Brigid Kemmerer is one of those authors that I find to be very reliable in that her writing is always consistent, no matter what genre she tackles. I’m partial to her contemporary fiction, but recently have decided to explore more of her fantasy series.
“Defy the Night” by Brigid Kemmerer proved to be a solid start to a new fantasy series and more in line with what I was looking for as a reader. This tale is told in alternating perspectives as we learn about the Kingdom of Kandala and its class system. A plague is ravaging the land and its people and Tessa Kade, an apothecary’s apprentice, is determined to distribute as much of the priceless healing elixir to the poor as she can. When the cruel Prince Corrick disrupts her plans by killing the person she holds most dear, Tessa changes course and takes the fight to the royal palace where she intends to poison the king. She doesn’t get far before she is captured by the Prince and is taken prisoner.
Prince Corrick only wishes to protect his brother the King and will do anything it takes to keep him alive and on the throne, even if it means that he is the most hated man in all of Kandala. When he discovers that his brother has become ill, he takes a young apothecary assistant prisoner (Tessa) and enlists her service to help strengthen the healing elixir and cure his brother. Neither realize that they will eventually need to rely on one another to not only save the people but also stop a rebellion that threatens to destroy the kingdom.
The royal politics and world building in this book are well done, but if you’re are hoping for a story with lots of action and adventure you may find yourself disappointed. The focus of this book is definitely more on character development and exploring relationships/friendships between the protagonists and secondary characters. There is a hate to love romance that I thought the author handled well and I found myself rooting for the main couple despite their very rocky start!
I also read Brigid Kemmerer's “A Curse So Dark and Lonely,” a story where a teen gets transported to another world and must help break a curse to save a magical kingdom. I didn't love the book but I did appreciate that the protagonist was a person with a disability. I applaud any YA author whose book features more diverse characters. Another reason why I couldn’t seem to enjoy the book was because at the time I wasn’t in the mood to read yet another retelling of “Beauty and the Beast,” since I had already read so many in the past that I enjoyed. If you’re interested in reading some excellent retellings of this classic fairytale, I recommend “Cruel Beauty” by Rosamund Hodge or “Of Beast and Beauty” by Jay Stacey. There is also “Heart’s Blood” by Juliet Marillier and “Uprooted” by Naomi Novik which are great for Older Teens/Adults.
If fantasy isn’t your thing and you want to stick to contemporary fiction, I recommend giving “Letters to the Lost” and “Call It What You Want” by Brigid Kemmerer a try. Happy reading!
--written by Laura K., Technical Services
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