Fence Striking distance

Coach Williams has her hands full with the boys of the Kings Row fencing team. She knows aren't won with individuals, they're won with teams, but this team isn't clicking yet. Captain Harvard is so eager to think about everybody's needs that he's neglecting his own, while his best friend, Aiden, has broken more guys' hearts than Coach Williams can count. Then there are the freshmen: scholarship-student Nicholas, who has raw talent but no training, and his roommate Seiji, a top-ranked fencer who lacks social skills. While Nicholas and Seiji feel out a tentative friendship--one that involves pranks, well-meaning bros, and some very firm boundaries--Aiden struggles to hide his feelings for Harvard, whose friendship is the only constant in his life. Part sports story, part romance, this novelization of C. S. Pacat's comic series is a laugh-out-loud funny dive into camaraderie and identity, featuring a high-interest but little-seen sport. A satisfying but open ending will leave readers eager for the next installation in this worthy adaptation.

Fencers face a challenge from their coach--learning to work as a team--in this novelized continuation of a sports romance comic series. Kings Row, once underdogs despite being from an elite Connecticut boarding school with a long history of fencing, have won their first match of the year. Despite their potential, they are failing at bonding as a team. Nationally ranked prodigy Seiji doesn't know the first thing about making friends. His roommate, Nicholas, a White scholarship student, feels like an outsider surrounded by his wealthy classmates. White playboy Aiden couldn't care less about anyone on the team except their captain, Harvard, who (according to their coach) needs to learn to prioritize himself once in a while. In the midst of their teamwork training, Harvard awakens to his sexuality, and Aiden battles jealousy to preserve their friendship. Although the romantic subplot includes a contrived scenario of dating lessons, the tension between Harvard and Aiden adds urgency to the story. The queer-affirming bubble of Kings Row drifts between fluffy escapism and realism: While the world imagines a place without hate for queer people, it withholds the same treatment for other differences. Harvard, who is Black, and Seiji, who is Japanese, remark on their experiences with racism. Bullies harass Nicholas for his socio-economic status. After a high-intensity buildup, readers may wish for a clearer resolution of the central romantic drama. Fans of C.S. Pacat's graphic series Fence may wish to reenter this world in novel form. (Romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.