Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Jessamy's family is in a difficult place. Her father, born poor but with noble blood, has risen to prominence as a skillful soldier. However, love for his commoner wife, and affection for his four daughters (who, according to society's dictates, should have been abandoned), leaves him vulnerable when his patron dies. Jes' skill in running the Fives intricate, multidisciplinary endurance tests saves her when his new patron, Lord Gargaron, breaks up the family. Jes gets to train in the Fives' stable at Gargaron's palace, but her father must leave his family and marry a noblewoman of Gargaron's choosing. Jes assumes her pregnant mother and sisters are well taken care of, but nothing could be further from the truth, and rescuing them becomes her dangerous responsibility. In her first YA novel, World Fantasy Award finalist Elliott once again shows she is a master at world building. The requisite (and forbidden) romance between Jes and Gargaron's nephew, Kalliarkos, has real spirit, and Jes will remind readers of fearless Katniss with her skill and strategy for games. But it's the fascinating descriptions of traditions, royal interactions, and, of course, the intensities of the Fives that will enthrall readers most of all. Let the games continue--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Launching a YA trilogy, adult author Elliott (the Spiritwalker series) takes readers on an imaginative journey into Efea, a socially divided world of "Commoners" and "Patrons." Jessamy, the daughter of a high-ranking Patron army captain and a Commoner mother, wants to compete in the Fives-a challenging, obstacle-like game requiring cunning and athleticism-but her father forbids it. When the lord sponsoring Jessamy's father dies unexpectedly, tearing apart her family, she gains the opportunity to train at one of the most prestigious arenas in the kingdom, alongside a lord whose sudden attention sets her heart racing. Elliot creates an intricate and intriguing story, conjuring a world of mysticism and centuries-old customs. Jessamy's boldness and impulsiveness make her a striking heroine in a male-dominated land. While Efea's complicated backstory can occasionally bog down the narrative, Jessamy's daring escapades, her budding romance with Lord Kalliarkos, and the descriptions of her Fives trials keep things exciting. Jessamy's challenges are only just beginning, and readers will be eager to know how she fares in future books. Ages 12-up. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7-10-Set in an ancient civilization reminiscent of the Egyptians and the Mayans, this is a high fantasy novel that explores race, class, and gender struggles in a patriarchal society. Jessamy is the daughter of a Patron general and a Commoner mother. Even though her parents' union is illegal, Jessamy is brought up with the wealth and privilege of the Patron class. However, that privilege comes at the price of her own independence. The heroine cannot publicly compete in the Fives, a prestigious athletic competition, so she trains in secret. Then her father comes home unexpectedly from battle and the family is given the honor of attending a Fives game. Jessamy competes, but even masked, her identity is revealed. Her family quickly comes under the scrutiny of the deceptive Lord Gargaron who breaks apart the teen's family, even arranging a new marriage for her father. The protagonist is then sent to a Fives training camp while her pregnant mother and sisters are imprisoned. Jessamy seeks help from Lord Gargaron's nephew, a kind nobleman of Patron birth and a Fives competitor. Together, they risk their lives to save Jessamy's family. Elliott has created a world of warring kingdoms where the victors have built their civilization on the backs of the conquered. Jessamy is a loyal and strong female protagonist who fights against injustice. VERDICT This trilogy opener will be a hit with readers who love action-packed fantasy adventures.-Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Rockaway Township Public Library, NJ © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After secretly training for years to compete in the Fives, a physically demanding athletic competition, Jes finally gets her chance to do so publicly after her family is torn apart by a powerful lord. Set in a fantasy realm modeled on the ancient Mediterranean, Elliott's YA debut--with Game of Thronesstyle political intrigue and Hunger Games adrenaline--should spread like wildfire. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
After the death of the highly placed aristocrat whose patronage ensured their safety, Jessamy's mixed-race family is targeted by political enemies; spared thanks to her skill at the game of Fives, she must find a way to save them. Jes' father, born into the Patron class, insisted she and her three sisters adhere to strict Patron protocols. Their Commoner mother submitted gracefully but at the price of openly affirming her Efean heritage. Jes finds an outlet from suffocating social strictures by secretly training for the Fives, a complex, mysterious competition popular with both castes. No one is fooled when, in order to avoid unmasking, she lets a competitor, Lord Kalliarkos, win. Separated from her family to live and train at the stables of his uncle, Lord Gargaron, Jes quickly bonds with Kalliarkos. When she learns the fate of her mother and sisters, she enlists his help in rescuing them. During this grueling ordeal, Jes begins to realize the power Efean heritage holds and to sense that it's somehow interwoven with the game of Fives. Far more than a game, its meaning remains unclear, its history lost or forgotten. This series opener, the auspicious teen debut of a seasoned author of adult fantasy and World Fantasy Award finalist, features a gripping, original plot; vivid, complicated characters; and layered, convincingly detailed worldbuilding. A compelling look at racial and social identity wrapped in a page-turning adventure. (Fantasy. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
