Traitors' Nest

by Frances Hardinge

Castles 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.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Audiobook, High School, Middle Grade

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2026

About the author

Frances 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.

Reviews

[Jem]

every 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

[Siavahda]

If you one-star a book before there are even arcs of it I WILL five-star it, sorry-not-sorry 🙃

Actual review after reading:

I read 40% of this, and have no urge to keep reading. It's well-written and clever and the characters are all wonderful...but man, it's just not as weird as I expect from Hardinge! Nobody's eating dolls or dead gods, there's no spider-fae or curses...it's just: very basic Medieval village. Very basic Medieval castle. Yes, the castles move, but that isn't all that interesting by itself. At least, not to me!

Loved the 'lion' hunt - I do wonder how many readers will recognise the beastie, versus how many will just go THAT'S NOT A LION.

I may be willing to come back to this if I hear the second half is delightfully weird, but otherwise, it's a DNF.

[Aila Krisse]

This was incredible, a heartbreaking, yet beautiful story of rebellion that had me hooked from the start.

I picked this up because of how batshit crazy the premise sounded; set in a world where actual castles trade places in seconds, moved around a monumental gameboard like figurines by creatures that may have once worn human faces. So I kind of went into this thinking a premise that out-there couldn’t possibly work. But it absolutely did!

It is a story of loss, grief and the massive social injustice that comes from a feudal system where those at the top are indifferent to their people’s suffering. And though the concept of the moving castles may seem whimsical and perhaps a bit ridiculous, the story told around them is brutal - they are more likely to be harbingers of doom than beacons of hope. A bonkers premise, executed perfectly.

Tropes and such:
- medieval feudalism but in a fantasy world
- underdogs rebelling against an immovable force
- very little romance
- importance of family and community
- ‘political’/war intrigue
-----
Thank you to Macmillan UK Audio for the ALC

[Nic]

This book is what the result of literary gene-splicing of the works of Diana Wynne-Jones and Hilary Mantel would be. IE The perfect progeny.


Imagine a sprawling realm divided into counties, where castles sit. Imagine a realm beholden to a metaphysical strategy game played by shadowy figures with questionable motives. At a player’s whim, castles are uprooted and transplanted across the realm. The brazen lords of these moving castles are power hungry and have surrendered their humanity to become players. They pillage rampantly as they do not know what the game will throw up next. They swell their stores in case of seige. This means subjecting townsfolk to new, and ever-changing, punitive taxes and rules.

Sick of their lives being part of a game, Burr and his sisters follow in their father’s rebellious footsteps and attempt to subvert the rules. But, can a bunch of rag-tag farmers, many of whom are children, capture the castle? And if they get past the port cullis, how do they get into the wider game?

I loved this book. Frances Hardinge makes the unbelievable believable through pinpoint world building and through characterisation: she is masterful at drawing complex, intricate, flawed (often funny) characters. Burr and his band of underdogs pull you in and make you root for them. Expect to grieve with them; wince at their missteps; hatch plots for them; campaign for them; celebrate and commiserate with them; and …fight with them.

This story has so many compelling elements: class war, revolt, redemption, self-sacrifice, romance, betrayal, magic and mystery. Strong ideas come through about trusting your gut and holding to your principles, even when you’re in a tiny minority. It’s all underpinned by folklore and borrowed history, which (along with Burr’s fabulous middle sister, Pirin) is the book’s MVP. Burr is pretty special too, but his pivotal role means he lacks the mischief his sister brings.

Frances Hardinge’s writing is sublime. Her ability to weave stories, imbuing them with seemingly real histories, and populating them with brilliant characters, is second to none.

[Nikola]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this audiobook.

I enjoyed listening to this very interesting story. It was unlike anything I have read before and I think that's what made it all more enjoying. I liked the progression of the characters relationship from beginning to end and how they develop to trust each other more. I also liked how the world was unique and I was constantly learning more and more how these moving castles worked. At times, it was hectic but in a good way. Overall, this is a solid read for anyone wanting to branch out and try something new and interesting.

[Leonie]

A great lesson in humanity, with a bonus of moving castles and a very brave family. 

[sassafrass]

howls moving castle meets the game RISK, which is a venn diagram i am exactly at the centre of.

i feel some of the character work (whippet, in particular. and i had no idea how old sorrell was supposed to be at any point) was a bit rushed, but hardinge is still 8000 years ahead of so much of the YA fantasy space. loved the writing style, loved the gothic terror of the castle trying to kill you, and loved the '''''lions''''' (iykyk).

[Ace Enni Vinadetta]

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.)

[Rebecca]

Castles 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!

[Amber (Ambs Reads📚)]

Such a fun UNIQUE concept with beautiful prose that immerses the reader within the medieval backdrop. I also loved the portrayal of sibling dynamics and love.

My main gripe with this book was that character appearances weren’t often described and so it made it extremely difficult to keep track of the large cast of characters.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who loved The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden!!

[Mon]

[vika katashev]

Thank you NetGalley & RB Media for the ARC!

The Traitors’ Nest is truly unlike any book or world I’d read before. The closest comparison is that of Narnia & a fairytale—the whole time I was listening to it, all I could think was “I need a copy so I can read this to my future children.” It’s full of high fantasy and world building so stunning that you’re truly transported into the scene. I recommend this to all, it’s an unmatched magical experience.

[Tara Prince]

This book seemed to have an interesting mix of real life and magical fantasy. I did like the concept of oridinary people getting control of the castles and working with each other to make a better world. Honestly I was a little confused sometimes as to what was going on. I definitely was all in to finding out what the lions really were. I think this book works well as a YA fantasy but it may be a little too slow paced at times.

[Fiona]

Another banger from Hardinge. Historical fantasy with English civil war vibes featuring revolting peasants and jumping castles as allegory for changes in rulers. Perfect for precocious youngsters yearning for YA who want a fantasy they can sink their teeth into.

[Farah Mendlesohn]

It's Hardinge. It's brilliant. I expect nothing less. I love this tale of gods, god making, and revolution.

Others are mentioning Howl's Moving Castle, but it's Diana Wynne Jones's Homeward Bounders that came to my mind. In that book mysterious players are playing a game that forces those who have stumbled into it to move around boundaries. This could be the game they play.

I have read an awful lot about the English Civil War and came to the conclusion that the biggest favour Parliament did for the future of this country was to smash the power of the castles (basically, they got fed up of sieges and, knowing that holding a castle = holding the countryside) they started to raise them. This book really fitted well with what I've read.


The illustrations by Nick Hayes are just gorgeous.

[Snarhooked]

Traitors' Nest has a fantastic opening. Frances Hardinge is an author whose work embodies why I love reading fantasy because it leaves you reading in wonderment at the imaginations that spark the stories. In this case it is a world with a 12th Century Europe-inspired setting where a castles can literally be there one moment and gone the next. Displaced by new castles that are the pieces of other Players in the chess-like game that they ponder over in a sort of state of transcendence.

This book shows what it would be like to live in a world like that from the perspective of the peasants who must give tithes of goods and labour to the Lord of the castle. When a castle is replaced their new Lord demands his share of goods, no matter how recently the tithes were paid to the previous Lord. Castles which have just escaped from a long siege are desperate for supplies. Those damaged in battle require the peasants to quarry stone rather than tend the fields.

Burr is a 15 year old boy from a bucolic valley but the lives of those who live there are not easy. There are years when the harvest is poor and they struggle for food. Burr's mother died from a small cut that became infected. Even in their version of heaven, the Happy Fields, they will still work. Although it will be pleasant tasks and they get an hour's lie in and finish work early so there is time for dancing.

When a new Lord and castle arrives it becomes clear that life is going to get harder. More and more demands are placed on the locals and the Lord and his men scheme to get them to bring all their goods to the castle for protection. Burr's father, Joett, is the woodsman and is seen as slow but thoughtful and others look to him for guidance. When a plan is hatched by others in his frankpledge (a system of joint responsibility) to stand up for themselves Joett decides it is the right thing to do, with devastating consequences.

Burr and his sisters end up in an afflicted castle with a mad Lord, prisoners and a knight who may or may not be on their side. They career around the country as the castle is moved in the Game and learn more about what life is like for castle-dwellers. They make a pledge to the mysterious Magpie Maiden and struggle to uphold their promises as discord grows amongst the castle's inhabitants.

It doesn't help that there is a traitor in their midst and the author does a great job of keeping you guessing who that will be. There are a number of characters with divided loyalties and grudges who will happily lie and could easily be the culprit.

There's a focus on relationships between the characters. Burr is growing up and initially delighted to be seen as a peer by the other young men. However he is conflicted when some of their actions go against how he was brought up. Even as he develops his own identity he still yearns for that camaraderie and sense of belonging. We see how self-doubt, guilt and suspicion impact the characters' actions and the consequences of this. There's a lovely sibling dynamic with them occasionally irritating each other but still having a strong bond and you get a real sense of the love in the family. I liked the mention of how they kept the memory of their mother alive.

I am a little unsure of the target age for this book. Parts of it feel more middle grade and there were several sections in the early chapters where what I thought was obvious subtext was explicitly stated, which made it feel like a book for much younger readers. The scenes with the teenagers getting embarrassed about crushes felt more upper middle grade/early teens. The complexity of the overarching story of the Game, the machinations and the length of the book tended towards Young Adult. There is violence in the book too and it can be gory at times which suggests an older intended audience.

This was an intriguing and enjoyable fantasy adventure. The historical setting came across as believable and well researched. There were some real gems of world building such as the 'castellonomers' who study castles, the idea that you have to be careful that something doesn't become too castle-like lest it be subsumed into the game, the lions and the misinformation about beasts when you only hear of them in stories. I think it could have been a little shorter in order to improve the pacing and there could have been a little more left as subtext but otherwise I really liked it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Books and First Ink for the eARC.

Edit: Update September 2026.
I now been fortunate to be able to listen to the audiobook edition of Traitors' Nest. I thought Ciaran Saward's narration was really good and added extra depth to the story. I think there were over a dozen characters that were each given subtly different voices and I never once found myself confused over who was speaking. I probably couldn't name many characters from their voice alone, as you can with some narrators, but it makes sense to me for the characters to have similar voices. Several are siblings and the others have mostly have grown up together in a village they have never left. Indeed, it's the outsiders like Daigol and Whippet that sound most different.

The pacing felt right and, along with the changes in tone and volume, the narrator definitely did a good job of elevating the story off the page and adding a little extra to it. I generally listen to audiobooks for practical reasons but this is one of the times where I'd happily choose to listen to the audio version even if I could be reading the text version.

Listening to a story that I am now familiar with gave me opportunity to ponder a little more about the world of Traitors' Nest. Something I didn't mention in my original review is the behaviour of the castles that don't seem to follow the others. For example, Lady Berenice's cousin has a castle that moves to wherever it is raining so that the gardens grow well. There is a castle that spends summer in one location, with another castle replacing it in winter. Since we are told the Players have transcended from the physical realm it seems odd for them to care about gardens, or summer parties and hunting. Which leaves me wondering if there are more rebel Players out there or if there are humans capable of choosing where their castles move to.

I do like a book that leaves you with a few things to ponder over.

Thanks to Macmillan UK Audio, First Ink and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Charlotte]

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.

[thechattychapter]

📚 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔' 𝑵𝒆𝒔𝒕 by Frances Hardinge
🌸 Genre: YA historical fantasy
⭐ Rating: 3.75
🔥 Heat Scale: 0/5
💌 Reading Level: YA (13+)
‼️ CW: Violence & Execution, tyranny, social oppression, rebellion, minor depictions of drinking, mild profanity (no f-b0mbs)

This book is now available at all good bookstores!
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 (@definitelybooks)— 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺!

💭 TLDR:

What I loved:
- the premise was SO interesting, since the story is basically “what if chess but IRL, except the pieces are actual castles moved around different countries, and the Players are god-like beings moving their pieces across a world-sized board”
- the characters were likeable, especially Burr and his father, Joet, who were both gentle and strong men who looked after their family and town. they were smart and had natural leadership skills
- the family dynamic was memorable, since Burr is the eldest sibling with 3 younger sisters, which I ADORE in books
- Joet made a lasting impact with his calm and steady personality, and I honestly wanted to see more of that kind of father figure in fantasy
- the world had so many mysteries, with the Game itself, its Players, the magpies, and the castles all having their own magic
- there were enough mysteries and developments to keep me curious about what would happen next

What didn't really work for me:
- the pacing was much slower than I expected from a premise involving stowaways, moving castles, rebellion, and a supernatural Game. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it were around 300 pages
- the main plot felt unclear at times, since the characters were primarily trying to get home while reacting to the consequences of their previous actions
- the Game was actually what hooked me to the story, but I wanted to know more about its larger purpose beyond kings acquiring more castles. like… why was it created in the first place?
- the mystery surrounding the magpies also went on for a LONG time. they went from being sacred birds to apparently being cursed, and I really wanted at least a clue to work with
- there were SO many characters, and I had trouble remembering who was who, especially among the secondary characters
- some character arcs also felt underused, particularly the heiress storyline, which ultimately didn't feel like it added as much to the overall story as I expected
- the book became a bit draggy during the quieter chapters, especially when there wasn't much action or a clear build towards a larger overarching plot


💭 My Thoughts:

Traitors’ Nest had such an interesting premise that I really wanted to love it: imagine chess, except the pieces are actual castles, the board is an entire world, and the Players are god-like beings moving those castles around for their own gain.

The main character, Burr, and his father, Joet, really carried the story for me. They were both gentle and caring toward their family and the townsfolk, while also showing courage and leadership. Joet was wise and steady, while Burr was very protective of his 3 younger sisters. This came in handy when Burr and 2 of his sisters, along with other neighbours, became stowaways when their castle jumped to a different land. It was interesting to see how the hierarchy within the group developed, and it reminded me a little bit of *The Lord of the Flies*.

I was especially interested in the Game itself. There are these god-like beings who control castle pieces that are actual castles in a kingdom, and the more castles they acquire and place strategically, the more powerful they become. This is where the Game feels like chess, and while I thought the concept was really cool, I found it too ambiguous. The Game was one of the things that hooked me, so I wanted to know more about its larger purpose. Why was it created in the first place? What exactly are the Players trying to achieve?

The same goes for the magpies. Their history and significance were intriguing, but the mystery surrounding them lasted for so long that I eventually just wanted something TANGIBLE. There were so many questions being raised, and while I enjoyed having mysteries to unravel, I sometimes felt like I was getting more questions than answers.

Additionally, I was expecting a faster-paced book because they are literally stowaways in moving castles, but the pacing was much more moderate than I expected. There were quite a few quieter chapters where the villagers were mostly arguing over what to do next, and the story often felt like a series of consequences from their previous actions rather than a clear progression towards one overarching goal.

And there were SO many characters. I genuinely struggled to remember who was who and who had done what, especially with the secondary characters. Some of the character arcs also felt underused, like the heiress storyline, which I thought would play a bigger role in the overall story.

Thankfully, there were some action-packed sequences, from taking castles to hunting legendary creatures, which gave the story some much-needed momentum. I also enjoyed watching the villagers do whatever they could to get back home. However, these moments came quite late in the story, and for most of the book, the overarching goal still felt like “WE MUST RETURN HOMEEE.”

I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if it were around 300 pages, with a little more focus on the Game, the Players, and the mysteries surrounding the magpies. The book IS cosy, but I really wished we got more out of the fantasy elements than simply figuring out how to get home without angering the Players.

Yet, Traitors’ Nest gives off the perfect cosy-but-adventurous vibe and would make a great autumn read for anyone who enjoys slow-burn, character-driven historical fantasy.

In conclusion, Traitors’ Nest had all the ingredients for a fantasy adventure I should have loved: a deadly Game, mysterious Players, enchanted castles, rebellion, and an interesting cast. But while the premise hooked me, the slow pacing and sprawling plot kept me from becoming fully invested. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if the story had been tighter, with a little more focus on the Game itself and the mysteries surrounding it.

Who would enjoy this book:
- readers who enjoy slow-burn historical fantasy
- readers who love unusual fantasy premises and elaborate worldbuilding
- readers who enjoy character-driven adventures more than nonstop action
- readers who like mysteries that unfold gradually
- readers looking for a cosy-but-adventurous autumn read
- readers who enjoy stories about ordinary people caught up in conflicts much larger than themselves

[Raney Simmon]

To view on Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings: https://rainyday.blog/2026/09/19/book...

Rating: 4.5 stars

I received an audio copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

I enjoyed listening to Traitors’ Nest for my first audiobook read. As I’ve never listened to an audiobook before, I wasn’t sure how this was going to go, but I can definitely say this was such an enjoyable experience for me, as this was such a good story to give a listen to.

What I enjoyed about it was learning about the moving castles from the perspective of a young teenager. It felt magical because I didn’t know where the story was going, and I found myself feeling for this group of villagers who had taken over a castle and didn’t understand what they were doing. Learning about this from Burr made it all the more real because he played such a pivotal role in the story. I enjoyed learning about everyone through his eyes and getting an understanding of how castles work as well as getting a good grasp of the rules and laws of owning a castle once the villagers took over the castle they inhabited.

What I also enjoyed about Traitors’ Nest was seeing the different relationships that formed as the story progressed. You can see that as the story goes on, everyone that inhabits the castle starts caring about each other, even those who initially didn’t know the villagers. I also enjoyed learning more about castles through the eyes of a certain player and the strategic rules of making them jump. It felt like I was listening to a strategy game and having to figure out the rules as the game went on, and I loved it.

I loved listening to Traitors’ Nest too because I felt like the story also had so many twists and turns. Yes, there were times when the characters’ castle was in a place, and you had an idea of what was going to happen there, but there were moments when that wasn’t the case too. Those moments were great for me because I felt like that’s when the author created the story I heard in this book and made me even more interested to see the direction the story was going. I felt like there were a lot of great moments of storytelling where I learned a lot about the world the inhabitants of the castle lived in, which allowed me to understand the choices they made in this book.

There wasn’t anything in particular with Traitors’ Nest I didn’t dislike. Maybe if I had to pick anything, it would have to be the reveal of who the traitor is among the people in the castle. Mostly because this character was someone I expected to betray them by going off hints that had been given throughout the story. And the way the traitor is revealed too just felt hastily done to me because I felt like the character that betrays them is usually way smarter than that most of the time in the story. Up until their identity is revealed. I was also disappointed by it because this character is someone in the story that I felt was an interesting character to have in the story and was actually someone that I enjoyed getting to know. It was someone I really wanted to know more about their background and find out their motivation behind making the decision to betray them.

But overall, I enjoyed listening to Traitors’ Nest as my first audiobook read on NetGalley. I found the plot enjoyable, and the narrator’s voice telling their story enjoyable. Seeing castles in such a fantastical way wasn’t what I expected, but I enjoyed it all the way through, as these characters were such a delight to read about. I highly recommend this book to young fantasy readers, as I believe it’s a good book for those looking to get into the genre and for anyone in general who loves reading fantasy, as I don’t feel like you’ll be disappointed with this one. Traitors’ Nest was published on September 8, 2026, for those interested in checking out this book.

[Sifa Poulton]

I received an ARC from the publisher in preparation for a UKYASpotlight interview. It has not affected my opinions.

Frances Hardinge's books are always wildly imaginative - to the point you go "how did you even think this up?" - and TRAITORS' NEST is no exception. Castles that move from place to place and the wild escapades of a group of (mostly teenaged) villagers who capture it - and find themselves caught up in the machinations of the Game.

It is just so much fun, a riot of castle warfare and characters trying to do the right thing with a set of weapons they've never even dreamt of touching before. They have to work out whether they want to function like lords themselves or something else, and trying to keep their old patterns of communal decision making means all their frictions play out on a much bigger scale now.

And the castles! I love castles - anyone who knows me knows I can talk for hours about castles (or better yet, go and visit one for hours!) To have them at the core of a book is so exciting. Castle warfare is not much like how you see it in the movies - big attacks like that were avoided at all costs and if it gets to that stage, then something went wrong. Castles were projections of power over land, fortifications that controlled an area mostly by threatening to be very hard to take, so why expend all the resources to try and take it? Seiges were also a lot more dull than movies would have you believe, and the action short lived (and not always successful.)

This is a book that uses that. Yes, there is action, but also it's small groups of people managing to take places because they're not climbing over the walls; they're using tricks. Mostly, these castles are projections of power. We start in a village where the rules and relationship between castle and peasants is defined - service (in the form of goods and labour) in exchange for protection, but not more than would harm the long term viability of the land. Then it all gets disrupted. Various revolts from the peasant class over time show that breaking the unwritten rules of not taking more than can be spared was a bad idea, and I loved seeing the echoes of the Peasant Revolt (1381) in the castle being taken.

The castles moving around also felt like a great echo of the iterant noble households, arriving and enjoying the hunting (maybe with some dispensing of justice) before moving on. Now add in a bunch of peasants having to act like a noble house to avoid drawing too much attention, and it's a recipe for a great story.

The Game itself is very mysterious, and I did like that it stayed that way. We never get the rules explained to us, but it makes the Game a threat - and also something literally not of the world. It reflects the characters' understanding well too.

I will say that I think this book being marketed as a "historical fantasy" is a misnomer. A historical fantasy implies a book set in our world in the past with some added magic. While this book is taking inspiration from the past, it is not set in any recognisable version of our world. Don't expect a historical fantasy - expect a novel in a fantasy world drawing on the various civil wars among the English lords that happened between 1066 and 1327 (i.e. reigns of William I to Edward II, the period when castles are most crucial to territorial disputes).

If you don't know the history this is drawing on, it's a super fun adventure. If you are a High Medieval British/Western European history obsessive like me, it's so clever!

[Heather]

ARC Review

The premise of Traitors’ Nest is genuinely outstanding. Castles being moved around as part of a Great Game, with entire communities essentially becoming pawns in something they have absolutely no control over, felt really original. There’s a very clear chessboard quality to the world, and I loved the idea of seeing what happens when the people who have spent their lives being moved around suddenly find themselves in control of one of the pieces.

The world building was one of the strongest aspects for me. There’s actually quite a lot going on, but it never became difficult to follow. The Great Game, the castle politics, the Magpie Maiden and the different characters and perspectives all felt really well balanced. I particularly enjoyed the Magpie Maiden mythology and the idea of bargains, favours and debts eventually needing to be repaid.

The Players were probably my favourite addition. Their chapters had this almost overseer quality to them. We’re seeing the very real consequences of the Game on the ground through Burr and the villagers, while also getting glimpses of the strategic, backroom manoeuvring of the people looking down at the board. I thought that bridge between the two perspectives was really cleverly done, particularly as more was revealed.

Burr’s character development also worked really well. He begins as a completely ordinary village boy caught in something much bigger than himself, and his progression into leadership feels gradual and earned. I liked that this also opened up a wider discussion around power and responsibility. Once the villagers gain some control themselves, there are questions around who should lead, who wants to lead, why they want that power and, ultimately, what actually makes somebody a good leader.

Berenice grew on me too. Initially I felt she was more useful to Burr’s story than particularly developed herself, but as the book progressed she became a strong character in her own right and had an arc that complemented Burr’s without simply existing to support his.

The ending delivered as well. The Great Game, the Players and the Magpie Maiden threads all wove together satisfyingly, and I particularly liked what the epilogue added.

This is actually quite a difficult book for me to rate because I can recognise how well constructed it is. The premise is brilliant, the pacing is bang on and there’s very little I can specifically point to and say didn’t work. But I never quite developed that feeling of needing to get back to it. I enjoyed it whenever I was reading, but I wasn’t consumed by it or desperate to know what happened next.

Sometimes you can appreciate just how clever and well put together a book is without completely falling in love with it, and I think that’s where Traitors’ Nest landed for me.

[Livvy Cropper]

absolutely brilliant and completely original fantasy (although it still pays plenty of homage to fantasy, history, myth and legend that has gone before it).

frances hardinge has a really clear voice and an excellent way of constructing stories which means they unravel at just the right pace. her characters are so distinctive and understandable. the emotions run high but never seem overworked.

this is technically YA fantasy but it's perfectly well suited for adult readers too. it doesn't have any of the juvenile or over-simplified writing that plagues so many other YA fantasy novels (and frankly plenty of adult fantasy and romantasy too).

the story focuses tightly on a small community of village farmers in a period where everyone must pay homage to their nearest castle, which can sometimes magically switch places with other castles. however those castles are run by lords who are in turn subservient to mysterious god-like "players" who are trying to figure out how to win a game that nobody fully understands.
one forest ranger and his four children are driven to desperation by the arrival of a scheming new castle lord and they must figure out how to save themselves and their neighbours from the grim machinations of the players. the themes are broad, covering: class, greed, poverty, shame, mortality, lawfulness, power, family, community, etc.

i can't recommend this book enough - again, it has some very fresh concepts so it's difficult to compare to existing works... but i think it could be compared to game of thrones if it were more YA-friendly, and also IMO better! (since it has a very satisfactory arc that is begun and completed in a single work...) or perhaps a bit like a medieval version of neverwhere.
there are magical creatures in the woods, break ins and seiges, great libraries with untold knowledge, loves and betrayals, enchanted tapestries, an otherworldly goddess-like being, young people coming of age, a bit of philosophy, mysteries, rivalries, sacrifices and more.

the reading by ciaran saward is also very good, really brought the whole thing to life.

i'm very grateful to netgalley and the publisher for the ALC.

[Fifi’s Bookshelf]

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review!

What a unique premise! It’s been a while since I’ve read a Frances Hardinge book but I recall them being dark (despite being for middle grade) and similar in style to T. Kingfisher and her dark fairytales. It’s been a very long time since I’ve read Cuckoo Song or the Lie Tree but I recall them all being somewhat unsettling? This book wasn’t dark whatsoever but it was very whimsical, imaginative, and different from any other fantasy I’ve read.

In a world of the same concepts being recycled and redone and everyone excusing it because at this point, everything has been done before, Frances proves that fully originally ideas ARE POSSIBLE. I never could’ve thought of something like this lol. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything so original. Originality in fiction isn’t dead! Like other Frances Hardinge books, this was unique, whimsical, and almost otherworldly. I quite literally have never encountered another fantasy book like this. And as someone who highly values originality, I applaud her for that.

At first, I was honestly kinda ehhh about this at first because the blurb seemed too abstract for me and I probably wouldn’t have end up reading this if I weren’t given an arc, but after the first chapter? HOOKED.

I would have liked for there to be more info on what the world of the kingdom was like (though one other kingdom is mentioned). This kingdom has giant players moving around castles but it all seems very confined to this kingdom. What is the world like outside of Thaletal? As a huge world building fanatic, I tend to prefer more expanded world building but the world inside the kingdom of Thaletal was very well fleshed out.

This was very imaginative and well written. Was it a quick read? Not exactly. This took me a lot longer than I wanted because I kind of lacked motivation to keep reading. After the strong opening chapter, I did struggle to get through it at times. It’s not really the kind of book that makes you want to keep flipping pages. But, like all of Frances Hardinge’s books, it’s very imaginative and well written as always.

[MizzyRed]

What a fascinating and original fantasy that hooked me right from the beginning when the reader learns about the game and the players that move castles around according to their whims uprooting people but also making life of those that live around the castle so difficult never knowing if the next castle will take all their supplies or even just kill them off. A bit like chess (though some of the moves made are definitely not acceptable in chess!)

It also definitely is way more than just young adult fiction! It is masterfully woven with the different castles, the fight to change tradition and the game which has turned heartless with the player's lack of humanity, and the search for the truth behind the game. You have battles, great cruelty as well as selfless kindness and one family beginning with the father who lead the way to changing it all. From Burr to his sisters, Sorrel and Pirin, plus all the others, victims of the castles, residents, engineers who creatively armor the castles to survive the jumps, traitors, spies, and so many others that I hated or cared about.

I was fascinated with the how the game come to be, how it changed, and how Joett along with his children could be the spark that lights the flame for revolution and change. It was so easy to root for them and while it does get quite dark (warfare is never pretty, not even in this game), it has a good ending with only a little heartbreak for some characters that redeem themselves and rise above their darker impulses. I really like how when I read a book by Frances Hardinge, it gives me a new way of looking at things.

So, a great fantasy book with such an intriguing world. Not that I would want to live there, but I think I would love to visit the painted castle! Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Books and First Ink for giving me the chance to read this and get lost in this world of castles and a game to change it all.

[Cosmic Reads Club]

I already thought the premise of Traitors’ Nest sounded so interesting, and the book turned out to be just as fascinating. The whole setting with castles that can actually move around the kingdom like chess pieces, the Great Game, the Players and all the lore surrounding it was such a cool idea. Then there are the Magpie Maiden and the magpies, the history behind everything and all these smaller details that make the world feel so vivid.

There is also just a lot happening. Burr is constantly thrown into new situations, there are mysteries to figure out, things we slowly learn about the castles and the Game, and quite a few developments that went in completely different directions than I expected. I really appreciated that because so many of the ideas and choices in this story felt genuinely fresh.

I also loved how much the atmosphere changes throughout the book. Things initially seem almost exciting and full of possibility, and then everything becomes darker, more desperate and at times genuinely sad. That development was done really well, especially because the story still manages to keep some hope throughout all of it.

Burr was a great protagonist to follow, and I especially liked where his story eventually went. There were several moments where I thought I knew what role he would end up playing, only for the book to take a different route. I particularly appreciated the ideas around power and how it was distributed, rather than simply ending with one person replacing another at the top.

Overall, this was just such an interesting mix of action, mystery, darker moments, great YA themes and some really unusual fantasy ideas. But the setting and all the lore were definitely what made it stand out the most for me. It was imaginative, exciting, sometimes heartbreaking and simply a really good story. A great example for a well written YA Book that adults can enjoy just as much.

[Dawn]

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to firstinkbooks and bookbreak UK for sending me a copy of this book in advance, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I grew up on Frances Hardinge's writing and was so excited to read her new YA novel. Despite now being in my 30s, this transported me back to why I really love the YA genre still and the author's writing still reeled me in and created a wonderful coming of age, underdog to hero story.

In Traitors' Nest, the magical aspects of the book intertwine so beautifully with the "real life" aspects that it felt more like a historical fantasy and didn't even have me questioning why the castles move, it felt normal. The real heart of the book are the ordinary people who serve the castles and in particular Burrs' family. Whilst most of the perspective is from Burrs' POV, the book also centres around his sister's Sorrell and Pirin, the knight Sir Daegel and Lady Bernice. I love an ensemble cast and I loved each of their journeys. Pirin and her lions in particular was such a reflection of every mischievous eleven year old girl who just loves animals. The magic behind the Great Game and the Magpie Maiden was both mysterious and beguiling and had a clever underlying message for the reader.

There are major themes of villages going through hardships, oppressor castles, war, grief and loss, however these are handled in just the right way for a YA audience. The villagers' belief in the Happy Fields for the after life had my heart aching and their love for their beautiful valley and all the work they put into their land really stood out.

A beautifully written YA historical fantasy and one for any reader that enjoys rooting for the underdogs. A refreshing take on the cunning playful nature of magpies also and the ability of anyone to change. Frances Hardinge does it again ❤️.

[Karina]

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. I'm glad there was redemption for the Knight at the end.

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.

[Books By Your Bedside]

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.

[Kat]

*I received an eARC from Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Books in exchange for my honest review.*
I was thrilled when this popped up on Netgalley, as the prospect of waiting until later in the year when my reserved library copy turned up was not appealing. Overall I found this a good solid addition to the Hardinge catalogue, with the usual wholesome family relationships, unique world, fantastic writing and meticulously researched background.
I can't help but compare every book to my favourites (A Face Like Glass, Fly By Night and Fly Trap) and for me the characters in this one weren't as interesting or noteworthy. Burr and his sisters are good characters but not great characters. I didn't really care about Berenice or Daegal. I thought Whippet was going to have more of a role than she did.
The plot was mostly easy to follow and paced well, but I wanted to know more about the actual Game mechanics and I suspect even the author herself has not actually thought about exactly how that works. It didn't detract from the book though.
One event in the book actually shocked me so much I felt compelled to email the author about it, and I received a very detailed and lovely reply from her explaining her thought processes.

Unfortunately I feel like this book will get overlooked by the current generation of YA readers due to its lack of romance and its classic, slightly old fashioned style. I LOVE these things about it, and hopefully some middle grade readers will too, but for example my 10 year old niece is already deep into the Hunger Games and Divergent series and I don't think she'd read it.

[Brian Stabler]

Actual rating: 3.5

Frances Hardinge has once again created a wonderfully strange and imaginative world in Traitors’ Nest, blending medieval history with fantasy in a way that feels completely natural. The idea of castles being moved around as part of a mysterious game, with ordinary people left to deal with the consequences, is both clever and unsettling.

Burr is an engaging central character, but this feels much more like an ensemble story, with a memorable cast of villagers and castle inhabitants. I particularly enjoyed how rounded the characters are, with loyalties, flaws and motivations that aren't always easy to categorise. There’s also plenty to say about power, community, trust and what happens when ordinary people decide they’ve had enough of being treated as pawns.

The world-building is excellent, and Hardinge has a real talent for making the fantastical feel almost mundane. Moving castles and other strange magical elements gradually become part of the fabric of the world, which somehow makes them even more convincing.

My only real reservation was the pacing. I found the first half quite slow in places, and the book is longer than it perhaps needed to be. Once the story gathers momentum, though, it becomes much harder to put down, with plenty of unexpected turns and a steadily increasing sense of danger.

A wonderfully inventive, atmospheric and beautifully written fantasy that took a little while to find its stride, but ultimately delivered a thoroughly entertaining read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Books/First Ink and the author for an advance copy.