Nightingale

by Deva Fagan

A plucky orphan girl stumbles into a conflict centuries in the making in this middle grade fantasy about unexpected heroes, the power of friendship, and one boisterous enchanted sword.

Twelve-year-old Lark is determined to escape her squalid life at Miss Starvenger’s boarding house, but she needs to find the coin to do it. Her grand scheme? To steal her fortune from the Royal Museum.

Unfortunately, her heist goes off the rails, and Lark ends up stealing a magical sword right out from under the nose of Prince Jasper, who’s none too happy to have his plans thwarted. Lark soon discovers that the Sword has a mind of its own, and has chosen her to be the next Nightingale, a fabled hero who must vanquish an ancient evil that is waking after centuries of sleep.

Working alone has its limitations, but relying on others after a lifetime of disappointments feels impossible. Still, Lark will need the help of her boarding house roommates if she wants to defeat the villainous forces that threaten to dismantle everything she holds dear.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Magic, Fiction, Audiobook, Juvenile

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 20, 2021

About the author

I write fantasy and science fiction for readers of all ages. I live in Maine with my husband and our dog. When I'm not writing I spend my time reading, playing video games, doing geometry, and drinking copious amounts of tea.

NOTE: My comments on books I've read are not meant to be critical reviews, but are just my own reactions. I don't generally use stars, but I do occasionally mark a book with five stars if it's one that feels like it will become a long-term favorite, because it's exactly my sort of book, and caters to my specific tastes as a reader. There are plenty of books I read and really admire that are clearly excellent books, but which are not so exactly "for me" that I give them five stars. I will unabashedly stop reading books I really don't care for, so if a book is on my read list at all it means I liked it enough to finish it.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible story! I absolutely loved this! Can’t believe how fast I read this, but I couldn’t put it down! Lark is determined to escape her squalid life at Miss Starvenger’s boarding house, but she needs coin to do so. Her grand idea is to steal her fortune from the Royal Museum. Unfortunately, her plans go south, & she ends up stealing a magical sword instead right out from under the nose of Prince Jasper, who’s none too happy to have his plans thwarted. The sword has a mind of its own, & has chosen her to be the next Nightingale, a fabled hero who must vanquish an ancient evil that is waking after centuries of sleep. Lark has had a life full of disappointments, & learned long ago to not depend on/need/trust anyone. But if she wants to defeat the villainous forces that threaten to dismantle everything she holds dear, she will need the help of her boarding house roommates-& a certain Prince & a delightful sword of course.

Big focus on the importance of friendship-needing it & people in your life that you can count on & that feel the same about you. Also, what it means to actually be a hero..it’s not always getting all the glory, real heroes don’t do it for that, but do it for the sheer joy of helping others, & doing what’s right. Many heroes sometimes even get hate in return for their help. Some heroes do amazing things every day w/o anyone knowing & not feeling the need to tell-those are heroes..they do it anyway. Anyone can be a hero, even a “plucky orphan girl” from the Scrag-it’s the heart & motives that matter.

I loved this world & its backstory-so intriguing! I also loved the “magic”(they don’t see it as magic)& the fuel source for it, & the things it did(good & bad), & THAT whole backstory. So creative! I especially found the ghosting so fascinating. I loved the people like Lark’s mom had been-a Union created to help fight for the rights & safety of the people-such a real life thing, but blended effortlessly in w/this world, the magic, & the issues. My husband’s in the Union, so it made my 💜happy.

Not only is the world, story, & magic incredible-but the characters..they’re the best. The other girls Lark lives w/are each incredible in their own right-but Sophie is a spitfire. From what we know about Lark’s mom, Sophie reminds me of a mini version of her-so it’s easy to see why that’s her best friend, & she is so attached to her..even when she can’t admit it to Sophie or herself. Jasper was so adorable. Always seeking validation for his genius, & he deserved it. Lark is so likable b/c even when she was snappy-if she hurt his feelings it made her feel bad & she made it right. I don’t like not liking characters, so I thought that was brilliantly done. Love Lark. The sword, however, has my entire heart & soul! It was a character all on its own. Terrific writing, especially for how hard I fell for that sword lol & could see all the little movements & gestures in my head.

Love. It ended beautifully, & I loved it-but of course I’m selfishly hoping for more. Highly recommend! Comes out Tuesday! Stunning cover by Marion Bordeyne too!💜




Also, I have another book by her on my tbr cart I will be reading soon since I loved this so much, & I’ll also be looking for her other books as well!💜

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Fun Adventure

This is a cute story but it might be tricky for an American child to read. I have an extensive vocabulary but I found myself looking words up. I rarely have to do that unless I'm translating.

I wish we could give partial stars because I think it falls between a 3 and a 4.

I could easily see this is brought to cinematic life in one way or another.

Tough situations were addressed in this book and it has plenty of material for discussion. This would be a fabulous classroom read with a number of activities brought to mind in a multitude of subjects.

Glad my daughter chose this from the library.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to an audiobook of this on a road trip and it was a perfect adventure for both adults and kids. I really loved the pro-worker message in this book. Extra points for the wholesome message about friendship.

[David Shultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I was a middle grade girl, this would probably be my favorite book. 3.5⭐️

[Alondra · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was ok at best the whole book was leading up to this big big "war"" and the fight lasted one page, the plot twists were predictable and the sword 3rd power had so much potential but the author just lea ves it as that, like do they different powers? or are they the same as the original one?

[Camila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie is kween
So is everyone else, but...

[Kadi P]

(Recommended by New Kid on the Book Reviews)

[Polka-Dot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so sweet and adventurous. I was captivated the whole way.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!!! Fast-paced, full of wonder, and building to a heart-pounding, heart-filled conclusion rife with magic swords and ancient mechanical monsters. I loved the pro-union messaging that never felt didactic. I continue to believe that Deva Fagan is a master of plotting and pace, and that she marries these skills with wonderful characters and well considered themes. This deserves to be widely read -- any reader who likes their fiction with a bit of magic or science fiction will absolutely adore this!

[Erica Pehrson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw Nightingale sitting on the shelf of my library, cover out, and stopped in my tracks. LOOK AT IT! Then I read the back, and the trap was snapped! I'm happy to report that this book CAN be judged by its cover.

Nightingale was a truly wonderful middle-grade adventure!! (I am rating 5 stars with that in mind- this is not adult fiction. The level of depth and character complexity is appropriate for its level)

I am a sucker for a masked vigilante! And this one has everything- a reluctant protagonist, masks, artificers, betrayal, sassy sentient swords, revolution, a radical journalist, a forgotten spare prince, and The Power of Friendship (actually I rolled my eyes at that last part).
I highly recommend this book to literally anyone. I loved it!! I loved the magic/tech world through artificing. I loved the arc of watching the Thief become the Hero. I loved the price 😭 Besides that Friendship Saves the Day bit, it was honestly perfect and the characters were all so likeable/hateable.
Also, no romance so this book gets 50 extra points!! Not everyone has to fall in love.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son and I read this together as one of the Mark Twain nominees. It was a good story about an orphaned girl rising up to save her country! There was also fantasy elements, which I love so that made the book more enjoyable! It wasn't my favorite MT nominee but it was a good, wholesome story!
My son said it was a good fiction book because it talks about friendship and how to work together! The sword was his favorite part!

[Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most entertaining pro-union tale you'll read in a while. Well-formed characters and good pacing.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Lark is desperate to escape the clutches of Miss Starvenger who claims she owes her a considerable sum for meager room and board and also is holding onto her mother's pendant, the only thing Lark has left of her mother. In order to pay down the debt, she breaks into the Royal Museum to steal coins but instead ends up stealing a magical sword that has just been awakened by Prince Jasper. The Sword claims Lark as its own, and she becomes the next in a series of Nightingales, who are supposed to do heroic deeds and keep the kingdom of Gallant secure from evil. Lark is a most unlikely heroine, but the Sword seems to have chosen her as its companion, prompting Lark to lead a double-life of secret heroism and her daily life in the boarding house and mean streets of the city. Prince Jasper decides to trust Lark as the two of them try to figure out who is trying to destroy the kingdom and what other dastardly plots are underfoot, including one regarding the Crimson Knight. While Jasper is sure that his brother, Prince Gideon [soon to be crowned King] will want the information that he and Lark have uncovered, that isn't the case, and Lark finds herself trapped. But with the help of her fellow boarders and Miss Dashlily, a former spy, she might be able to save the kingdom and her own life. The world building in this novel is incredibly detailed, and readers will appreciate how Lark goes from trusting no one but herself to realizing that friends are necessary and even helpful when dealing with powerful forces. The descriptions of aethercraft, heroic legends, and very cool soda shops will enchant readers. As for me, I loved how the Sword seems to have a personality and mind of its own, and I couldn't help but think of the Radium Girls when reading the descriptions of how the workers in Mr. Pinshaw's factory began to fade away, ghosting as the author describes it, from the effects of aether: "Raw aether was noxious, sickening stuff....It clung to the folk who worked with it too. The luminous dust sifted onto their skin and hair, even with the special smocks and caps they wore to cover their clothing. In the dim dormitory, the blue glow was hard to miss. The four sleeping figures gleamed with it. Cora and Nora were especially bright. Cora's hand, trailing out from under the blanket, shimmered like a ghost, her light olive skin frosted over with traces of aether dust from her work" (p. 36). Even though the union was working to hold Mr. Pinshaw accountable and change work conditions, like so many in power, he blithely denies the claims of the workers and focuses only on his own profits. There are certainly parallels between this fantasy world and ours, and how heroes can be found in most unlikely places. While Lark would say that the Sword gives her strength, the truth is that she had that strength, courage, and heroism inside her all along. This was a delightful read, and I was sorry to see it come to an end. I hope there will be some sort of continuation.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fagan has created a fascinating story that combines storylines involving social justice and protest, superheroes and villains, and the importance of friendship. Lark, a twelve-year-old orphan girl, lives at a boarding house with five other girls. All are mistreated and bullied by the owner of the boarding house, Miss Starvenger. One night, Lark sneaks out to steal a few knick-knacks from the Royal Museum. What she didn't count on was running into Prince Jasper who's bringing a magical sword back to life. In her efforts to escape, Lark ends up fleeing with the sword. It turns out the sword used to belong to a superhero named Nightingale, and the sword has chosen Lark to be the next Nightingale. Lark isn't pleased about this because she has no desire to be anybody's hero. She just wants to survive without getting attached to anyone.

But between the sword itself and Prince Jasper's efforts to get the sword back, Lark has a couple of mishaps. Finally, when it becomes apparent the sword has chosen her, Lark agrees to work with Prince Jasper, but only for money. Things get more complicated as Lark's roommate Sophie is helping the local factory union to protest the conditions that are leading workers to 'ghost' (slowly disappear) because of the dangerous nature of the ore they are processing in the factory. Lark tries not to care about her roommates, but she slowly realizes that she cares despite herself. As she and Jasper work together, she begins to realize that helping others carries rewards and responsibilities she couldn't have predicted.

She and Jasper discover that a plot exists to recreate the Crimson Knight which nearly destroyed their country years earlier. As they work to find out who is behind the plot, Lark comes to recognize the value of working with others. Without the help of Jasper and her roommates it's likely to be impossible to defeat the Crimson Knight and the villains behind the plan to start another war.

Fagan has written a compelling story with great characters, interesting plot details, and thought-provoking themes. She even manages to give the magic sword a personality. The relationship between the reluctant Lark and the enthusiastic sword makes for some amusing and initially disastrous events. The work of Sophie and the union makes for an interesting side plot, as they work for better conditions in the factories and mines that produce the substance that allows magic and science to move forward. I thoroughly enjoyed this story that mixed elements of social justice, superhero action, and solid relationship-building.

[Elevetha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

Not a lot to say about this one. It was decent enough, if a bit predictable regarding the villain. There just wasn't anything to stick out as being truly unique* to set it apart from the other hundreds of MG books I've read. I could certainly see target audiences enjoying it though.

I will say the ending felt a bit rushed and I didn't care for the outcome of Lark's third power, which wasn't well explained at all, but in the end she creates extra Swords for her friends and they all become heros too. I wasn't a fan of this turn, as it felt like, oh look everyone gets a magical sword and can be a hero and special, but it actually got worse because only her friends that are girls were included in this. Her friend Prince Jasper is left out of the hero group, which felt unfair if only because ALL five girls got to join in the heroism.

* not that there weren't unique elements throughout. But not on the whole, to make me enjoy it immensely.

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for kids. It's maybe a little young for me, as I am an adult, but despite that I really enjoyed it. I'm glad this kind of book exists for kids growing up today, because it is not just the story of one masked hero; it's about the little ways that regular people can strive to make the world better every day. It's about realizing that a magical sword and a chosen one aren't always what you need to make meaningful change in the world. It's about changing society to make it work for everyone, not just for the wealthy people at the top. It is also very subtly and casually inclusive in ways that are really important, especially in children's books. I may personally be a little too old to have fully, fully appreciated it but it is still a very fun fantasy romp and the sort of book that is going to help young readers grow up more empathetic and motivated to good in the world.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute, I picked it up because it was one of the Tesxas Bluebonnet nominees for 2022-2023. Both my sons really enjoyed the book. There was a character that was included in the book that went from 0 interaction to all of the sudden plotting together that felt as if it came out of nowhere, but aside from that random surprise the book was real solid. I loved the magical steam-punk feel of the book.

[Amita · Rating 4 out of 5]

this ends up being a pretty good book for the amount of ambitious world building attempted in a standalone middle grade. loveddd the pro-union & workers' rights stuff and the characters were great. lark was very much a personal callout post lmao I love when books do that. my main complaint is that it IS too fast to be a standalone middle grade. this should have been a series and the final battle specifically needed to be fleshed out more.

[Br · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does everything that middle grade fiction needs to do. It has good characterization, excellent world building, and a propulsive plot.

There are some tropes that will be familiar to experienced readers (like the younger prince who is not good at fighting, but excels at science and tinkering), but this would be a great entry point for elementary school readers into the fantasy genre.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really really good mg fantasy with a nice helping of sentient (?) magic sword, social justice, and personal accountability, plus friendship.

[Madison Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so so so cute. Love it.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice worldbuilding and storyline. Characters could be more developed, but that is not an uncommon failing in middle grade fantasy.

[Arica K · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nine-year-old daughter absolutely loved this book!

[msfox_librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great middle grade fantasy! Loved Lark, Jasper, and all of their friends that helped them fight to protect the marginalized people of Lamlyle.

[Ari Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Deva Fagan stories and this did not disappoint!

[Allison Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lark is a thief by necessity. She's orphaned, and the horrid woman who provides her room and board insists on weekly payment, even from children. The only place that would hire Lark is the aether factory, which everyone in the Scrag knows poisons you over time as you're exposed to the potent magical powder. So instead, Lark tries to steal to make her rent. One night, while quietly looting Lamlyle's Royal Museum, Lark sees a boy - one of the Princes, in fact - pouring precious aether on an ancient sword, which awakens its powers. The sword strangely chooses HER, Lark, to become the legendary Nightingale, a hero to defend Lamlyle from harm, rather than Prince Jasper. Lark is not interested in heroics; she's just trying to get by, and what has this city done for her and her people, after all? Only after Jasper agrees to pay her to be the Nightingale does she grudgingly agree. Working together, they both see greater injustices around them, and mysterious, possibly dangerous actions by a man creeping around in dark spectacles. Lark is intrigued by the mystery, and by her new role as a hero.

A really well done, fast-moving fantasy for middle grade, which thoughtfully considers how the wealthy exploit the working class. The novel also explores the problem of the single hero - how can one person, even a person with super powers, make real and lasting change? I'm into this book!

[The · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can this please become a series? The world building was great, the characters development was fun to follow and it is perfect for rereading.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to on audio as part of the library’s Mark Twain reading challenge. Very good with some original ideas and structure. Loved the combination of fantasy world mingled with “radium girls” style worker safety/pro-union messaging.

[Cassandra Hamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just a genuinely good book. It’s about an impoverished girl impossibly indebted to her horrible caretaker who resorts to thievery because the only other option is factory work. The girls working there get exposed to the toxic, unprocessed substance aether, which powers their world, and too much exposure makes you become incorporeal. She accidentally ends up stealing a magical, sentient sword that thinks she’s the new Nightingale, a hero of old. There’s found family and a mystery going on and lovable characters and it’s just generally wonderful. There are some Winterborne vibes too, and I love Winterborne.

[Lisa Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lark is a Twelve-year-old girl that is desperate to find a better life, but in order to escape her life terrible boarding house in a squalid part of town, she needs to get some money. But when Lark decides to rob the museum at the palace, she ends up face to face with a prince, and ends up holding a magic sword that has chosen her as the new Nightingale - protector of the kingdom. But Lark doesn't want to be a hero, however, she soon learns that sometimes you don't have a choice, especially when people you love are in danger.

Okay, this may be my favorite of the Blue Bonnet books for this year. The story was fresh and fun, with action and fantasy, great characters, and great villains as well. I know my son will love it!