This cursed crown

Royal twins Izaveta, raised to become queen, and Asya, who physically embodies the spirit and power of the mythical Firebird, fight to find their ways back to one another after a major betrayal. Picking up mere days after the explosive events of These Feathered Flames (2021), this duology closer finds Asya desperate to believe that Izaveta survived the Firebird's price. She places her faith in visiting scholar Nikov, her sister's one-time confidant, whose research on the Slavic folklore--inspired Firebird's magic hints at forgotten truths that could reshape the world. But Asya, unmoored at court without her politically savvy sister, is caught between various courtiers' attempts to fill the currently unoccupied throne through a trial of succession. Brusque, principled Cmdr. Iveshkin, who uses sign language, nominates Asya for the queendom, while disgraced noble Gen. Azarov attempts to leverage the Firebird's influence in his favor by imprisoning and threatening to execute Asya's love interest, Yuliana. Meanwhile, a disturbing, ancient power is reemerging, and Izaveta is trapped in its crosshairs. As the twins reevaluate their relationships to the privileges granted by their birthright, they attempt to dismantle toxic dynamics embedded in their national history as well as their own bloodline. The sisters' alternating voices maintain suspenseful pacing to gradually reveal the true scope--and stakes--of a bitter fight to protect their land and its people from a terrible fate. A White default is assumed. Part heist, part meditation on sacrifice, love, and ambition: a riveting coming-of-age tale. (map) (Fantasy. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.