village caught up in it all, it's the kind of book that you can't help but find yourself longing to discover more about, needing to know just how everything will click together. Overall this one ended up being a little different than I'd anticipated, but I truly can see it taking its target YA audience by storm.
One of the things that Traitors' Nest' does wonderfully is offer readers a lot of multi genre appeal. It's a fantasy title but one with a historical setting that has an almost dystopian feel to it at times. The way that Burr and his fellow villagers are forced to face a harsh, unfair society feels very reminiscent of those kind of stories; yet the mysterious encasings of the 'game' gives everything an almost sci fi edge. Much of the novel takes place within castle walls but given the manner in which they move readers still get to experience an intriguing array of settings, several of which I was particularly enamoured by.
Most of the novel is told in Burr's perspective although you do get the occasional scene from other individuals too including that of the heiress, a knight and even some of the players on occasion. I found myself especially fascinated by the latter of these, with the slightly surreal feel of the surroundings and the mysteries of exactly what the game entailed.
Whilst I'm on that subject I feel that I should stress that you won't come to know everything about the game. It keeps an edge of mystery about itself throughout and not all answers are spelt out for the reader on the page. As much as I'd have liked to know more about it, the story that's told doesn't particularly require it. This is the story of Burr and his village gradually coming to stand against a corrupt system; its a coming of age story for the boy in question and his siblings. And you don't need to know all of the ins and outs of the game's rules for that.
As I said earlier Traitors' Nest' was different than I expected and that's mostly in two ways. Firstly I was expecting more of an atmospheric edge to the story at times. I haven't read anything by the author before but I have several of her previous novels on my TBR and they tend to sound rather haunting, so I was expecting a bit more of an atmospheric edge to proceedings. Secondly it read a little younger than I'd expected around a quarter of the way in. Before and after one particular chunk - the coop that Burr finds himself involved with - I wouldn't say that it's particularly noticeable. As an adult reader I did find some of the younger casts' antics a little hard to accept in this particular segment. Yet I think that's probably more of a me problem than one of the book itself; it's actual young adult audience are more likely to get caught up in the action of it all. After all I'm sure if I reread some of my teenage favourites I'd question the believability of actions by their teenage casts myself now too despite loving them at the time.
Besides that section throwing me out of the narrative a little I generally enjoyed my time spent reading Traitors' Nest'. It had fascinating ideas and kept me turning pages wanting to know more about its mysterious game. It had strange 'lions' whose truths I longed to uncover and a very unsettling take on unicorns - although you don't actually get to see those firsthand. I did find one other inclusion that grated on me however; and that was the abundance of exclamation points throughout. It may not be something that will irritate every reader but for me personally they did leave me gritting my teeth at times as it felt like almost every spoken sentence was said in a shout.
Overall though I recommend Traitor's Nest', particularly to it's target young adult audience. It has a lot of very unique and compelling ideas that I'm sure will reel many a reader in and it can work as a stepping stone for readers wanting to dip their toes into historical or dystopian titles. The things I struggled with may well pass younger readers by as they get caught up in the action; something that there's plenty of throughout. Its game usage is unlike anything that I've seen before and definitely adds to the intrigue throughout.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings below are my own.
Hm. I did not like this book for a multitude of reasons.
First of all, it was very boring. A lot of the events of the novel weren't things the characters actively did. A lot of it was just passive actions happening to our characters. I rarely, if ever, felt like Burr did anything to impact the plot. It mostly just felt convenient. Lucky. Which, obviously, meant that I didn't enjoy this book. I wanted Burr to step up and do something, and he never does! People just do stuff around him and he goes with it! Boring!
And really, that's problem number two - I do not care about a single character or relationship in this book. No one really develops or grows or changes. Sure, they get older, they go through things that would theoretically shift the way someone interacts with the world, but I don't think the Burr at the beginning of the book and the Burr at the end of the book are different in any way, shape or form. I don't think anyone is different from their first introduction to their last. That, in turn, sours my feelings on the relationships. There's three relationships hinted at in this book and I won't give spoilers but my thoughts on them are 1) why did this happen?, 2) when did this happen?, and 3) who cares if this happened?
I really loved the concept of this world but it ultimately just fell flat for me. There's not a lot of time devoted to the Game, and the scenes we did get were weird and cryptic (for no reason) or just downright boring. I swear, every time we rejoined the Game, we were stuck in the same scene. And the ending part set in the Game was so stupid. That epilogue really was dumber than a bag of bricks. Oh, and this is also not even mentioning the non-Game parts of the world. I got very little sense for each location we got dropped into, however, that could just be me and my lack of visualisation ability at work here. Seriously, take this bit of criticism with a HUGE grain of salt.
The writing was fine, I guess? Nothing stood out to me as awful, but nothing really stood out to me as "holy wow, I have to jot this down" either. Just very passable, if a bit juvenile? Definitely read like more of a younger YA, or even a middle grade, novel at times. Again, not a problem, just doesn't help shift my rating any higher.
Overall, I just didn't have a good time with this, unfortunately. This book is 448 pages and it took me 5 days to read. Five. That's... basically unheard of for me. I read Alchemised, all 1000-and-something pages of it, in 4 days. And I also gave that book 2 stars. I think there are plenty of people who will get more out of this than I did, but I can't say I'll be rushing forward to recommend it, especially not when the author has much better works like Deeplight or The Lie Tree.
Just a small request before I go: more magpies, please. There really wasn't enough. (Signed, a magpie lover.)
Hm. I did not like this book for a multitude of reasons.
First of all, it was very boring. A lot of the events of the novel weren't things the characters actively did. A lot of it was just passive actions happening to our characters. I rarely, if ever, felt like Burr did anything to impact the plot. It mostly just felt convenient. Lucky. Which, obviously, meant that I didn't enjoy this book. I wanted Burr to step up and do something, and he never does! People just do stuff around him and he goes with it! Boring!
And really, that's problem number two - I do not care about a single character or relationship in this book. No one really develops or grows or changes. Sure, they get older, they go through things that would theoretically shift the way someone interacts with the world, but I don't think the Burr at the beginning of the book and the Burr at the end of the book are different in any way, shape or form. I don't think anyone is different from their first introduction to their last. That, in turn, sours my feelings on the relationships. There's three relationships hinted at in this book and I won't give spoilers but my thoughts on them are 1) why did this happen?, 2) when did this happen?, and 3) who cares if this happened?
I really loved the concept of this world but it ultimately just fell flat for me. There's not a lot of time devoted to the Game, and the scenes we did get were weird and cryptic (for no reason) or just downright boring. I swear, every time we rejoined the Game, we were stuck in the same scene. And the ending part set in the Game was so stupid. That epilogue really was dumber than a bag of bricks. Oh, and this is also not even mentioning the non-Game parts of the world. I got very little sense for each location we got dropped into, however, that could just be me and my lack of visualisation ability at work here. Seriously, take this bit of criticism with a HUGE grain of salt.
The writing was fine, I guess? Nothing stood out to me as awful, but nothing really stood out to me as "holy wow, I have to jot this down" either. Just very passable, if a bit juvenile? Definitely read like more of a younger YA, or even a middle grade, novel at times. Again, not a problem, just doesn't help shift my rating any higher.
Overall, I just didn't have a good time with this, unfortunately. This book is 448 pages and it took me 5 days to read. Five. That's... basically unheard of for me. I read Alchemised, all 1000-and-something pages of it, in 4 days. And I also gave that book 2 stars. I think there are plenty of people who will get more out of this than I did, but I can't say I'll be rushing forward to recommend it, especially not when the author has much better works like Deeplight or The Lie Tree.
Just a small request before I go: more magpies, please. There really wasn't enough. (Signed, a magpie lover.)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was kindly gifted an advanced reader copy, however all thoughts are my own. Thank you to First ink / Pan Macmillian for the proof copy.
This is such a unique story, i've not read anything like it before. I enjoyed the historical aspect, the lack of modern technology mixed well with the castle setting. It was also interesting to hear the experiments and inventions the characters had. The lore behind the magie maiden, and the creation of The Game and The Players was very interesting. I would have liked to learn more about the rules and the other Players.
I enjoy a YA book, as oftentimes i want a break from love stories and spice, and this has just a touch of teenage angst which was fine with me. It's been a long time since i was 15, so it is a little hard to remember how a 15 year old is supposed to behave, so sometimes Burr felt a bit juvenile, but that's probably by design.
I don't feel like i learned enough about the Magpie maiden . I'm not good at finishing a book with unanswered questions, unless i know they're part of a series (which i don't believe this is). So not knowing that is a bit irritating. There were a few things that were left unanswered.
The pacing was good, a nice mix between Character and Plot. The tension in how the characters were behaving and how they would work together as a mixed team was very well done.
There were more sad parts than i expected there to be, several times near the end i was tearing up.
Overall a very nice YA historical fantasy. A unique plot, good characters and interesting lore to the magic. I wish we had more answers, and the main character came across a little young for me, but i'm sure that won't be an issue for others.
This is such a unique story, i've not read anything like it before. I enjoyed the historical aspect, the lack of modern technology mixed well with the castle setting. It was also interesting to hear the experiments and inventions the characters had. The lore behind the magie maiden, and the creation of The Game and The Players was very interesting. I would have liked to learn more about the rules and the other Players.
I enjoy a YA book, as oftentimes i want a break from love stories and spice, and this has just a touch of teenage angst which was fine with me. It's been a long time since i was 15, so it is a little hard to remember how a 15 year old is supposed to behave, so sometimes Burr felt a bit juvenile, but that's probably by design.
I don't feel like i learned enough about the Magpie maiden . I'm not good at finishing a book with unanswered questions, unless i know they're part of a series (which i don't believe this is). So not knowing that is a bit irritating. There were a few things that were left unanswered.
The pacing was good, a nice mix between Character and Plot. The tension in how the characters were behaving and how they would work together as a mixed team was very well done.
There were more sad parts than i expected there to be, several times near the end i was tearing up.
Overall a very nice YA historical fantasy. A unique plot, good characters and interesting lore to the magic. I wish we had more answers, and the main character came across a little young for me, but i'm sure that won't be an issue for others.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and First Ink for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I have read two of Frances' books and own three others, but she's already become a go-to author for when I want a fun book that has a real heart.
There were only a handful of illustrations in my e-arc - I don't know if there will be more in the finished copy or if that's it - but they were all lovely and I loved the hand-drawn, quite ancient style of drawing.
It's historical, fantasy, adventure - a bit of everything. Amazon advertises it as a book for 12 and over. I am on the fence about that. It's quite long for a young reader and there are quite...not scary moments, but war-based moments, so I would pitch it at slightly older. But either way, I am 33 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bizarrely, given the fantasy elements, it didn't feel very fantastical. She's managed to blend it all in so well with the normal moments, that the magical elements almost become expected - like, why wouldn't castles move?
I read a lot of books - 400 or so a year - with a large proportion of them being children's books or YA, and I can say quite confidently that Frances is one of the best at creating a sense of space and place and time and atmosphere, well rounded and interesting characters, thought-provoking messages, and entertaining fun. She just gives everything 100% and it always culminated in a positive review.
There are a couple of main characters but for me this was an ensemble piece. There are so many other characters and often if it's a big cast they can get really lost because it's hard to dedicate time to each of them. But there wasn't a dud one among them, they were all fantastic to read.
It's not a thriller so there's no out-and-out twists and turns, but there are some surprises and it kept going down avenues I never saw coming. Which made it exciting and you just wanted to read one more chapter, until you realise there are no more chapters and you've finished it.
I only have one negative, and this is a comment on my preferences rather than an insult to the book, and that's to do with the length. I mean, everything was brilliant and I can't even say what you would cut without it harming the overall story, but I prefer books about 300-350 pages, so this was quite long for me. There are a few scenes that maybe could have been thinned down and still given the same impact.
If it had been a wee bit shorter this would have got the full five shining stars, but it's bloody close to being perfect.
Thanks to NetGalley and First Ink for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I have read two of Frances' books and own three others, but she's already become a go-to author for when I want a fun book that has a real heart.
There were only a handful of illustrations in my e-arc - I don't know if there will be more in the finished copy or if that's it - but they were all lovely and I loved the hand-drawn, quite ancient style of drawing.
It's historical, fantasy, adventure - a bit of everything. Amazon advertises it as a book for 12 and over. I am on the fence about that. It's quite long for a young reader and there are quite...not scary moments, but war-based moments, so I would pitch it at slightly older. But either way, I am 33 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bizarrely, given the fantasy elements, it didn't feel very fantastical. She's managed to blend it all in so well with the normal moments, that the magical elements almost become expected - like, why wouldn't castles move?
I read a lot of books - 400 or so a year - with a large proportion of them being children's books or YA, and I can say quite confidently that Frances is one of the best at creating a sense of space and place and time and atmosphere, well rounded and interesting characters, thought-provoking messages, and entertaining fun. She just gives everything 100% and it always culminated in a positive review.
There are a couple of main characters but for me this was an ensemble piece. There are so many other characters and often if it's a big cast they can get really lost because it's hard to dedicate time to each of them. But there wasn't a dud one among them, they were all fantastic to read.
It's not a thriller so there's no out-and-out twists and turns, but there are some surprises and it kept going down avenues I never saw coming. Which made it exciting and you just wanted to read one more chapter, until you realise there are no more chapters and you've finished it.
I only have one negative, and this is a comment on my preferences rather than an insult to the book, and that's to do with the length. I mean, everything was brilliant and I can't even say what you would cut without it harming the overall story, but I prefer books about 300-350 pages, so this was quite long for me. There are a few scenes that maybe could have been thinned down and still given the same impact.
If it had been a wee bit shorter this would have got the full five shining stars, but it's bloody close to being perfect.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Such an interesting premise! A game of chess started by a Magpie Maiden played by lords who've turned into something god-adjacent where castles move around the land as a turn on the playing board.
But what made this book magical in an unput-downable way was 15-year-old Burr, his dad and sisters, Sorrel & Pirin. Their bravery, kindness, and thoughtfulness kept me turning pages. My favorite kind of characters.
I almost didn't pick this book up because I was guilty of Judging A Book By Its Cover. It looked political in a way that felt uninspiring. The title was eh for me. Like, I understand it--how Castle Joett was a traitor to how the Great Game was 'supposed' to be played (though more of a rebel than a traitor). And how the old king was a traitor to the Magpie Maiden which kicked off the whole event. (This isn't a spoiler) Then nest because birds, magpies being a whole motif understandably. To me, it just didn't capture the spark of the story (even though there are sparks on the cover).
This book perfectly bridges the upper middle grade/ teen/ young teen lit age category. Publisher's recommendation is 13+ though many times I thought it read more middle grade. There's no language or kissing besides like a sweet cheek kiss, some gore but nothing too graphic.
Thank you to Amulet Books for the advanced copy!
But what made this book magical in an unput-downable way was 15-year-old Burr, his dad and sisters, Sorrel & Pirin. Their bravery, kindness, and thoughtfulness kept me turning pages. My favorite kind of characters.
I almost didn't pick this book up because I was guilty of Judging A Book By Its Cover. It looked political in a way that felt uninspiring. The title was eh for me. Like, I understand it--how Castle Joett was a traitor to how the Great Game was 'supposed' to be played (though more of a rebel than a traitor). And how the old king was a traitor to the Magpie Maiden which kicked off the whole event. (This isn't a spoiler) Then nest because birds, magpies being a whole motif understandably. To me, it just didn't capture the spark of the story (even though there are sparks on the cover).
This book perfectly bridges the upper middle grade/ teen/ young teen lit age category. Publisher's recommendation is 13+ though many times I thought it read more middle grade. There's no language or kissing besides like a sweet cheek kiss, some gore but nothing too graphic.
Thank you to Amulet Books for the advanced copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Far above the hills and valleys of the kingdom, where ordinary people live their lives, there is a brutal power game in progress between mysterious and ruthless contestants. Castles will move from place to place, and the lives of ordinary people will be uprooted and devastated as a result of the players' moves.
Such are the consequence for 15 year Burr and his family, when they find that they suddenly have a new master, a lord who demands rather more of them than the previous one. But even as Burr and a few others begin to question the way that things are, taking drastic action that might once have been undreamt of, what is being set in motion might just change their lives forever...
This was an interesting story but I found it somewhat slow moving in parts. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Such are the consequence for 15 year Burr and his family, when they find that they suddenly have a new master, a lord who demands rather more of them than the previous one. But even as Burr and a few others begin to question the way that things are, taking drastic action that might once have been undreamt of, what is being set in motion might just change their lives forever...
This was an interesting story but I found it somewhat slow moving in parts. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
YA has been knocking it out of the park this year !
Hardinge's tale is one that is much quieter and slow-paced than most of your recent YA releases, but not one to brush over.
A very original and intriguing game of castles, reminiscent of chess, and very well crafted characters are driving this historical fantasy. The magic is not flamboyant but it works !
It reminded me of Le Guin in the writing and subtlety. It is a good bridge for teens who are craving heavy, epic medieval fantasy books without being able to reach for adult books yet.
Would have loved some diversity and queerness in the characters.
Hardinge's tale is one that is much quieter and slow-paced than most of your recent YA releases, but not one to brush over.
A very original and intriguing game of castles, reminiscent of chess, and very well crafted characters are driving this historical fantasy. The magic is not flamboyant but it works !
It reminded me of Le Guin in the writing and subtlety. It is a good bridge for teens who are craving heavy, epic medieval fantasy books without being able to reach for adult books yet.
Would have loved some diversity and queerness in the characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another imaginative and original story from Frances Hardinge. This book cleverly blends the historical with fantasy. I really enjoyed the world building of the medieval castles and the idea of the overlying game players. The story deals, amongst other things, with war, community, trust and honesty. I found the first half of the book slow going, but the second half picked up the pace and the action. This was an entertaining read.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book had many of the elements I love: a high-concept premise of the peasant's revolt crossed with a celestial chess game; well-developed, complex characters; an interesting theme of the nature of power, and how it is stronger when freely given. Frustratingly as a reviewer, I can't pin down why it had all the right elements but somehow failed to land. I respect it, and I enjoyed it, but I should have loved it.
Read
August 6, 2026Oh my! So, so good! Immersive, with amazing world-building and almost unbearable suspense! Definitely rereading this one!
unreleased
April 26, 2026sickos: YES YESSSS YES YES SSS OH MY GOD. new frances hardinge AND it's a full length novel again BUT STILL HAS ILLUSTRATIONS??????? NEED NEED NEED. criminal that i'll most certainly have to wait at least 6 months after the release date for this to come to the us. someone fund a trip for me to the uk to buy this when it comes out.
Review of advance copy
If you one-star a book before there are even arcs of it I WILL five-star it, sorry-not-sorry 🙃
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